Principal's Manifesto
Why a manifesto?
A manifesto is more than a welcome. It is a statement of intent - a declaration of what we believe, what we stand for and the kind of school we are determined to be.
At Living Faith, we believe education should be purposeful, contemporary and continually evolving. So rather than simply welcoming you to our College, our Principal Andrew Kelly shares the beliefs that shape it and the promise we make to every learner who joins our community.
Every learner is known. Every learner is loved. Every learner has a future…
I believe education is one of the greatest privileges we have.
It is about far more than preparing a child for the next test, the next year level or the next stage of their life. At its best, education helps young people discover who they are, whose they are and who they can become.
Education should awaken possibility.
That is what I want for every child at Living Faith.
Where every learner is known and loved…
Our vision begins with a simple but powerful belief:
Every learner is known and loved.
I believe children flourish when they are surrounded by people who know them well, believe in them deeply and challenge them to become more than they thought possible.
And I believe that for children to do well, they have to be well.
We cannot separate learning from wellbeing. A child who feels safe, connected, valued and understood is far more likely to be ready to learn, to take risks, to build relationships and to discover their potential.
That is why we are committed to educating the whole child — mind, body, heart, relationships and spirit.
Our teachers don't simply teach subjects.
They know students.
They notice. They listen. They encourage. They challenge. They celebrate. They walk alongside.
We want every child to know that there is someone here who believes in them, someone who will notice when they are doing it tough and someone who will celebrate when they flourish.
Our Christian faith sits at the heart of this belief. We are a community shaped by the grace and love of Jesus Christ. We want our students to experience that grace and to understand that their worth is not determined by their achievements, talents or results.
They are loved by God.
We believe learning should be adventurous…
I don't think school should be a place where students simply learn the answers.
I want our students to be curious about the world, courageous enough to ask difficult questions, and confident enough to have a go.
The world they are entering is changing rapidly. Technology, artificial intelligence and global connection are transforming the way we live and work.
Our job isn't to predict exactly what that future will look like.
Our job is to prepare young people to shape it.
That means creating learning experiences where students think deeply, solve problems, collaborate, create, challenge assumptions and learn from failure.
We call this adventurous and purposeful learning.
I want our students to move beyond asking:
“What do I need to know?”
and increasingly ask:
“What can I do with what I know?”
We believe learning should ignite purpose…
Of course knowledge matters.
Literacy matters. Numeracy matters. Academic achievement matters.
But education is about more than results.
I want our young people to discover what they are passionate about and develop the confidence, skills and empathy to do something meaningful with those passions.
I want them to see a problem and wonder what they can do about it.
To see someone struggling and choose to help.
To discover something they love and pursue it with determination.
To use their gifts in service of others.
Our mission is about illuminating minds, inspiring hearts and igniting service.
That is the kind of education I want for our students.
We believe children should be encouraged to dream…
I love the optimism and possibility captured in our school values:
Be Curious. Be the Change. Dare to Dream. Fail Forward. Lead with Love. Better Together.
These aren't simply words we put on a wall.
They describe the kind of young people I hope will walk out of Living Faith at the end of Year 12.
Young people who are curious about the world.
Who have the courage to make a difference.
Who dare to dream about what is possible.
Who understand that failure is part of learning.
Who lead with compassion.
And who know that life is better when we do it together.
We believe the future should be bigger than the past…
Living Faith is entering one of the most exciting chapters in our history.
The beginning of our secondary school is not simply about adding Year 7, then Year 8, then Year 9.
It gives us the opportunity to ask a bigger question:
What could education look like if we brought the best of Living Faith from the early years all the way through to Year 12?
That is the opportunity in front of us.
We are building a secondary school that belongs to Living Faith — one that carries forward the strengths of our community while embracing new possibilities.
We want our secondary students to experience academic challenge, authentic relationships, purposeful learning, wellbeing, leadership, creativity, sport, the arts, service and opportunities to discover their passions.
We want them to pursue excellence without believing that excellence means perfection.
We want them to leave Living Faith with knowledge and skills, but also with character, compassion, courage and faith.
And I hope they leave asking not only:
“What career will I have?”
but also:
“What kind of person will I become?”
and
“What difference will I make?”
We believe in the power of grace…
Our mission begins with growing God's grace.
Grace shapes how we teach, how we lead and how we live together.
It reminds us that we can expect great things of one another without expecting perfection.
There is room to make mistakes.
Room to begin again.
Room to forgive.
Room to grow.
That is good news for children — and it is good news for adults too.
This is the Living Faith we are building…
I want Living Faith to be a place where children are encouraged to be curious, challenged to think deeply, given permission to dream boldly and supported when things don't go according to plan.
A place where learning is adventurous.
Where wellbeing matters.
Where faith is lived rather than simply spoken about.
Where excellence is pursued with humility.
Where service matters.
And where every learner is known and loved.
A community growing in God's grace.
A place where minds are illuminated, hearts are inspired and lives are ignited for service.
This is the Living Faith we are building.
A school where we don't simply prepare young people for the future.
We prepare them to help shape it.
And we do it together.
Better Together.
Andrew Kelly
Principal
