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At A.B. Paterson College, we firmly believe that it is the quality of the human relationships within a school that defines its character, its feel, and the essential teaching and learning relationships that are formed. Schools of substance are often defined by the quality of relationships between students, parents, and staff. At A.B. Paterson College, we value these essential partnerships in the education of every child. Students take educational risks, dare to challenge themselves, and aim to succeed when they feel supported in a caring and nurturing environment with dedicated and highly experienced teachers. This is of the utmost importance at A.B. Paterson College, as we continue our tradition of being one of Australia’s leading Colleges. While proud of the reliable academic record that A.B. Paterson College has always maintained, we aim to develop young men and women of character. The College strives to achieve this by challenging students to develop the intellectual character necessary to become passionate about the ongoing pursuit of learning to have the skills and confidence to succeed in an increasingly complex world and to become committed to creating positive futures for the good of all, through leadership and active participation in their communities. The College caters for students with a diverse range of talents, interests, needs and academic abilities, through its rigorous and comprehensive academic program, diverse co-curricular activities, and secure pastoral care system. Our College boasts leading educators, committed to ongoing professional development, and highly dedicated non-teaching staff committed to the achievement of the College’s Mission. To challenge the individual to achieve, and to act with purpose and character. Central to the very heart and core of A.B. Paterson College is developing young men and women of character – leaders now and for the future. Our Mission underpins all that we do at A.B. Paterson College. Whether it be in our challenging and dynamic academic program, the sporting arena, or within the Arts, our students develop the intellectual character to become passionate about the ongoing pursuit of learning they develop the skills and confidence to succeed in an increasingly complex world and become committed to a positive future for the good of all, through leadership development, service and active participation in their communities. The College’s Core Values are underpinned by the most exceptional values evident within Australian society and are supported by the Australian Government’s National Framework for Values Education in Australian Schools (2005). Our Values give meaning and purpose to our lives, define how we engage with each other, and guide us as we strive to achieve our Mission. We Value encourage and develop a lifelong passion for learning, leading to genuine understanding. We strive for excellence in all we do. We encourage ongoing care and advocacy for all people of the World. We promote creativity in thought and innovation. We take responsibility for our actions and have the courage and conviction to guide others. We act with courage, conviction, and the highest moral standards. We contribute enthusiastically, responsibly, and with pastoral concern to our community, engendering respect and trust within all people. We appreciate and value the cultural and individual differences in the people of the World, and treat all with dignity. The Vision of A.B. Paterson College had its birth in 1990 over a shared meal with four close friends, as they pondered the education of their children, that of their future grandchildren, and the future for young families on the Gold Coast for years to come. They saw a need for a school of substance, a school that celebrated our Australian heritage, a school with traditional values, and yet one with a progressive mindset to education within a caring and supportive environment. From this humble meal and initial discussion, the Vision of A.B. Paterson College was born. The Founding Chairman of the College, Mr. Alan Rickard, then Alderman Rickard, and his Foundation Board members, David Kerr, Kelvin Hutchinson, Brian Stafford, Noel Boucher, and Eric Filmer developed the plans for the College. They sought approval from the Gold Coast City Council and the Queensland Government to build the College on its current site. Neil Russell, Vince Thackeray, and Kathy Sullivan M.P. were later co-opted onto the Board to add their expertise to the team and widen the range of qualifications held by Board Members. View full school

Basil Paterson Middle school is a small, local, independent school for boys and girls aged between 14-16. We provide a rigorous academic curriculum with a strong focus on examination success and are committed to the development of our pupils both as learners and as individuals. By offering learners an individualized program, which allows for personalization, choice, and flexibility, we enable our pupils to overcome the barriers and challenges they may have faced in their learning careers to date. We aim to provide a personalized education for all our young people so they can leave us as independent, confident individuals who fulfill their potential and can contribute successfully to wider society. In partnership with parents and guardians, Basil Paterson Middle School aims to nurture each pupil to support them in self-development, independence, and academic learning We achieve this by: Maintaining and building positive pupil/teacher relationships. Maximizing each young person’s potential in both academic and social development. Delivering a modern inspiring curriculum Providing individual support. Providing a flexible educational experience. Promoting positivity, awareness, and respect. We have a strong pastoral care function which is delivered by the senior management team as well as by the teachers themselves. As a small community, we all play a role in guiding our learners through their education and put their well-being at the forefront of everything we do. Central to our educational ethos is the belief that the more time your child spends with their teacher, the more they will achieve. We are committed to providing small class sizes across our year groups. We pride ourselves in creating an inclusive and respectful environment that is open to all. We strive for our learners to leave us as positive, well-rounded, confident young people, ready to take the next step forward in their lives. We want to positively transform the lives of young people and help them reach their potential by providing a nurturing academic environment, a flexible personalized teaching approach, a modern curriculum, and small class sizes. We treat all our pupils well, forming positive and supportive relationships. We are committed to engendering positive values in all learners which they can take with them into wider society. We believe that all young people can achieve great things. Whatever the starting point of a learner we encourage everyone to strive for success and push the limits of their learning to fulfill their potential. We challenge learners to achieve success through clear goal-setting and encourage pupils to work outside their comfort zone to reach these goals. We have a culture of achievement and respect in which pupils are supported to overcome barriers, problem-solve, and help others. The small classes at Basil Paterson allow us a high degree of individualization which makes it possible to address the specific educational needs of every pupil. We are experienced in teaching pupils with specific educational needs and can tailor our teaching and assessment to all learning preferences. Pastoral care is an integral part of our school and we pride ourselves on truly understanding our pupils. There is always a member of staff available to discuss any problems the pupils may have and can offer guidance and advice. We are open and friendly and promote an atmosphere of respect and self-respect throughout the school. We have a strong English Language support department providing crucial language support to pupils where is English is their second language. View full school

Established in 1932 as the Johannesburg SDA Church School, we moved to Orange Grove in 1953 and became known as Paterson Park School. The school provides a warm, caring environment where all children can learn to relate positively to each other, staff, and other adults. It recognizes the uniqueness of each individual and priority is given to helping every learner develop socially, spiritually, emotionally, academically, and physically to the fullest extent possible. Paterson Park is a Christian school. The teachers are dedicated to encouraging learners to develop a love for God, love and acceptance of other people, and healthy self-esteem. Paterson Park School’s staff integrates the teaching of Christian values into all subject areas and encourages each learner to adopt high moral standards. While Seventh-day Adventist beliefs are presented a tolerance and understanding of all religions are encouraged. It is expected that all learners will gain an appreciation of Christian worship and spiritual fellowship with a strong emphasis being placed on cooperative behavior and self-discipline by learners themselves. Our school is proud of its high academic standard and pleasant learning environment. We expect that children who are accepted into our school will maintain the high standards which set our school apart from many others. Paterson Park School has established a strict uniform code and expects children to wear the correct uniform at all times. Learners are required to maintain high standards of neatness and tidiness in dress and grooming. Hair needs to be in a short, neat, conservative style for boys and the girls must tie their hair up if it reaches past collar length. No long bangs or braids are allowed to hang over the eyes. Only navy blue or white hair accessories are allowed. Our school has adopted a sun-safe policy regarding the wearing of school caps which are worn throughout the year. Paterson Park School offers a program based on the Christian philosophy of God being the Creator and Saviour of the earth. The fundamental premise upon which our educational philosophy is based is the belief that this gospel touches every aspect of life. The educational program in this school is designed so that the power of the gospel may become a reality in all aspects of the lives of our learners. Paterson Park School exists to provide a warm, caring, Christian environment where all children can learn to relate positively to each other, staff, and other adults. The school recognizes the uniqueness of each individual and priority is given to helping each child develop socially, spiritually, emotionally, academically, and physically to provide a balance for life skills and life’s choices, preparing the mind for truth, the hands for service, and the heart for heaven. As a result of our belief in the holistic approach to education, we emphasize the importance of developing a healthy lifestyle. As Paterson Park School is a Christian school each staff member is dedicated to encouraging learners to develop a love for God and a saving relationship with Jesus Christ which will be expressed in unselfish service, self-discipline, and a better understanding of biblical principles by which to make decisions. The school encourages the participation of parents in its education program. Parents are expected to attend the annual general meeting in the second week of school as well as parent evenings in April, August, and November for interviews with the teachers and to collect their child’s report. We also expect parents to support all Church promotions by bringing their children to participate. View full school