Compass Independent School

Compass Independent School Independent P-10 school at QUT, Kelvin Grove, with a focus on inquiry, play, creativity & collaboration and outdoor learning and play!

13/08/2026

"It's a great place to be, frankly."

Join us for Open Day 2026 and discover the school for thinkers, creators and explorers!

✨ Compass Independent School Open Day 2026
Saturday 22 August, 9am to 11am ✨

Guided by our four Compass points - INQUIRE, PLAY, CREATE, COLLABORATE - Compass Independent School offers a small school experience filled with big learning opportunities.

What to expect from our Open Day…

You’ll hear directly from our school leadership team as they share how the Australian Curriculum comes to life through engaging, active and rigorous learning, where children and young people learn through questioning, investigation and discovery.

You’ll see our Base Camp learning spaces - Base Camp East (Early primary), Base Camp West (Middle-Upper primary) and our new high school in Base Camp North (Year 7 to 9, with Year 10 from 2027). You will have the chance to find out more about how these intentionally small and multiage classes prioritise belonging and connection, while the flexible learning environments support focus, wellbeing and independence for learners of all ages.

You’ll understand why we prioritise daily outdoor experiences, where children and young people go “beyond the classroom”. For Prep to Year 6, this means 90 minutes of outdoor learning and play that fosters connection with nature, supports regulation and inspires wonder. In the high school, young people regularly visit green spaces, shops, museums and community spaces for activities that support their academic, social and emotional growth and independence.

You’ll meet current families and hear why they chose Compass and what their school experience has been like for their learner. Our families come from across Brisbane and have formed a warm and welcoming community that contributes to school life in many ways through their expertise and enthusiasm.

Book your tour spot now and discover if Compass Independent School is where your family might belong.

compassindependentschool.com/event-details-registration/open-day-2026-at-compass-independent-school

11/08/2026

Personal Inquiry Spotlight from Base Camp North! 🚀

This learner's Personal Inquiry really "took off"this week with a hands-on (mini) rocket launch experiment. This wasn’t just an opportunity to shoot film canisters into the sky; it was a chance to observe chemical reactions and forces of flight in action.

Beyond the practical science, this learner has also been working on sharpening their research skills - planning, organising and refining the experiment like a true scientist. They have also expanded their learning this week by visiting the planetarium with Base Camp North peers, which was a great way of connecting this Personal Inquiry to the Earth & Space strand of the Science curriculum.

Looking ahead, this learner will seek to unravel the science of heat shields and how materials protect rockets during their journey. It’s another step in their journey to understand the science and engineering behind space exploration!

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In recent weeks, our founder and primary school principal Alicia has been spending some time in Base Camp East with our ...
10/08/2026

In recent weeks, our founder and primary school principal Alicia has been spending some time in Base Camp East with our Prep learners as they continue to develop and demonstrate their skills in both reading and handwriting. 📚️ 📚️ 📚️

She says:

"It's great to see the real excitement they have as they learn to read and write, the resilience they show when they face a challenge and how proud they are of themselves when they are independently reading and writing! Well done to our determined Early Years learners!"

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Get to know our team! Maeve is part of our teaching team in Base Camp East, working with our lower primary students. Mae...
05/08/2026

Get to know our team! Maeve is part of our teaching team in Base Camp East, working with our lower primary students. Maeve is a highly experienced teacher who has taught across Prep to Year 6 and has specialised skills in inclusive education. ⁠
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✨️ Something you love about Compass...⁠
Our cohesive, warm team and the wonderful curious minds of the young people we teach.⁠
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✨️ Something you say every day to your students? ⁠
"What makes you say that?"⁠
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✨️ Something you are looking forward to in Semester 2? ⁠
Our short film festival! ⁠
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Belonging at Compass Independent School! 🫶🏻⁠⁠As we continue through the year, it has been wonderful to see how the learn...
04/08/2026

Belonging at Compass Independent School! 🫶🏻⁠
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As we continue through the year, it has been wonderful to see how the learning from our very first Unit of Inquiry, Belonging, continues to shape our school community. ⁠
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During the unit, we explored the idea that everyone experiences emotions differently and that each person benefits from different strategies to regulate, refocus and reengage with learning. ⁠
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As part of this, each learner developed their own personalised anchoring strategies. These are simple, meaningful tools – including movement, using a sensory tool, taking a quiet moment, drawing, breathing exercises, or spending time in a calm space – that help children feel calm, focused and ready to learn as their best selves. ⁠
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Through the creation of their own strategies, and observation of each others', Compass kids learned that self regulation looks different for everyone. Some children, including many who are neurodivergent, may use strategies that are unfamiliar to others and we do not always know what someone else needs in order to feel safe, regulated and ready to learn. ⁠
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This shared understanding has strengthened our classroom cultures and continues to foster kindness, inclusion and acceptance at Compass!⁠
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Base Camp North Personal Inquiry Spotlight! 🍣 ⁠🍙 🍣⁠⁠In Base Camp North, young people have the opportunity to pursue pers...
31/07/2026

Base Camp North Personal Inquiry Spotlight! 🍣 ⁠🍙 🍣⁠
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In Base Camp North, young people have the opportunity to pursue personal inquiry projects based on their own interests and passions. Here's another example of a Personal Inquiry from one of our amazing young people! ⁠
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🍣 ⁠🍙 🍣⁠
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in this Personal Inquiry, the learner focused on developing an understanding of nutritional requirements for adolescents and determining suitable, healthy and appetising meals that young people can learn to prepare for themselves.⁠
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Beginning in the kitchen in Term 2, this learner has independently prepared classic Japanese dishes such as katsu and sushi, much to the delight of Base Camp North members! The learner researched the Australian dietary guidelines to determine the ideal daily servings of the five food groups, as well as the main vitamins and minerals teens need for optimal growth. They also met with Nutrition students at Health to gather further information, and returned with some great tips for measuring correct portion sizes of vegetables, proteins and carbohydrates using just your hands!⁠
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This learner is now working on wrapping up their research with a persuasive writing piece that encourages young people to learn how to prepare their own meals, and that also highlights the benefits of Japanese cuisine.⁠
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Our focus on inquiry across the whole school is grounded in what we know from research about student engagement. Learning is strongest when it feels meaningful and relevant. ⁠
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When young people can connect their learning to their own interests, questions and real-world contexts, they are more likely to invest effort, take intellectual risks and persist through challenge because they understand why it matters.⁠ ⁠
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Get to know our team! Jenn is our teacher in Base Camp West, working with our upper primary students. With experience ac...
29/07/2026

Get to know our team! Jenn is our teacher in Base Camp West, working with our upper primary students. With experience across local and international schools, she brings a wealth of knowledge, creativity and passion to our community.⁠
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✨️ Something you love about Compass...⁠
"I love how we honour childhood. We are very intentional about curating our spaces so children have opportunities to wonder, imagine and play. I also love how inquiry and collaboration are at the heart of everything we do. It’s a joy to plan learning experiences and an even greater delight to see it all happening."⁠
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✨️ Something you say every day to your students...⁠
"I'm listening. Tell me more." Whether it's an idea they're bursting to share or a question they've been wondering about, I love hearing what's on their minds. It's such a privilege to follow a child's thinking, to sit with their questions, marvel at the way they see the world, and discover where their curiosity leads.⁠
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✨️ Something you are looking forward to in Semester 2...⁠
I'm looking forward to see where they take our "Let's Take Action" unit. I know they'll come up with ideas that are thoughtful, creative and full of heart, and I can't wait to see the ways they choose to make a difference in their own lives, our learning community, and beyond.⁠
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29/07/2026

Compass Independent School - HIGH SCHOOL OPEN DAY!

Saturday 22 August, 9-11am
Musk Avenue, Kelvin Grove.

☀️ Book your high school tour now!

Lights, camera, action for Base Camp North! 🎬️⁠⁠Last week, our BCN team participated in a "Film in a Day" Bootcamp with ...
25/07/2026

Lights, camera, action for Base Camp North! 🎬️⁠
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Last week, our BCN team participated in a "Film in a Day" Bootcamp with Queensland School of Film and Television!
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They learnt about the three stages of film-making: pre-production, production and post-production and each young person had an important role in the filming including director, assistant director, camera operator, boom operator, lighting, second assistant camera and actors. To finish the day, they were given the raw footage and could edit it to create their own film - giving them the opportunity to express their unique perspectives and ideas.⁠
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This was a huge (and incredible!) undertaking, and the young people of Base Camp North engaged with it enthusiastically - bringing all of their usual kindness, teamwork, humour and innovation to the day! ⁠
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