A great Australian
boarding school
Boarding at Churchie is the quintessential Australian boarding school experience.
Proud of our heritage and welcoming to all, Churchie’s 24/7 boarding programme is an immersive experience, bringing together boys from the country, the regions and the world in a supportive environment with great facilities and dedicated staff.
Reflecting its origins as the heart of the School, the Churchie Boarding precinct is located in the centre of the School’s large single campus in inner-city East Brisbane. Boarders have easy access to all sporting and academic facilities and all the exciting opportunities of the city of Brisbane.
Churchie’s seven-day-a-week boarding philosophy provides a place for boarders to thrive. The School enjoys the support that parents provide, many of whom have been with Churchie for generations.
Boarding on the road
Churchie staff will be on the road again this year, travelling around Queensland and New South Wales to meet with current and future Churchie families, Old Boys and friends.
A sense of belonging
For over a century, Churchie has held boarding at the heart of its community. Boarders enjoy access to the Churchie facilities and academic staff for the extended hours that they are at school to enrich their schooling experience.
Staff recognise the challenges that boarders face and enjoy caring for young men. With the right levels of support and guidance from staff, along with the positive relationships that our boys build with their peers, Churchie Boarders develop a strong sense of belonging. With belonging comes a sense of self and good self-esteem. It is only once we have this balance that a young man will fulfil his potential.
Our aim is to provide a high level of care in order for boys to be safe and happy in this environment.
Our boarding promise
At Churchie we seek to establish a strong partnership with you to develop your sons into outstanding young men who will lead and serve their communities.
The goals of the Churchie Boarding are to:
- provide a happy, secure and challenging environment for each boy so that he may thrive as an individual to achieve his potential.
- ensure that each boy engages with his academic responsibilities with vigour and commitment.
- provide each boy with support to grow spiritually, academically, personally and through the service he can provide to the wider community beyond the School.
- encourage each boy to broaden his horizons and realise the possibilities open to him in the global community.
- develop leadership, resilience and self-reliance skills and awareness of the need to be responsible for himself and others.
We achieve our goals by focusing strongly on the following principles:
- Boarding is based on open and honest trusting relationships and mutual respect for the individual.
- The communication of values is vital to the success of the community.
- Our aim is the development of a person: emotionally, morally, intellectually, socially, spiritually and physically. All members of the community are expected to contribute and participate so they may broaden their experience, understanding and achievement.
- Each boarder and member of staff has the right to work, rest, play and relax free from bullying and harassment of any form.
- Each boarder has the right to extend his intellectual and academic endeavours in an environment that is positive and encouraging, and in conditions that are conducive to learning.
- There is equality of opportunity for all students regardless of culture, religion, ethnicity and background.
- Staff and students respect the right of each other to privacy.
- Leadership in boarding is embraced through the opportunity to serve others.
Academic programmes
Ensuring every boarder fulfils his academic potential while at school is a key focus of boarding life at Churchie. While rigorous, Churchie’s academic programmes provide three well-supported pathways, QCE, IB and VET, with students having easy access to multiple levels of support and structure to help them focus and achieve their best to attain their tertiary and vocational goals.
Key features of Churchie’s academic programme for boarders are:
- qualified resident staff to instil in the boys effective study habits and a sense of self-discipline
- supervised homework six nights per week with access to The Centenary Library, study resources and academic staff
- study skills programme for Years 7, 8 and 9 boarders to help develop time management skills, effective reading, researching and concept mapping
- academic support, study and revision routines tailored to individual year groups
- key staff on hand daily to provide counselling, mentoring and assistance with goal-setting and time management.
Personal growth
Personal growth is a key tenet of a Churchie education. Churchie Boarders have an abundance of opportunity to develop across cocurricular, extracurricular, service, leadership, cadets and spiritual dimensions of the School.
Community service is emphasised, with many events across the year taking boys outside of their comfort zones, requiring commitment alongside organisational and leadership skills. Service activities include Meals on Wheels, Australian Red Cross, Salvation Army, church cleaning and gardening, daily house jobs and the AEIOU Foundation.
Boys are encouraged to develop their leadership potential within the boarding house and the School. The position of House Prefect is unique to the boarding houses and is one of the School Vice-Captains. Senior boarders take responsibility for assisting and maintaining routines and expectations in their houses. Other leadership roles include Dormitory Senior, cocurricular leaderships and recreation programme organisation.
As an Anglican school, spiritual development is achieved through the involvement of School Chaplains in the boarding community and weekly chapel services. Services are engaging and inclusive and feature student participation.