Acknowledgement of Country
We acknowledge the Darkinjung people, the custodians of the land on which we live and learn.
We pay respect to Elders past and present, and to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in our community.
We recognise that they are the custodians of a culture and a practical wisdom grounded in history, lore and Country.
Living Well and Learning Well
The purpose of education is inseparable from the purpose of life itself.
At its heart, education is a pathway to what Aristotle called eudaimonia, a life lived fully, wisely, and well. He explained that a good education is not simply about acquiring knowledge and skill, but about shaping habits of mind and character so that we can live lives of meaning and virtue.
A good education, therefore, teaches us to live well and learn well.
At Central Coast Grammar School, this philosophy is at the heart of our vision. We believe that a good character is the foundation for reaching our potential and for living with joy and purpose. This holistic approach empowers every child to succeed in their academic endeavours, co-curricular pursuits, social relationships, and sense of self.
We believe ethics and good character are matters of lived values rather than abstract theory. Character, in Aristotle’s view, is learned through practice and guided by what he called phronesis, a practical wisdom. This moral will and moral skill to choose well enables young people to navigate complexity, act justly, and contribute meaningfully to society.
We cultivate good character and practical wisdom so that our students are empowered to live with accomplishment, humanity, justice and agency. Our Graduate Profile draws on research into character education by leading Australian and international
thinkers, and has been tailored to reflect the character of our community. We aspire to graduate young people who live well and learn well as courageous, compassionate, and wise contributors to a complex and changing society.
Our plan offers a vision to support excellence across our people, practice and place through eight strategic priority areas, and we invite you to explore them here.
This is more than an educational strategy. It is a commitment to human flourishing, grounded in timeless wisdom, designed with contemporary scholarship, and refined in a way that is unique and purposeful for our community.
Through this ambitious and aspirational vision, we affirm our commitment to preparing young people with the good character and practical wisdom to live well and learn well. This is the responsibility – and the honour – of our work.
Chairman Headmaster Mr Stephen Brahams Mr Phil O’Regan
Our Mission
Striving for excellence in all endeavours in a happy, caring and supportive environment.
Our Philosophy
We prepare students to live and learn with good character and practical wisdom.
Our Purpose
To graduate students who live well and learn well.
Our Approach A framework for good character and practical wisdom
CHARACTER DIMENSIONS
CHARACTER STRENGTHS
GRADUATE ASPIRATIONS
STUDENTS WHO LIVE WELL AND LEARN WELL
Learning good character and practical wisdom through every experience
Good character is the foundation of who we are and how we relate to others.
We know that we learn best by doing. At our school students will learn good character and practical wisdom through every experience. We will intentionally create the moments through which they see, practise and demonstrate their readiness for the world in which we live today, and that they will inhabit tomorrow. PRACTICAL
Graduate Profile
Our students learn:
Good character: Who we are, how we perceive ourselves, and the values we use to interpret, understand and interact positively with others and the world.
I NTELLECTUAL CHARACTER
MORAL CHARACTER
CIVIC CHARACTER PERFORMANCE CHARACTER
Intellectual character: The strengths of critical thinking, creativity and communication that help us pursue and share knowledge, truth and understanding.
Moral character: The strengths of respect, integrity and gratitude that help us act well in situations that require an ethical response, and to navigate ethical questions and challenges.
Civic character: The strengths of citizenship, collaboration and kindness that help us be responsible members of a local and global community and build positive relationships with other people.
Performance character: The strengths of courage, resilience and self-awareness that enable us to enact all dimensions of good character positively and effectively, and hold to our core beliefs.
Our graduates aspire to live with:
Practical wisdom: The moral will and capacity to choose and act ethically, and navigate uncertainty or conflict with discernment.
Accomplishment: The development of refined understanding and capacity that are attained and used with autonomy, expertise and imagination.
Humanity: The determination to consider the perspectives and experiences of others in order to think and act with empathy and compassion.
Justice: The willingness to accept personal responsibility to make choices that respect, serve and honour ourselves, our school, our community, and our world.
Agency: The confidence and commitment to take action purposefully and positively.
Strategic Priority Areas
In pursuit of our purpose to graduate students who live well and learn well, we will intentionally nurture our people, grow our practice, and strengthen our place.
Through these priorities, we will continue our pursuit of excellence, and take the practical steps required to achieve our strategic vision for good character and practical wisdom.
Good Character and Practical Wisdom
Students who live well and learn well
Learning through every experience
Our
Commitment
To engage in Dadirri and truthful reckoning, and seek authentic guidance for reconciliation and healing.
During this process, we will engage in dadirri (deep listening) and truthful reckoning with Australian history with our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community.
We will do this so we can commit ourselves to deepening our connection with our Country –Darkinjung Country – so we can walk together with knowledge, respect and confidence.
By building these relationships and embedding this learning in our school, we can stand as allies with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. We want our community to see reconciliation as something we live and practise every day.
Our People
We will create the opportunity for everyone to aspire to excellence and empower them to realise the best of who they are.
Student Development
To live and learn with character and wisdom
1. Define and communicate a graduate profile
2. Define a character curriculum
3. Design and prototype a character curriculum
4. Implement learning and wellbeing pedagogy alongside character curriculum
Staff Experience
To prioritise an outstanding professional community
1. Review staff requirements, expectations and investment
2. Refine staff structures, systems and work conditions
3. Deepen staff wellbeing, recruitment and retention
4. Develop tertiary partnerships and experiences
Community
To celebrate each other and grow together
1. Define and implement a Reconciliation Action Plan
2. Foster an inclusive, welcoming community for all cultural perspectives
3. Broaden opportunities to engage, experience and empathise with cultural perspectives
Our Practice Our Place
We will create the conditions in which our people can thrive and demonstrate excellence.
Professional Practice
To strengthen an expert teaching team
1. Define a teacher profile
2. Redesign the professional learning strategy
3. Design a learning and wellbeing pedagogy
4. Redesign the professional growth process
5. Develop a coaching culture
6. Establish expert partnerships
Curriculum
To deliver an exceptional curriculum
1. Define an exceptional curriculum
2. Design and prototype an exceptional curriculum
3. Implement an exceptional curriculum
4. Implement learning and wellbeing pedagogy alongside curriculum
Co-curriculum
To create opportunities for access, excellence and agency
1. Review and develop co-curricular opportunities and innovation
2. Maximise sustainability and investment
3. Extend local, national and international affiliations
4. Implement learning and wellbeing pedagogy alongside co-curriculum
We will create a place where excellence is valued and enabled. ICT,
Data & Systems
To ensure organisational excellence
1. Review processes, ICT tools and opportunities
2. Optimise existing systems and implement system change
3. Accelerate data capture, analysis and visualisation capabilities
4. Embed artificial intelligence for teaching, learning, wellbeing and administration
Strategy & Governance
To lead an aspirational and sustainable organisation
1. Support the implementation of the strategic vision across all operations
2. Review of facilities and resources
3. Refine school design and structure
4. Develop the school’s Master Plan
5. Develop and accelerate partnerships
6. Vision and develop the next strategic plan
