SPECIAL CHARACTER

The School provides, and shall continue to provide, education with a Special Character, the essential elements of which are:

Association with the Anglican Church:  

The general School programme, with its religious instructions and observances, is based on the teachings and formularies of the Anglican Church. This includes regular worship at St Mark's Anglican Church, Opawa, regular religious tuition within the School curriculum, regular church services at the School and a leading role in school life undertaken by the Vicar of the Parish.

Philosophies:  

There are four additional key elements to the philosophy of the School, namely:
(i)  education as members of a supportive school family group
(ii)  participation in choral and instrumental music within and outside the school curriculum and in the community, and in extra curricular sports and cultural pursuits
(iii)  maintenance of high standards of etiquette and behaviour including the compulsory wearing of the School uniform
(iv)  curriculum and teaching methods which place emphasis on language, reading, mathematics, social awareness, community inter-reaction, homework, examinations, school reports, prize giving and outdoor education.

Balance of the School:  

St Mark's is a co-educational, full primary school with Year 0 through to Year 8 and has a balanced ratio of boys and girls drawn from a varied socio-economic background.

As religious observances and religious instruction form part of the education with a Special Character provided by the School, religious observances and religious instruction in accordance with the determination of the Principal shall continue to form part of the School programme in accordance with Sections 31 and 32 of the Private Schools Conditional Integration Act, 1975.