HIGH SCHOOL HANDBOOK - The Friends' School

WELCOME TO HIGH SCHOOLWe look forward to sharing this period of four years with you; a period of extraordinary personaland social development for your child. The adolescent years can be amongst the most challenging, asstudents transform from children into young adults. As teachers, tutors and Heads of School our aimis to work in partnership with parents to support students through this important time in their lives.As a Quaker School our aim is for students to learn in the context of the values embodied in ourPurpose and Concerns; the intrinsic worth of each individual, justice, peace and community, and indoing so to become life-long learners with a sense of responsibility and integrity.There are more than 550 students on the High School campus. It is a large community but brokendown into smaller units to ensure that students feel connected to their Year group and their House.Students are placed in a Tutor group of 16 – 18 boys and girls drawn from Years 7 – 10 and remainwith that Tutor throughout their High School careers. The Tutor groups form the four Houses of theHigh School – Hodgkin, Mather, Ransome and Unwin.Each Head of High School has responsibility for both their House and for a Year group. As a Yeargroup we meet once a week for Gathering, in the spirit of a Quaker meeting, consideringcontemporary issues and matters of relevance to the Year group. Students grow to value this timeboth as an opportunity for silent reflection and as a forum to share ideas.With a challenging, diverse curriculum, a supportive school environment and the encouragement totransform beliefs into action we aim to give our students an enriching and stimulating life in theHigh School.The atmosphere of the School today still reflects the intention of the men and women whosefounding vision for the school in 1887 was education for spiritual and intellectual growth. It is aplace in which learning in all its forms is the core activity. The composition of the SchoolCommunity, the physical surroundings, and expert staff, rich teaching programs and the support ofthe parent body complement the values of the School and provide for your child this unique schoolexperience.Paul Goodluck, Hodgkin – Year 10 Lyn Johnston, Ransome – Year 9Robert Scandrett, Mather – Year 8 Susan Williams, Unwin – Year 7The Friends’ School – High School Handbook, version 0.0.1 5