Our School
Anglican Identity
Faith in Education
St Mark’s is an Anglican school. It is the foundation school of the Anglican Schools Commission, an organisation established in 1985 whose core purpose is to establish and support low-fee Anglican systemic schools which provide a high quality, inclusive, caring Christian education.
The School’s programs and activities are underpinned by core Christian values. Pastoral care and social justice are central to the outworking of the Christian faith within our community.
As part of its educational and pastoral curriculum, to develop reason and engage in worship, all students at St Mark’s attend a Christian Studies/Education class each week, weekly Chapel services and from time to time, Eucharists.
In the Primary School, this takes the form of the weekly Christian and Values Education (CAVE) program. In Middle and Senior School, Christian Education lessons take place each week. During the program, class discussion is valued and an investigative and an enquiring mind is encouraged.
Once a week, every student attends Chapel. The Service is an eclectic mix of issues, history, Church Calendar, formal and informal prayers, anecdotes, interviews and more. It aims to stimulate interest in the reality of God’s love as expressed through Jesus.
Students are also welcome to participate in voluntary Bible study groups, led by our Christian Education staff and Chaplaincy interns. The groups welcome both those who are active in their faith and those who are just looking for more information.
Our School Prayer
Almighty God, we thank you for the gospel of your son Jesus Christ committed to us by the hand of your evangelist Saint Mark: grant that we may not be carried away with every changing wind of teaching, but may be firmly established in the truth of your word; through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen
Our Anglican Identity
In his paper titled “Enhancing Our Anglican Identity”, The Reverend Dr Daniel Heischman states that in Anglican schools, “Anglican faith is offered to our school community – students, families, staff – as something worthy of personal exploration, study and conversation”.
He also says that “Participation often precedes understanding; experiencing worship paves the way to deeper meaning”. Our students in our diverse community, of other faiths or no faith at all, have the opportunity to participate in thinking and to reflect on the way that faith can impact on their lives.