Round Square
St Philip's College is a member of Round Square, a prestigious association of international schools who share a commitment beyond academic excellence to personal development and responsibility through service, challenge, adventure and international understanding.
St Philip's College Round Square Committee 2025 take part in Upper Todd Landcare
This educational philosophy was developed by Kurt Hahn who founded Salem School, Gordonstoun School, Outward Bound and the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme. Understanding that many of life’s important lessons come from practical experience, Round Square encourages learning through its six pillars - IDEALS. These stand for International Understanding, Democracy, Environment, Adventure, Leadership, and Service.
Membership of the Round Square provides opportunities for St Philip's students to travel as exchange students to other schools in Australia and overseas and to participate in international projects initiated by any of the member schools. Each year staff and students attend the junior and senior Australian schools conference and the international conference.
In 2001 the International Conference was hosted by St Philip's College, in 2006 we hosted the Australasian Regional Conference and in April 2011 we hosted the Junior Australasian Round Square Conference.
“There is more in us than we know. If we could be made to see it, perhaps for the rest of our lives we would be unwilling to settle for less.”
Kurt Hahn
Educator
Round Square prepares young people for life through service, challenge, adventure and international understanding.
Students attending Round Square schools make a strong commitment - beyond academic excellence to personal development and responsibility. In short, students are empowered to be the leaders and guardians through community service, work projects, exchange programmes and adventure.
St Philip's students have the opportunity to participate in both national and international Round Square exchanges.
Each year, exchange programmes are held by Round Square member schools to help institutionally and culturally different - but like minded schools - work together to improve the quality of life for people. The result is the understanding that each one of us can make a positive difference as global citizens and the exchange programmes are wonderful opportunities for our students to grow and develop individually.
Our Year 8 students can participate in a two week national exchange while our Year 10 students can apply to go on an international exchange for approximately one term.
There is a stringent application process for the international exchange program which is facilitated by our Round Square Coordinator, Ms Alex Pollitt, other teachers, and students from the Senior Round Square Committee.
Encouraging community service and international understanding, St Philip's College staff and students can participate in International Service Projects.
Often giving up their own holidays, members of the College community travel to Asia, Africa and South America to assist in many deserving community projects. They can range from digging wells for a better water supply in Asia, building a classroom in a school in Africa, building a storage facility in a village in Honduras or building a community hall in a village on Tanner Island, Vanuatu, and more.
Students and staff are encouraged to apply, and fundraising activities are often organised to assist people with the travel costs.
Each year St Philip's sends teams of representatives to regional and international conferences held at a member school.
During the international conference, the prior year's collaborative activities are reported on and evaluated, and new projects are planned. Discussions, related to the theme of the conference, examine topics of importance to the member schools and the world.
Programmes initiated by Round Square help institutionally and culturally different, but like-minded students meet and share their points of view. Friendships are made through activities, expeditions and events organized by the host school. Visitors are introduced, not only to the host school, but also the country, the culture and the environment.
International Round Square Conference 2025 - Dubai
In September 2025, the International Round Square Conference was held in Dubai and was hosted by The Indian High School Dubai, GEMS Modern Academy and The Millennium School Dubai. The 5 day conference explored the theme "Beyond the Dunes."
The conference had 155 schools participate from 28 countries with a total of 958 student delegates. College Captain, Fraser Russell was fortunate enough to be able to attend.
We acknowledge the Arrernte people as the traditional custodians and first educators of Mparntwe. Our school is home to students from nations all around the world. We ‘strive’ to work with and continue learning from First Nations people. We ‘seek’ to be a part of Australia’s reconciliation journey by engaging in truth-telling. We aim to ‘care’ for Country through connection and environmental education. We pay our respects to elders past and present and thank them for their care of Country and sharing of knowledge.