Knox Grammar School launches new Strategic Direction 2023-2027

Knox Grammar School’s Strategic Direction 2023-2027 has been developed over 12 months with enthusiastic and valuable contributions from staff, students, parents, alumni and School Council. The positive engagement and feedback provided by our community has highlighted confidence in our future as a leading school and excitement at the breadth of possibilities.

Through our process of consultation, we discovered clear alignment between families and staff that developing the whole person is key to an exceptional education. Central to this is our bespoke ‘Total Fitness Model’, which represents the holistic academic, social and emotional, spiritual and physical wellbeing of each individual in our School community. It is the sum of all programs and opportunities that Knox offers that makes it a leading Uniting Church school. Strengthening the links between academic studies, wellbeing and co-curricular is an encompassing commitment that is core to our future leadership work.

Reflecting on the robust new plan, Knox Grammar School Headmaster Scott James said: “I am excited to launch the 2023-2027 Strategic Direction as it represents a significant milestone in the life of the School. It marks the beginning of a new chapter in our history and sets the stage for continued growth and success in the years to come. The Strategic Direction will build a sense of unity within the community as we work together to achieve collective goals, ultimately leading to improved learning outcomes for students, staff, and the broader community.”

The Strategic Direction 2023-2027 identifies four areas of focus: Students’ Experiences, Staff, Community and Stewardship. These areas provide insight as to how Knox intends to move towards the future with courage, and is a framework for the development of plans that will be reported annually to our community. This ensures we can be flexible and adapt to unforeseen needs and challenges, continuing to take advantage of the best research for the shaping of our priorities.

“Central to our mission in the coming years is providing learning experiences across the full breadth of a Knox student’s life where he is guided to develop the skills, agility and thinking dispositions so as to have a substantive and positive impact on his immediate and broader community,” explains Knox’s Deputy Headmaster K-12 and Head of Senior School, Phil O’Regan.

As we approach our centenary in 2024, we reflect on our duty to ensure educational excellence within the context of our time. In a rapidly changing environment where support and mental health are increasingly critical components to schooling, where the expectations of students, teachers and parents are ever-changing, and where there are new careers and societal challenges to navigate, we must continue to lead the way.

For Head of Knox Grammar Preparatory School, Sue Floro, the excitement lies in the possibilities that the new Strategic Direction will provide for students and staff.

“It will enable us to build on the programs already in place, whilst strengthening the connections between Prep and Senior School in all aspects of the Total Fitness platform,” Sue said.

“Learning at Prep has evolved significantly over the last several years, with a personalised approach enabling us to meet individual needs in key subject areas, with a focus on growth. This will continue, with eyes pointed directly towards understanding the needs of students who are entering the wider world post-school; while also addressing the evolving needs of our staff in this way. Understanding the needs of students transitioning from one stage to the next will be a major focus. We will think critically about how we address these transitions, to ensure as smooth a process as possible, including building a skills and experiences platform to address these needs.

“Innovation wrapped in tradition has formed the basis of all of the work that has been done at Prep in terms of each of the elements of Total Fitness in the past several years and this will enable us to continue the evolution of all of these programs over the coming five years.”

Knox has always demonstrated great capacity to respond to its evolving local and global context. Our Mission, Vision and Values anchor our community, whilst our Guiding Principles support the contemporary enactment of these foundations.

As we look to the next five years, we can be confident that the constancy and agility woven through our distinguished 100-year history will continue to inspire and sustain our future aspirations.

Building on that history is integral for Head of Wahroonga Preparatory School (WPS), Julie Wiseman.

“Innovation wrapped in tradition encapsulates the importance we place on the strong heritage which we have at Knox and Wahroonga Prep,” Julie said.

“Community stands as one of the core pillars in the Strategic plan and Wahroonga Prep has a long association with Knox commencing in 1926 with many families attending WPS prior to commencing at Knox. This strong sense of community will continue to evolve and strengthen as new generations of students add to the rich fabric of the school. Caring for students’ wellbeing and ensuring they receive the highest quality education within the Knox Total Fitness model has been, and will continue to be, at the core of our teaching. Through our Reggio-inspired philosophy, we value the contributions of all our students including our four-year-olds in our Pre-Kindergarten. Working closely with our parents and the local and global community we will proactively incorporate and look for future opportunities to ensure our students continue to strive for high educational standards, to ensure they are future ready.”

Innovation wrapped in tradition encapsulates the idea of blending originality and creativity together with our rich heritage and traditions. Together, we have the energy, commitment, talent and resources to ensure we will build on our strengths and create new opportunities.

To read the Strategic Direction 2023-2027 document in full, please click here.