“There are those who know the cost of everything , but the value of nothing” – Oscar Wilde

We live in a celebrity culture where role models are film and sports stars. Within this ‘me first” society there is an obsession with instance gratification. There is a danger that education is seen as just one more form of fast food to be consumed as quickly as possible.

Of course this is not true. A superb meal requires careful planning and preparation. The chef uses only natural, quality ingredients and the process cannot be rushed. The chef is also innovative and is constantly improving the menu.

First class education is not unlike a delicious meal. Its quality ingredients include: diligent pupils, supportive parents, teachers who are well qualified and passionate about what they do, and a rigorous and challenging curriculum that nurtures body, mind and spirit. Quality education, like a good wine, needs to mature. It takes time for the God given potential within each pupil to be realized.

Academic excellence is a prerequisite in any school committed to first class education. As critical thinkers, pupils are challenged to analyse, to question and to think deeply. As they seek the truth, they must consider all the facts before forming an opinion. To be authentic, education must also be holistic. There is a realization that school sport, cultural activities and life skills are important. They provide a role play for the adult world that follows. Within this “hidden curriculum”, pupils learn the value of selfless team work, of loyalty and diligence, of courage and tenacity, of perseverance, of patience, flexibility and creativity.

In preparing a delicious meal, the chef gives careful attention to developing the flavor and gradually adds salt, pepper, spices and other special ingredients. Without taste, the meal is meaningless. In the same way, no educational institution can exist in a vacuum. In this morass of relativism and religious “back-sliding”, the fundamental truths of the Christian faith provide meaning and purpose and core values for life.

Oscar Wilde tells us that, “There are those who know the cost of everything but the value of nothing”. The market value of Assumption Convent School is relatively modest, however like all special schools it has a deep soul that is priceless.

Neville Workman
Principal