Our Values
The King’s School, Tudor House is a Christian community that seeks to make an outstanding impact for the good of society through its students, and by the quality of its teaching and leadership in education.
Our values are a frame of reference and the core of what it means to be a person of character. Their inspirational tone is our beacon for behaviour and interaction, culminating in a desire to lead with service to the community.
By fulfilling and demonstrating our values we seek to make an outstanding impact for the good of society through our young boys and girls and their leadership, both as current students and as Old Tudorians whey they embrace the challenges of life after school.
We take responsibility for others and ourselves. Responsibility means recognising that we share our lives with others in a shared world.
Living and learning in community means taking responsibility for contributing positively and actively to our community and our world. Responsibility for our world means living sustainably. Responsibility is strongly aligned with compassion and integrity, for we reach out with compassion and demonstrate our integrity when we choose to take responsibility for ourselves and others.
We respect one another and ourselves. Respect involves valuing people and property so that neither is dishonoured. We respect other’s beliefs and points of view. We do not bully or impose our will on others, whether in thought, word or deed. We respect ourselves by adopting a lifestyle that is balanced and promotes wellbeing. Respect is strongly aligned with humility and honesty, for it is when we are committed to the truth and able to recognise we may be wrong, that we are able to show respect.
We are honest. Honesty means being trustworthy, sincere and authentic. We are true to ourselves and one another. We do not mislead or misrepresent each other. As members of our community, our trust for one another depends on our honesty. Honesty is strongly aligned with integrity and respect for it is our commitment to being honest with each other that enables us to be trustworthy and live with integrity and to show respect for one another.
We do not think more highly of ourselves than we ought. We are human and we share in the humanity of others. Being humble arises from our Christian belief that we are equal in the sight of God because we are all created in His image. Humility is strongly aligned with respect and compassion, for it is when we are humble that we are able to respect one another and are motivated to reach out to others with compassion. Being humble recognises that we are not always right, we get things wrong.
We live our lives with integrity. To demonstrate integrity means to live a life that is integrated and balanced, cohesive and coherent. As a community of integrity, we are unified and work together for the common good. We are trustworthy and reliable, we follow through with conviction and courage. Integrity is strongly aligned with responsibility and honesty, for when we are true to ourselves and one another and exercise responsibility, we demonstrate our integrity.
We live to serve one another. Having compassion means caring for others, being kind and gentle. Compassion is stronger than sympathy or empathy, it is much more active and intentional. In a Christian sense, it is going out of one’s way to help others, to be generous towards others, to care for others and stand up for others. Compassion is strongly aligned with humility and responsibility, for it is from an attitude of humility that we choose to take responsibility for others and reach out to them with compassion.
We strive to be excellent for others and ourselves. We do this in order to make an outstanding impact for the good of society. Striving for excellence means seeking to improve and better ourselves, to be always growing. Our striving for excellence is that we may be excellent for the sake of others. Excellence is strongly aligned with a life of compassion, humility, respect, honesty, integrity and responsibility, for it is when we commit ourselves to serve others that we strive to be excellent for others.
We celebrate with gratitude to God and each other. Gratitude is important in celebrating excellence in others, for keeping us humble and protects us from a spirit of complaint.
Our History
Tudor House is a unique educational environment that builds on the philosophy of its forebears and extends the young minds of its students through a range of engaging and practical outdoor and classroom opportunities. Tudor House is transformative in its approach to delivering a holistic education and is always looking to introduce new learning challenges to its students.
Tudor House is one of the oldest Independent Schools in NSW and opened its doors in October 1897, under founding Headmaster Wilfred Inman, with just six students in the Erowol estate in Bellevue Hill, Sydney.
From the early days of the School, the desire to extract the experiences that outdoor activities and curriculum delivers continued as imperatives of future Headmasters. Under the guidance of its founder the School sought to instil ‘the moulding of character with a love of the beautiful’ and this approach still guides the experiences offered for today’s Tudorians.
The need for more grounds at the School proved challenging within the limitations of a rapidly developing city. In 1902, the bold decision was made to move to the Southern Highlands to the site we know today as Tudor House, which allowed for the further development of its unique educational philosophy.
The expansive grounds of 169 acres enabled the boys to extend their sporting skills, playing traditional sports in addition to new ones such as golf. Beyond sports, boys had the opportunity to apply practical skills and knowledge to their rural roots, and could agist their horses onsite.
In 1925 the School was accepted as a Sydney Diocesan School, and John Medley was appointed as the new Headmaster in 1931.
The School continued to flourish. By 1937 there were 80 boys, and a waiting list. The Headmaster’s approach to developing a holistic educational philosophy was ahead of the time. His vision to engage the enquiring minds of the boys outside the classroom, led to the introduction of Astronomy and the Foreign Affairs Group, needlework and Scouts.
The King’s School began its formal association with Tudor House in 1942 with many of the Year 6 boys continuing their education at The King’s School, Senior School in North Parramatta.
Through a succession of Headmasters, the transformation of the School progressed under the leadership of Headmaster, Bob Darke. Despite the introduction of new technologies and changing classroom practices, the approach to a holistic education for boys continued.
In 2017, Tudor House entered a new era with the first enrolment of girls.
The School now enrols boys and girls from Pre-Kindergarten to Year 6 as day students and Boarders from Years 3-6.
Daily life at Tudor House is anything but dull, with many more activities to extend a student’s journey of self-discovery including billy cart driving, bike riding and yabby fishing.
Today the original intent to build the character of the students beyond the confines of a traditional classroom continues through an extensive range of learning opportunities.
