"School is the path, not the point."

WILL RICHARDSON

A really good education is one that opens up the path to where you want to be. It is our goal to provide a high school experience that prepares learners for their futures, not just by feeding their intellectual curiosity, but by building self-esteem, independence, creative problem-solving, empathy and a posture of aspiration.

Our Mission.

For Curious Learners

The goals of Novoschool are:

To provide an innovative, progressive and bespoke approach to education for high school students in the Newcastle area.
To provide an engaging environment that allows ALL learners to thrive through the use of alternative frameworks, multidisciplinary approaches and portfolio demonstrations of learning to meet and exceed the NESA curriculum requirements.
To create authentic and tangible connections between student learning and the real world through the prioritisation of frequent experiential learning opportunities outside the classroom, including regular excursions and internships.
To support individual growth and engagement through the implementation of Personalised Learning Plans and low teacher-student ratios (1:20).
To facilitate a journey of self-discovery for each young person, helping them to develop a better understanding of who they are, where they want to go and how they may contribute to the making of a better world.

Our Philosophy.

The Novoschool Educational Philosophy is built on the following pillars:

All young people are capable of learning.
All young people can be enthusiastic learners when provided with the right environment and sufficient autonomy.
You don’t know what you don’t know - and therefore educators have an important role in helping learners uncover the curriculum in the learning journey.

Our Values.

Greater things are possible when we have a clear picture of who we are and the impact we have on those around us, that’s why we value:

CURIOSITY

When we are curious, we are open, energised, focused and self motivated. At Novoschool, we edify wonder, encourage questions and get excited when we don’t know the answer. We want to be curious about ourselves, our surroundings, wider culture and the role we play in it. We want to keep learning for our whole lives. We also want to be curious about other people - how they live and see the world - which is the first step towards understanding and empathy.

GLOBAL
(thinking)

When we zoom out we're able to put ourselves in context. We are unique and valuable, just like everyone else - and there are billions of us. We want to learn about other cultures, languages and be part of experiences that immerse us in communities and perspectives that move us beyond our own. We want to understand our connections with the wider world and use them to keep making it a better place for everyone.

GENEROSITY

When we have empathy for the people around us, we get the opportunity to extend what we have so the whole community can thrive. It might be resources or time, skills and intelligence, or our understanding and emotional energy. A positive and cooperative learning environment is one where we practice focusing less on what we can get as individuals, and more on what we have to give. We also want to be generous to ourselves and learn how to have balance.

EXCELLENCE

When we stretch beyond what we were capable of yesterday, we're reaching for excellence. At Novoschool, we prioritise growth over standardised achievement, excellence over perfection, and dedication over fast results. Each person's learning journey is as unique as they are. We think that true excellence shows itself when we have the commitment to try and keep trying as we face the challenges that stand between us and our goals.

A Message From the Founder.

For over 25 years now I have been involved in innovating education as a high school teacher and school leader in Australia and overseas. My experiences have let me connect, visit, learn and understand some of the most innovative and leading schools around the world. Novoschool has been designed to be an exciting option for curious learners in the amazing city of Newcastle. It has been exciting to see the growth of this city, and it is my plan to add to the opportunities to be found and I believe Newcastle is the right place for a progressive, deliberately small, school.

Education is most efficient when the young person connects with those around them, and with what they are learning. With small class sizes, greater student voice in their learning journey, and approaching information in new ways, Novoschool will appeal to the curious learner, and help them become the person they want to be.

With a small team of passionate educators and advisors, we have taken the best ideas from Finland, Canada, the USA, the Netherlands, Germany, Singapore, the UK and across Australia to design what will be an engaging place to learn and develop.

By creating a community, with longer opening hours to fit a family's needs, included meals provided to ensure proper nutrition with minimal stress, and an amazing location to learn throughout the city, Novoschool will give the learner a great environment to follow their passions.

I encourage you to reach out to find out more about Novoschool, and how we can help make a difference to learning in Newcastle.

David Chapman

Principal and Founder of Novoschool

BA, Grad Dip Ed, MA