Round Square - An International School Network

Dr Andrew Parry, Principal

We are delighted that Kinross Wolaroi School has been granted membership to Round Square, a worldwide association of schools which share a commitment, beyond academic excellence, to personal development and responsibility through service, challenge, adventure and international understanding. Membership will assist us in creating courageous and compassionate leaders who are prepared to discover and embrace cultures and nationalities in ways that promote meaningful understanding and respect.

Round Square is an internationally diverse network of 230 like-minded schools in 50 countries on six continents that connect and collaborate to offer world-class programs and experiences, developing global competence, character and confidence in our students.

Round Square schools understand the strong link between character education and academic success. We also share the belief in the immense value of a holistic education where we provide experience deliberately structured to develop the whole person. We are so fortunate to live and work in a wonderful regional centre with such beauty and a strongly engaged community, but to prepare students for the future, we must also help them understand the wider world in which they live. Round Square provides us with a framework to enhance our focus and brings together many of the philosophies and values we already possess.

Round Square schools share a commitment to experiential learning: learning by doing – a philosophy already embraced by KWS. The Regional

Engagement Enterprise (TREE) pioneered by Kinross Wolaroi School is an example of one of the many ‘hands on’ learning experiences we provide in our broad educational offering. Many of life’s lessons are learned through practical experience and these often remain with us throughout our lives. They help us build character, discover our capabilities and find purpose.

This understanding lies at the heart of the educational philosophy shared by Round Square Schools and is the vehicle used to help all students reach their full potential.

The Round Square movement was formed in 1966 by a small group of school leaders who were inspired by the ideas and approaches of Dr Kurt Hahn, a visionary educator and key figure in the development of learning through experience, commonly referred to as experiential learning. He believed that given the right opportunities and encouragement to go beyond our comfort zone we will discover there is more in each of us than we know, that we can be more inquisitive, inventive, tenacious, courageous and compassionate than we think.

He possessed a very clear vision of the type of school that he wished to create and it was nothing like the one he went to. He believed a school should be designed to help students discover their interests and passions, not just prepare them for exams. Education should be devoted to the development of character. Hahn founded two of the original Round Square member schools, Schule Schloss Salem in Germany and Gordonstoun in Scotland. His philosophies also lie at the foundation of the Outward Bound Movement and the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme.

Round Square schools are founded on a philosophy which embraces six pillars or IDEALS that are embedded within their academic, co-curricular and pastoral programs:

• International Understanding

• Democracy

• Environmental Stewardship

• Adventure

• Leadership

• Service.

These IDEALS form the foundation for the development of creative, responsible, and caring global citizens.

By exploring the six ideals, students embark upon a learning journey to develop their capacity and confidence so that they are equipped to make a positive difference in the world. Schools are encouraged to shape the Round Square educational philosophy to meet their specific needs and fit the context of each member school.

Schools work together to create best practice for their unique settings by sharing ideas and comparing initiatives and approaches to how they explore each of the ideals. They collaborate creating classroom projects, setting challenges, hosting and attending conferences, sharing ideas, exchanging students and having students work together in international teams while undertaking community service projects.

Students connect with other young people from around the globe in virtual and physical spaces to learn from one another where they can voice their opinions, explore similarities and differences, and celebrate diversity. Students also have the rewarding and enlightening opportunity to develop new friendships in different cultural contexts.

We have engaged in the Duke of Edinburgh Award program for many years and it is growing in popularity at KWS. The Award strongly aligns with the philosophy of Round Square and a number of our students achieve the pinnacle of the scheme, the Gold Award. We have also developed an extensive International Student Exchange Program with us presently having a relationship with nine schools around the world. Round Square will provide opportunities for more students to be able to benefit from such enriching and valuable experiences.

In September this year six students and two staff will attend our first International Round Square Conference that is being held in England at Oxford University. Students from across the globe will reside in university accommodation and engage in discussion and activities. Such an experience for our students will be life changing. My Oxbridge experience certainly was.

I am very excited by what we can gain and contribute to Round Square. It’s philosophy is in perfect harmony with how we at Kinross Wolaroi view education, where we see education of the whole person as the whole point. We celebrate our regional heart yet appreciate the importance of possessing a global outlook.