Principal's Message

The Spirit of the Family

The Friends' School in Hobart was founded in 1887 by men and women whose vision was to create an educational community in the tradition of Quakers. They wanted the school to encourage spiritual and intellectual growth, and to operate in the spirit of family.

More than a hundred years on we find some of our pupils are sixth generation students. Quaker schools have always been at the leading edge of educational development, so each previous generation was taught a different curriculum in a different way.

Even so, there is a strong common thread, for the early vision is still the school's inspiration. Quaker values pervade all aspects of school life at Friends' - we emphasise the intrinsic worth of each person, the importance of integrity, the need for peace and justice in our world and our mutual responsibility to develop a community of life-long learners.

We are proud of the outstanding academic achievements of our students, but we are even more proud of the way they relate to the world about them.

We hope that all families who come to Friends' will feel they belong and that they have something to give others as well as to receive. In the words of our motto Nemo sibi nascitur, we believe that 'no one lives for self alone' and that 'we are all members one of another'.

Our teachers aim to encourage students to be assured of their individual worth, to be open to new experiences and friendships, to refine gifts that are already evident and uncover gifts that haven't yet been developed. As our students explore the best ways to learn they are challenged to take intellectual risks. When they engage in this risk-taking they receive support from their teachers and classmates.

We aim to provide an energetic, positive and optimistic school in which people want to teach and learn. We want our students to begin their lifetime of learning with love, a sense of wonder and a spirit of inquiry.

Words and photographs can only provide an impression of the spirit of Friends', which comes from the quality of relationships between the school's teachers, students and families. It is reflected in the lively and varied personalities of all the people who make our school community.

Visitors to the School regularly remark upon the warmth and friendliness of students and staff at Friends' and I warmly invite you to share in the experience. When a boy or girl joins Friends' we do more than enrol a student - we take in a family.

John Green

Principal