Why Fairholme

Step into our beautiful grounds, perched on the edge of the Toowoomba escarpment and you will find that Fairholme is not an ordinary school.

Fairholme is a school that celebrates its pursuits of excellence in academic, cultural and sporting fields whilst maintaining a clear commitment to active service - giving back at a local and international level.

A Fairholme girl is invariably hopeful, determined and focused - someone who expects to do well in whatever field of study or vocation she chooses. She understands perseverance, tenacity and persistence, and that choosing the hard over the easy often reaps the greatest rewards.

Ultimately, she carries the legacy of all who have climbed the homestead steps before her and remains inextricably linked to all with whom she journeys during her time at Fairholme.

Tradition of Educational Excellence

Fairholme has a tradition of educational excellence which embraces all facets of learning: academic, sporting and the arts. We believe a well-rounded curriculum fully nurtures each student's physical and social development.

Each year, Fairholme College's Year 12 results rank among those of the top independent girls' schools in Queensland. Our teachers consistently challenge and support our girls to do their best; their mentorship within teaching and learning drives the girls to success as well as extremely strong results year after year.

Student Care and Support

Fairholme's Faith, Pastoral Care and Wellbeing program, founded on Christ-centred faith, is the cornerstone of our teaching practices. A Fairholme education is all about growing our girls to be young women who are passionate about learning, compassionate towards others and who have a strong sense of faith and social direction supporting them to achieve their personal best.

High Quality Teaching

Fairholme has a reputation for engaging a staff of highly-trained teachers who are passionate about their art. Our teachers are committed to their own ongoing professional learning, and to challenging the girls to realise their potential.

Mission Reflected

Fairholme’s mission & aims are reflected in her students.

Fairholme’s Christian foundation pervades its whole life. The College upholds the principle of open entry to all students capable of conventional schooling.

The College believes that students perform best only when set real challenges. This is genuine pastoral care and it provides a sense of achievement and self-respect.

The College emphasises the traditional values of hard work, fair play and a pride in one’s appearance and behaviour. The special character of the College lies in its harmonious balance between boarders and day students. The College was founded to provide a boarding school for rural families and continues to place heavy emphasis on its role as a ‘home away from home’.

A Christian School

The College seeks to be a Christian school by emphasising:

• The quality of relationships: At all levels, Principal - staff, staff - staff, staff - students, staff - parents, relationships are based on the Christian virtues of trust, mutual respect, and tolerance. It is a ‘family’ school, where individuals are accepted.
• The quest for truth: The Christian school encourages a hunger for truth, an intellectual curiosity, and a training for students to think for themselves. It presents the Christian message winsomely but respects the independence of those whose views differ.
• Concern for the growth of persons: If the Christian school believes that everyone is known and loved by God, each member of the school community (Staff, Students, Parents, Directors) will be encouraged to develop her/his gifts for the service of God and mankind.

College Identity

College Badge

The Fairholme College Badge depicts the Cross of St Andrew, the patron saint of Scotland, surmounted by the burning bush described in Exodus Chapter 3, Verses 1-6, when God spoke to Moses.

College Motto

The Fairholme College motto, ‘Ardens sed Virens’, means ‘burning yet flourishing’ and refers to the burning bush on the College badge. Just as the bush burned brightly yet was not consumed, so too, our Christian faith should burn within us yet flourish, as we become a living witness to the teaching of our Lord Jesus Christ.

College Tartan

The materials from which the summer uniform and the winter skirt are made have been designed from the tartan of the MacLarens. This is an ancient clan tracing its ancestry back to A.D. 503, and is in keeping with the Scottish origins of the College. It is understood that this was the favourite tartan of Mrs. Margaret Anne Cameron, the last private owner of ‘Fairholme Homestead’.