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Vision and Values

Vision Statement:
Our vision is to nurture a generation of Paulines that will make a positive contribution to the world.

As the country’s top academic school for boys, we care about exam results, but our real motivator is inspiring joy in learning and cultivating deep scholarship. We focus on bringing together leading experts in raising young men and thinking deeply about what that entails: character development and rich opportunities for growth within and beyond the classroom. It is our belief that by building integrity and providing opportunities for service, we will encourage our pupils to lead purposeful, socially responsible lives.

Our three pillars of Scholarship, Opportunity and Character are the foundation of all that we do and we actively focus on five core character traits: Respect, Kindness, Humility, Integrity and Resilience.

  • Respect: The ability to appropriately respond to the inherent dignity of others as well as their achievements, experiences and value within a community. Respect may be driven by our personal appreciation and admiration, but it is also sometimes used to set what we minimally expect of each other’s behaviour regardless of how we feel. This is why respect is linked to a range of things from everyday politeness and gratitude to individual rights and social justice.
  • Kindness: The ability to accurately and sensitively respond to the needs and feelings of others. The best acts of kindness are usually unconditional and selfless, and motivated by emotions like empathy, compassion and care. Kindness often requires us to be mindful of the impact we are having on those around us, to listen actively and carefully to them about their needs, and be willing to sacrifice some of what we have for their sake.
  • Humility: The ability to reflect on ourselves – especially our merits and achievements – in light of a larger context, and to keep this context in mind when deciding on how to act. The best forms of humility are often motivated by a commitment to the truth and fairness. Humility usually requires us to stay open to the possibility of our own fallibility as well as the perspectives and experiences of others. Similarly, it asks us to resist the temptation to boast, generalize from our own experience or rush to dismiss what we don’t agree with or understand.
  • Integrity: The ability to speak up for and choose what is right even in the face of adversity, as well as take responsibility for and learn from our mistakes. The best forms of integrity often rest upon high moral standards that have been carefully curated by ourselves and others. Integrity usually requires us to be honest, courageous and demonstrate self-control, as well as make good on the advantages we have been given.
  • Resilience: The ability to adapt and keep on trying when success is not immediate and to respond to failure with perspective and resolve. The best forms of resilience are often supported by a considered sense of purpose, meaning or value, and resilience may require us to be patient, flexible and to know when to seek the support of others.

We also have a Pupil Commitment created by the founding Senior School Values Committee,  in consultation with senior school pupils

Pupil Commitment:

As a pupil in the St Paul’s community, I make a commitment to:

  • Be respectful and kind to others, myself and our environment;
  • Challenge and speak out against discrimination, bullying or abuse of any kind;
  • Be an active and thoughtful contributor to our community;
  • Be humble, empathetic and understanding in all my interactions;
  • Act honestly and with integrity;
  • Use the education I have received in the service of others;
  • Reflect on the school’s predominantly male environment and the pressures this can create;
  • Uphold these commitments both inside and outside of school, at all times and with everyone.

I recognise that my peers and I might not always succeed in meeting these commitments, but we will treat these moments as opportunities for reflection and the improvement of ourselves and our community.