Our School Values

Over the past year, as part of our School Review process, we took the opportunity to pause and reflect on something fundamental to who we are as a school: our values.

Values matter because they guide how we learn, how we treat one another, and how we work together as a community. They sit underneath everything we do, from what learning looks like in classrooms, to how we resolve problems, celebrate success and support one another through challenges.

Following the review, we worked closely with students, families and staff to revisit our existing values. We listened carefully to feedback, reflected on what already felt right, and considered where small changes could better capture the culture and aspirations of St Kilda Park Primary School today.

As a result of this work, we have refreshed our values. While much remains familiar, there are two important changes.

In place of Curiosity, we have introduced Pride, and Resilience has been refined into Perseverance. Alongside Kindness and Creativity, these four values now sit at the heart of community life, teaching and learning at SKiPPS.

Pride

Pride is about always trying to do our best and taking satisfaction in our effort, not just the outcome. It means working hard, striving for excellence, and recognising the progress we make along the way. Pride is also about who we are. It is shown when students feel confident in their identity, culture and background, and when we respect and celebrate the diversity of our community. Pride lives in the way we care for our school, look after our environment, and contribute positively to the shared culture of SKiPPS. It creates a sense of belonging and reminds us that this is something special that we all share.

Kindness

Kindness remains central to who we are. It is seen in the everyday actions that make our school a safe, welcoming and respectful place. Kindness means showing care, empathy and honesty. It is demonstrated when students include others, value difference, share, take turns, apologise when needed, and speak to one another with respect. Kindness also extends to how we treat our environment and our belongings, and how we communicate openly and thoughtfully. Above all, kindness means treating everyone with dignity.

Perseverance

Perseverance is about staying focused and committed, even when learning feels challenging. It recognises that meaningful success rarely comes easily, and that effort, consistency and determination matter. Perseverance is shown when students keep going after a mistake, try a different strategy, or persist with a task even when it feels difficult. It is about understanding that learning takes time, and that challenges are a normal and important part of growth.

Creativity

Creativity is about thinking differently, expressing ideas with confidence, and finding new ways to solve problems. It thrives when students have strong knowledge and skills to draw on, and when they feel safe to take risks with their thinking. Creativity can be seen in our arts programs, in classroom discussions, in problem-solving, and in the many ways students share their unique perspectives. It reflects the individuality, imagination and spirit of our school.

This week, our staff spent time unpacking these values together, exploring what they look like in practice and how they connect to teaching, learning and wellbeing across the school. Our students will be introduced to the refreshed values through CAPSE and will continue to explore them throughout the year. They will talk about what these values look like in action, how they can demonstrate them, and how we can recognise and celebrate when students live them out.

We are excited about this refreshed set of values. They reflect who we are, what we stand for, and the kind of learners and people we want our students to become. We look forward to working in partnership with families to bring these values to life every day at St Kilda Park Primary School.