St Philip's Teaching School | The Third Space, Term 1 2026

ST PHILIP’S TEACHING SCHOOL

The Third Space

TERM 1, 2026

A Message from our Executive Principal Tertiary Welcome to 2026!

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Meet the team

A Coordinator’s Perspective

on Choosing Teaching School Graduates

“ Teaching School Trainees have a unique combination of grounded experience and steady professional formation. ”

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“ When selecting new teachers, we look not only for skill and knowledge, but also for character, teachability, a deep sense of vocation, and an understanding of what it is to teach authentically with a biblical worldview. Over the past few years, we have increasingly chosen Teaching School graduates because they consistently demonstrate these qualities in remarkable ways. ”

“ Their transition from trainee to independent teacher is remarkably smooth... They are already in the habit of professional conversation and are eager to continue learning, having been encouraged during their training to consider not only what they teach, but why they teach and who they are becoming in the process.

For current trainees reading this: Your formation is deeply valued. The hard work you invest now is building a foundation that will serve you, and your future students, well. Thank you for joining us in this significant kingdom work, it is an exciting adventure and richly rewarding.

For our partner schools: If you have not yet welcomed a Teaching School graduate, I wholeheartedly encourage you to consider doing so. Their contribution is meaningful, significant, and deeply beneficial to the life of a school.

Our Progressing Mentor Formation Program

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CATEGORY DIMENSION

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Immersion Week: Observing the Foundation of Effective Teaching

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“ Immersion Week allowed me to build community with my classes consistently to ensure that not only is my responsibility in the classroom to meet curriculum demands, but it is also to ensure every student is seen, heard, and loved. ”

“ Immersion Week plays a critical role in knowing your village and becoming comfortable with leaning on them for support. ”

1. The better you look after yourself, the better teacher you will be.

2. Be organised!

3. Make the most of it.

Training to Finish Well

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In Jesus Christ we see not frantic productivity but faithful presence. He did not hurry to impress. He did not measure success by numerical outcomes alone. He lived attentively within the will of the Father, in community, within limits.

Learning Where You Belong:

CHC's Embedded Placement Approach

“Our trainees experience something different. Through the Teaching School's model, they are placed in a school for a full year. They come to know their students. Their students come to know them. Their mentor walks alongside them across every season of the school year. ”

“ CHC's embedded PEP model honours exactly this. Rather than extracting a trainee from that environment to complete a block elsewhere, it allows the school-based work already underway to satisfy professional experience requirements. The development continues without interruption. ”

“ At CHC, we recognised a ‘chopportunity’ – an opportunity masquerading as a challenge! – for our students who were already working in a school setting, where the logistics of extracting oneself from paid employment in a school to complete placement in a different school can be overwhelming. The realities of life, both for students and for schools, can present significant challenges in completing the important, non-negotiable aspects of an initial teacher education course. It’s always been a priority for the PEP team at CHC to see each individual student and make placement experiences as comfortable as we possibly can (whilst still meeting our regulatory obligations), because we believe that reduced anxiety = improved learning. We are proud to be pioneering this approach to professional experience, and are grateful to our many supporting schools, including St Philip’s, who are walking this journey with us. "

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“For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.

“Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows. ”

“The invitation then is to partner together with the body of Christ to bring about the mutual flourishing of people and the earth. ”

“ We departed with a robust support networkinterconnected fibres of mentors, peers, coordinators, and the wider body of Christ, equipped to persevere and flourish. At the core rang the central call that carried us through: Offer back to Him your every thread and trust that He will work it beautiful. ”

Making an Impact:

When Trainees Step

Forward with their Gifts

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“For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. ”

“ Just before the end of the school year, a parcel arriveda copy of Ken Done’s book personally signed for the Year 2 students. The joy in that moment was unforgettable. It was more than the delight of receiving a gift, it affirmed the authenticity of their learning and reminded us that meaningful work can extend beyond the classroom walls. ”

“ Aaron’s willingness to create space, offer guidance and trust me with responsibility allowed this idea grow into something impactful for students and affirming for me as a developing teacher. ”

For trainees... look for opportunities where your passions intersect with students learning and have courage to step forward. For mentors... when you give trainees room to try, guide them faithfully, and encourage them along the way, you help shape educators who understand that teaching is not just a role, but a calling lived with purpose and faithfulness. ” “

Reflections from Graduating Trainees

St Philip's Teaching School Celebrates the Class of 2025

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A r t i s t i n T r a i n i n g

Threads cascade down tapestry,

Weaving tangles of every colour burst from linen base.

Stapling to frame, the image unveils.

Manta glides across blue sea,

A spectrum of fins tickle his belly,

Gracious mother floats beside.

Cephalics dance among the shoal.

Orange eyes watch from their den;

A foxen flash pounces the hare.

The pupil readies for his chase.

Father releases the mangled thing.

Firs shoot plumes of green.

Twined roots nestle through the soil.

Ancient progenitors stretch the horizon.

A network of sprouts and sentinels.

Waddling duck in her yellow down,

Affection quacks through the flock.

Mother shows her brood dandelions.

Come February, young feathers will fly.

Stepping back, sewist skims their gallery, Euphonic drapes rest behind;

A mess of canvas waits ahead.

From nearby wheel, the Spinster nods.

Thread pierces needle.

Artist in Training

Author's Commentary

Douglas fir trees are capable of immense growth, spanning up to 100 metres tall. However, this growth is only achievable due to the species’ network of roots. These trees interlock their roots with surrounding peers, providing stability, sharing nourishment, and even communicating through this system. Similarly, the Teaching School Hub provides trainees with a rich network of peers, staff, and alumni –“sprouts and sentinels. ” In this space we grow together and build deep friendships. ”

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2025 Graduates

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