Our mission,
vision, values

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Bold Park Community School provides a distinct and refreshing educational choice in Perth.

The school began as a collaborative endeavour between educators and parents, initiated by founding Principal Gillian McAuliffe. Noticing that schooling with a competitive, 'one size fits all' approach to a curriculum, with little relevance or meaning, alienates children, educators and parents came together to re-imagine what a school could be. To this day, Bold Park continues to challenge the prevailing narrative of 'schooling' by being a place where children develop confidence in their capacity as learners and feel connected to and curious about the world and their place in it.

Our students love being at school and never want to leave.

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Principal's Welcome

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When you visit our school and as you look through our website, you will discover that BPCS is an intimate, caring and innovative 21st Century school catering for children through our Playgroup, Early Childhood, Primary and Middle School and College programs.
We pride ourselves in offering a unique educational choice between mainstream and established alternative schooling. We cater for families looking for a nurturing environment that supports the latest research and best practice across ages and stages of child development.
In 2021 we opened our new campus in Maylands, which houses our Year 10-12s. The Maylands’ site was gifted to us in 2018, which affirmed the excellent work of our educators and the progressive, foundational philosophy of our school village. This new campus provides us with the physical resource to expand opportunities and offerings for our students and provide surety for the students ‘coming through’.
Our goal is that Bold Park Community School will continue to be a model of excellence for the 21st century. We emphasise developing skills and understandings to create a community where children respect and value their families and the society in which they live, where they know and value themselves and are comfortable with the challenges ahead.
 As our Founding Principal Gillian McAuliffe says, “To seek to keep the light alive in children’s eyes.”
Bold Park Community School is in the enviable position of maintaining waiting lists for many sections of the school. Our School Handbook Program Structure and Fee Schedule provide additional information for your consideration.
To book for one of our tours or to secure an individual booking which would best cater for your schedule, please call our Community Engagement Coordinator on (08) 9387 5050; email: communityengagement@boldpark.com or complete our contact form (below) and we will be in touch with you shortly. Alternatively; you can book into one of our tours at:
We look forward to meeting you and your family soon.
PAUL WHITEHEAD
Principal
Our History

 

In 1998, staff and parents of a privately run and owned Kindergarten in City Beach asked themselves: “How can we keep the light alive in the eyes of our children beyond the first few years of school? Is there a model of schooling where children are respected for what they know and challenged to discover and explore new knowledge?”

In 1998, staff and parents of a privately run and owned Kindergarten in City Beach asked themselves: “How can we keep the light alive in the eyes of our children beyond the first few years of school? Is there a model of schooling where children are respected for what they know and challenged to discover and explore new knowledge?”

 

To this end the McAuliffe family gifted the kindergarten to the newly formed “Bold Park Community School Advisory Council” so that a true educational choice could be developed for the families of Perth, Western Australia. Gillian McAuliffe; staff Gabbi Lovelady, Dianne Rohde and a committed parent, Taryn Hyder, worked to bring the kindergarten’s Social Constructivist philosophy, inspired by Reggio Emilia, to children from Kindergarten into the Primary School. The early journey of the school saw the community move through two campuses to its present site in Wembley. Here we continued to expand our offerings to Middle School and College providing further choice for families seeking a smaller and more friendly option, in these later years, rather than the status quo system preference for large schools.

 

Rapidly establishing a reputation as a ‘small’ school with a ‘big’ impact, there has been a steady stream of educators coming to engage with us and learn from our work. We have run conferences for other educators, workshops and tours; and now the Bold Park name is known around the world and viewed as an example of excellence in innovative and respectful education for children.

 

Viewed as a ‘lighthouse’ school for progressive education, we were honoured in 2018 to be gifted with a second campus in Maylands, Perth. By complimenting the stunning heritage buildings with contemporary new studios, we have been able to further enrich our College offering. By developing multiple partnerships with local organisations and artists, we have created a deep connection to the community that surrounds us.

 

As we continue to grow and evolve, there is one thing that will remain the same – the passion of our community for realising the founding vision for the education of our children.

Our People

 

Champions of Innovative Education. United by a shared vision, BPCS stands as a pioneering community comprising dedicated educators and parents. A renowned ‘lighthouse’ school, we offer an exceptional choice beyond conventional systems. Fueled by partnerships and unwavering passion, we inspire and shape the future of education with excellence.”

VIEW OUR PEOPLE

Strategic Plan
As we approached 2020, our Board began the process of looking at our Strategic Plan and the goals we had set ourselves as a community for 2017 – 2020. The board were pleased with the goals and achievements that had been made during that period and commenced re-addressing the question: “WHAT NEXT FOR BOLD PARK COMMUNITY SCHOOL?” The result is a culmination of input from our community, staff and students and was officially released at our Annual General Meeting in August 2020, foregrounding a strong trajectory for our school. We would love for you to read and commit to this plan with us. Read the 2020 strategic plan
Sustainability Action Plan
The Sustainability Action Plan briefly outlines the existing principles and practices of the school that support sustainability, and then details the specific actions we intend to take over the next three years towards greater sustainability. As a school community, we wish to create an environment where sustainability, quite simply, intrinsic to our way of engaging with people and the world around us, or simply : the way we do things. From the frame of mind of connection, care and concern for each other and the world beyond our immediate community. In the spirit of support for the both local and global initiatives we have linked our action plan to the Town of Cambridge’s Sustainability Strategy (2018 – 2023) and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDG). VIEW SUSTAINABILITY ACTION PLAN
Reconciliation Plan
We were delighted, in collaboration with our Noongar Elder, Mr Neville Collard, to launch our Reconciliation Action Plan. Through our ongoing Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP), we acknowledge the heritage of our place with intention and visibility. We are proactive in our engagement with contemporary Noongar language, culture and community. Our RAP centres on the key ideas: that we must hear the stories of the past and understand how the Aboriginal people lived on and cared for this land for many thousands of years. That we must hear the stories of past injustice and recognise the ongoing impact this has had on communities and acknowledge the resilience of the Aboriginal people and their culture; and that we must recognise and build a more equitable shared future together. VIEW RECONCILIATION PLAN
Governance and Policies

 

At Bold Park Community School we believe in Community Governance. Having a combination of parents, management and staff on the governing body serves to foster innovation and stimulate cooperation between educators and parents

GOVERNANCE

the current constitution, the School Board consists of 6 elected members, as well as the School Principal and the Pedagogista. The Board meet on a monthly basis.
Leanne Crawford (Chairperson)
Barbara Cole (Deputy Chairperson)
Peter Sinclair (Treasurer)
Kate Sputore (Ordinary Board Member)
Kath McGuckin (Complimentary Member)
Jarryd Horsley (Staff Representative)
Nicole Hunter (Pedagogista)
Paul Whitehead (Principal)

"The amazingly talented, caring and dedicated teachers who genuinely and deliberately put the children at the center of their practice."

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Join us for our next Open Tour

Come And Experience The Bold Park Difference For Yourself.

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Questions?

Speak to our Community Engagement Co-ordinator
E-mail: communityengagement@boldpark.com
Phone: (08) 9387 5050

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