So far, in our series on the Core Purpose Statements, we have explored what is meant by redemptive action and what we mean by equipping students. This week we look at the concept of holistic education. 

We begin with an understanding of what constitutes a human being. Christians believe we are made in God’s image and for a purpose and that human beings consist of four main characteristics.  They are physical beings, they have an intellect, they are social/emotional beings and they are spiritual beings with an inbuilt need to worship something (or someone) beyond themselves. 

In Luke 2:52 we learn about Jesus, the perfect human being, who as a child, "... grew in wisdom and in stature and favour with God and with man." Education traditionally sought to address all four of these characteristics. The growth of humanism and our culture’s move to put spirituality in a private rather than public sphere, has led to secular education addressing the first three but not the fourth of these dimensions ie the spiritual dimension has been excluded or marginalised. 

As Christians, we hold to the necessity of the four areas for the proper development of a child. As a school then, we want to ensure we work with parents on helping children to develop in each dimension which overlaps with and is dependent on the other.

Many people think of schools as primarily being about the intellectual development of children. Certainly, we do PE and sport and we address issues of relationship, but many people think our primary focus should be on the intellect. However, if we seek to develop a child with a focus on only one area, we end up with an imbalance. 

To develop a strong intellect (knowledge, understanding and wisdom in Biblical terms) we need to have a sense of what it is to be a physical being who lives in time and space, and has a role to play in the world. The old saying "healthy body, healthy mind" does hold true. 

Learning is best done in a relational context – teacher to student, student to student. We can learn on our own, but we learn best when we have others to support and challenge and guide us. We also know that humans flourish when relationships are strong and healthy.  Teaching students how to develop quality relationships is necessary for their healthy development. 

We are created for worship and function best when we worship and serve our Creator. Helping students recognise that fulfillment comes from worshipping the right thing is a necessary part of education or we can, even unwittingly, lead them to worship things that only bring disappointment and frustration. 

Holistic education seeks to address every aspect of what it is to be fully human.

Phillip Nash

Principal