Strategic Intent
2022
Our Intentions Change and continual improvement has been the mainstay of Burgmann Anglican School over the past two decades.
The Board and School leadership is diligent in assessing both short and the long term factors to ensure we continue to advance the academic, co-curricular, pastoral, and Christian life of the school. The School of today is quite different from that of 1998 however the focus on the ‘who’ we are and the ‘why’ we exist remains the same. Importantly, our goal remains fixed on ensuring Burgmann continues to be an Anglican School of both equity and excellence. Our vibrant, and ever growing, community of more than 1500 students, 2300 alumni, almost 2000 parents and over 5000 grandparents, friends, past staff, and staff now enjoy a wonderful array of curriculum choices, educational activities, performances, and competitions. We strive together to nurture a school culture that caters for the needs of the whole person and where our students know they are part of a larger community who cares for them. The School Strategic Plan guides us as we anticipate, create and navigate the future. In normal circumstances, the Board would have finalised a new document during 2020. However, as we are all aware, neither 2020 nor 2021 have been 'normal’ years! The disruption of COVID-19 over the past 18 months, coupled with the appointment of a new principal in 2022, required a modified approach.
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Accordingly, the Board has undertaken and considered extensive input offered by the community over the past 12 months. It has utilised this to renew and extend the current document where appropriate. This refreshed short term approach will provide continuity and guidance to the incoming 2022 School leadership and permits time and space for the new principal to develop her own understanding of the Burgmann Anglican School context and community. We fully expect Ms Harwood will work closely with the Board to bring her own unique lens to a future strategic plan for the School. We are grateful to our community for their input, we are blessed to have such constructive and engaged support. Natalie Vandepeer-Bradley Chair Steven Bowers Principal
We worked collaboratively with our community to gather feedback and input into the Strategic Intentions process.
The Strategic Intentions process commenced in late 2019 in anticipation of the existing Strategic Plan 2016 – 2020 for Burgmann Anglican School coming to a close. At that time, it was expected that a new three to five year plan would be developed and communicated by the end of the first quarter of 2020. The process however required a steady and pragmatic approach given the constraints of the Covid-19 pandemic and its impacts on school operations throughout the 2020 and 2021 period. In March 2021, the process required further adaption following the announcement by the Principal, Mr Steven Bowers, that he would retire at the end of 2021 after 12 years of service. A nationwide recruitment search saw the appointment of Ms Leonie Harwood as the School’s third Principal. Ms Harwood will commence in January 2022. Burgmann Anglican School is committed to developing a culture of improvement and evaluation. It aims for alignment across three key areas – teaching and learning, operations and administration, and leadership and governance. Underpinning this approach is an acknowledgement that it is a Diocesan School ultimately governed by the Anglican Schools
Commission as part of the Anglican Diocese of Canberra and Goulburn. The strategic direction continues to support the vision of the School which is the embodiment of a covenant between the Gungahlin Anglican parish and Diocesan leadership. There were many who saw the value in working tirelessly to cultivate the support and resources required to see the dream come to fruition. Today, Burgmann Anglican School delivers affordable and excellent education in the Anglican tradition and provides a supportive and inspirational learning environment which responds to the child's needs in all aspects of their education. The refreshed Strategic Intentions outlined for 2022 underpin the aspiration to continually move us forward. The Burgmann Anglican School community was invited to participate in the Strategic Intentions process. More than 330 members of our community — students, parents, staff, board, alumni, members of parish and the Diocese — took this opportunity to complete an online survey or to provide feedback as part of focus group sessions or one-on-one interviews. Executive leadership provided insights for their area of focus.
Participants told us that our School delivered a safe and supportive environment with a strong program for student wellbeing. Our community is recognised as being highly respectful and inclusive. It is one where our students are known as individuals. We clearly heard the thoughts of our community about the impacts of climate change, a desire for safety and security and a wish for greater social cohesion. They identified being future ready, resilient, and innovative as essential skills for our students. They want us to continue to have a focus on quality staff; flexible and new ways of learning and teaching; enabling greater opportunities for student voice; and enhancing engagement for deeper connections across subschools, campuses, parish and the broader community. In response, we have articulated these in the update to the five guiding pillars of strategic intent. Some of the actions required will take a longer term, integrated approach and some can be incorporated into the annual operational plan. A new Masterplan will also consider these requirements in any development of our built environment.
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Who are we? We are a co-educational independent school located in Gungahlin, in the nation’s capital, Canberra. We are one school with two campuses and offer a tailored learning environment for children from six months of age through to Year 12.
Our Mission
Our Philosophy
Burgmann Anglican School is one of five Diocesan Schools governed by Ordinances of the Anglican Diocese of Canberra and Goulburn. The school also has a covenant with the Gungahlin Anglican Church; that is, to proclaim the gospel of Christ to the school community.
The philosophy at Burgmann Anglican School aims to:
With this covenant in mind the mission of the school is to: •
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provide an educational environment that challenges and inspires each child to achieve their personal potential in intellectual, ethical, aesthetic, emotional, social and physical development; meet individual and common needs by providing a creative and balanced curriculum which aims to produce excellence within a Christian framework.
We believe each person is a unique individual created by God with their own special gifts, strengths, and needs.
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Burgmann Anglican College
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provide a supportive and inspirational learning environment which responds to the child’s needs in all aspects of their education;
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engage the child in their own learning to develop a love of learning;
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foster an atmosphere of innovation, risk-taking, creativity and inquiry;
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encourage children to achieve their personal best in all instances;
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model Christian behaviours of commitment, self-discipline, care, respect, acceptance, forgiveness and servanthood;
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develop a sense of community and ownership within the school;
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provide an aesthetically pleasing environment through the design and construction of the facilities;
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encourage parents to form a partnership with the school;
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explore a broader education that facilitates responsible, confident, empathetic and compassionate contributors to the wellbeing of society.
00. Our Values Underpinning Burgmann Anglican School’s mission and philosophy is a set of values that guides our staff, students and community on a daily basis to make good decisions and choices. A Christ-centred Community Built upon Christian relationships seen in care, respect, self-discipline, forgiveness and servanthood. Individual needs and gifts People who are created by God as unique individuals with needs and gifts. Excellence Encouraging each child to reach their potential in all areas including academic, emotional, spiritual, moral and physical.
Our Motto Extending People Fostering an atmosphere of innovation, risk-taking, creativity and inquiry. Family The importance of families within the school community and the importance of the family unit. An Outward Focus A school culture that prepares students to be broadly educated, responsible, confident, empathetic and compassionate contributors to the wellbeing of society.
Our mission, philosophy and values enable Burgmann to be a unique community, place of learning and place of work. This approach is encapsulated in our motto:
Grace Commitment Wisdom Each of us was given Grace according to the measure of Christ’s gift (Ephesians 4:7) Commitment: For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him may not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16); Turn your ear to Wisdom and apply your hearts to understanding (Prov 2:2).
Dedication Dedication and a strong work ethic while encouraging balance and wholeness of life.
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Christian Values Christian values will be presented as part of the ongoing life of the School in a very practical sense.
The School will seek to enhance the knowledge, skills, attitudes and spiritual awareness needed by students to understand themselves, their relationship with others and their relationship with God. Worship will be a regular part of school life and draw particularly on the richness of Anglican traditions. All staff must support the Christian ethos of the School and maintain the highest standards in their duty of care for students.
Our strategic intention We aim to promote the Christian values of the Australian Anglican Church by: •
continuing to attract and retain staff who are passionate, talented and supportive of the Diocesan Ethos Statement
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deepening the culture of service within the school
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deepening the understanding of authentic Christianity
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strengthening relationships in the Diocese
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deepening the understanding of our wellbeing model which drives our culture and strategic directions.
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Learning and Teaching Burgmann Anglican School will provide a balanced curriculum which caters for students with a wide range of abilities and which develops each student’s intellectual, emotional, physical, spiritual, personal and social being.
The School will strive to recruit dedicated and gifted teachers who subscribe to the Christian ethos and who are excellent practitioners in their teaching profession and disciplines. We will offer excellence in the key learning areas and academic programs as set down by the relevant government authorities. We will encourage a spirit of inquiry, and in all activities encourage students to give of their best. We will develop appropriate cultural interests and sporting skills, both individual and team. These activities will aim to foster a sense of cooperation and belonging, facilitating social growth.
Our strategic intention We aim to inspire a challenging, flexible, creative and innovative learning culture by: •
nourishing professional excellence
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providing an engaging and relevant learning and teaching program
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encouraging a diverse, integrated, experiential learning environment
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adapting programs to ensure a future focus by inclusion of crucial world issues
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developing a program that makes us ‘different’
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facilitating commensurate achievements for each student
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embracing Information and Communications Technology to enhance learning and teaching outcomes
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encouraging research to enrich educational outcomes
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enhancing professional learning opportunities
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contributing to the national educational agenda.
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Wellbeing The Burgmann Wellbeing Model is the framework which provides us with a basis to support our practices and goals.
The Christian life sits at the centre as the foundation upon which all else is built. Our practice is shaped by Christian virtues and our shared values which in turn equip us as we lead the next generation into the practice of those same virtues and values. We will coordinate and integrate Christian spirituality, values and ethics with the development of each student’s full intellectual, physical and emotional potential. Each student will be cared for, respected and guided towards fulfilment of his or her special gifts as a preparation for life. This approach will be integrated across the curriculum.
Our strategic intention We aim to develop resilience, respect and authentic relationships by: •
continuing to ensure students are known as individuals
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supporting the emotional wellbeing of students, staff and, where appropriate, parents
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enhancing and adapting wellbeing and resilience strategies to meet future needs
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ensuring the safety, security, social cohesion and inclusion needs of adult life are understood
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encouraging students to achieve personal excellence
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maintaining a consistent and relevant ‘whole student’ perspective
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encouraging relationships that enhance learning and understanding
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deepening the understanding of inclusive education within the school community
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promoting sustainable work practices.
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Community Development The School will be at the centre, not the fringe, of the community and will engage with it.
We will actively welcome those in, and participate with, our local community through service, activities, events and worship. We will nurture lifelong involvement with our School for our students and families both today and into the future. The Christian tradition of care for creation will also be encouraged. Personal development, individual responsibility, leadership and cooperation will be key concepts in every area of endeavour and relationship in the life of the School. Students at all levels will be involved in decision-making in appropriate ways.
Our strategic intention We aim to serve others in, through and beyond the Burgmann community by: •
enhancing the service program
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enhancing engagement with the local community
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enhancing engagement with national educational entities
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developing relationships with international schools and appropriate entities globally
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developing the Burgmann Anglican School Alumni Association
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developing the Burgmann Anglican School Archive
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enabling further the student voice.
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Governance, Finance & Risk Management The Canberra and Goulburn Anglican Schools Commission aims to provide access to affordable and excellent education in the Anglican tradition.
Its Schools are founded on Christian beliefs, values and ethics. The Schools welcome students from a variety of Christian and non-Christian backgrounds and cultures provided that their families subscribe to the ethos of the Schools. The main functions of the Burgmann Anglican School Board are to develop strategic directions and policies, and to govern the school in accordance with the School’s Ordinance. We want to support people who are searching for meaning and are looking for a place where their children will be cared for and educated in an environment built upon Christian values. We want to provide staff with a place to work that supports them as people, inspires excellence and encourages innovation and creativity.
Our strategic intention We aim to realise our vision through inspiring leadership by: •
articulating the school’s vision for the next 5 to 20 years
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ensuring fiscal responsibility
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reviewing the school’s capital works and maintenance programs ensuring environmental sustainability
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continually reviewing systems to ensure compliance, mitigation of risk and contingency planning
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outlining the school’s master plan for the next five years
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responding strategically to political and economic change
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maintaining the accessibility of enrolment to those who support the school’s aims.
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Early Learning to Year 12 www.burgmann.act.edu.au
Valley Campus 4 The Valley Avenue, Gungahlin 2912 Forde Campus Corner Francis Forde Boulevard and Hurrell Street, Forde 2914 T 02 6255 7700