Guiding Principles

Our specialisation is on the education of boys. Our inter-locking principles are to be boy centred, learning focused and for boys and staff to seek to Discover what’s possible.

Since 1863 Newington College has sought to challenge and motivate boys. There are so many avenues and opportunities to do this; to discover their interests and passions; to discover who they are; what they stand for and why; to discover that they can improve by persistence and depth of character; to discover the unknown; to discover imagination; to discover one must stand up for what is right; to discover the enjoyment of learning, unlearning and relearning; to discover what really matters in life; and to discover what is required to be life ready.

Newington College encourages boys to achieve their personal best by fostering positive self-esteem that regards personal achievement as worthy of effort. We present our policies and practices within a balanced liberal education based on the medieval concept of liberalism. A classical liberal education equips boys not only with the ability to learn but also with the spiritual, moral and aesthetic senses that will enable them to perceive or to construct values throughout their lives. It also cultivates active citizenship and civic engagement.

Learning is at the heart of what schools are about. Preparing and planning preferred futures is essential for a good school. The aspirational Strategic Plan seeks to anticipate emerging educational needs for our boys and staff.

The journey should be challenging, exciting, enjoyable and productive. The journey should ensure the long term sustainability for this great College yet be flexible to enable appropriate response to times of rapid change. The journey should embrace our philosophy of discovering what’s possible for everyone in our community. In Romans, St Paul challenges us to be ‘transformed by the renewing of the mind’. It is this constant process of renewal that will enable us to nurture hearts and minds for the 21st Century.