Dear Parents, Caregivers and Community members,
Welcome to Aquinas College, the oldest co-educational Catholic College on the Gold Coast. With a renewed Vision and Mission and core values of faith, courage, compassion and belonging, Aquinas College offers a learning context that values the unique learning journey of each student.
The College's origins date back to 1901, when the Sisters of Mercy opened Star of the Sea College on Marine Parade, Southport. Originally a co-educational school, it predominantly educated girls. Aquinas College Ashmore was founded by the Christian Brothers in 1964 for boys. The two colleges amalgamated in 1991, with Aquinas College becoming co-educational, operating as a Brisbane Catholic Education school.
The College patron, St Thomas Aquinas, was an academic and a theologian. He is highly regarded as one of the great thinkers in the Catholic Church. The College community is inspired by Aquinas' famous quote 'Wonder is the Desire for Knowledge'. The College Vision and Mission draws from this wisdom, while incorporating the strong traditions of the Mercy and Edmund Rice charisms.
Learning is central to the College Vision and is significant in the strategic direction of the College. The Aquinas Model of Pedagogy is inspired by the work of John Hattie and Visible Learning. Student agency in learning is prominent in classrooms, promoting learning and teaching that is enabling of students. The College Improvement Agenda has acknowledged pedagogy that builds teacher capacity to recognise students are most empowered when they know what they are learning and are able to assess their mastery.
Aquinas is an inclusive school, valuing the uniqueness of learners. With multiple pathways, students have access to tertiary and vocational education, as well as school-based apprenticeships and work placements. The Illuminate Excellence Programs in Academia, Music, Rugby League and Netball provide diverse enrichment opportunities.
The broad co-curricular offerings of the community provide for holistic learning with great opportunities in Social Justice, Culture and Sport. Aquinas students regularly engage in social justice initiatives to create awareness for those at the margins. There are broad cultural offerings in Music, Dance, Art and Drama. As a member of the Associated Gold Coast Colleges, the College promotes significant opportunities across a range of sports.
Aquinas College is an aspirational community, creating opportunities for all learners in its rich Catholic context. Thank you for taking the time to engage with Aquinas.
Marcus Richardson
Principal
FAITH | COURAGE | COMPASSION | BELONGING