No, we are not a religious school in the traditional sense. While our school's name includes the word "Buddhist," we embrace the Buddha's teachings (Dhamma) as a universal philosophy that can enrich the lives of people from all backgrounds. We do acknowledge and celebrate auspicious Buddhist events, such as Vesak Day, but our emphasis is not on the ritualistic aspects of Buddhism. Instead, we prioritise providing the wisdom and knowledge found in the Buddha's teachings to help students' lives. In essence, Pal Buddhist School is a "universal humanistic" institution that provides guidance to students from diverse backgrounds in navigating life's challenges.

Dhamma is an integral part of our curriculum, seamlessly integrated into all subjects. Alongside this integration, students participate in mandatory weekly Dhamma and Mindfulness classes, which are led by our Achariyas, Mr. Pal and Bodhidasa. These classes are tailored to the students' grade levels to ensure comprehension and relevance. Additionally, our Training Grounds serve as practical implementations of the Buddha's Noble Eightfold Path, bridging the teachings of the Buddha with the acquisition of essential life skills.

Absolutely! We are a secular Buddhist school that welcomes students from all backgrounds and beliefs. Our approach to Buddhism is practical and aims to provide students with valuable life skills, fostering generosity, compassion, and diligence, regardless of their religious or cultural background.

Our school takes a proactive approach to reduce and address bullying. By promoting Dhamma teachings and fostering a harmonious and moral student and staff community, we create an environment where bullying is less likely to occur. In the event of any incidents, our small-school setting enables teachers to promptly intervene and manage the situation. We have a structured hierarchy for addressing cases, involving Year Coordinators, Curriculum Coordinators, the Principal, and the Founding Principal, with the severity of the situation determining the level of intervention and support required

We uphold a respectful and safe learning environment at Pal Buddhist School through our Expect M.O.R.E disciplinary system, firmly rooted in the principles of wisdom, morality, and discipline. This system aligns with our 10 Codes of Moral Conduct, emphasising the importance of understanding that speech and actions have consequences, as exemplified by our 1st code. Consequences in the form of Expect M.O.R.E sessions are employed for various behavioural and social issues, including unjustified tardiness, inattentive behavior, incomplete homework, uniform-related matters and much more. Importantly, this system is designed to be fair and effective, ensuring that the teacher's attention isn't diverted from well-behaved and motivated students. It is a collaborative effort involving students, parents, and teachers, working together to maintain our school's core values. Expect M.O.R.E is in effect throughout the school year, taking place with a mindfulness session during lunchtime. This comprehensive approach fosters introspection and realisation, while preserving a supportive and enriching educational experience for our entire school community.

Yes, participation in Training Grounds is compulsory for all students. This requirement ensures that every child has the opportunity to benefit from these experiences and grow intrinsically.

No, a vegetarian diet is not enforced at school. Students have the choice to follow their dietary preferences, and our school and the canteen accommodates various dietary choices while promoting mindfulness, ethical living, compassion, and generosity to all sentient beings. We encourage students and the school community to approach food with an understanding of its role as nourishment and energy for growth and work, rather than as a source of harm to animals. This approach is in alignment with the principles of early Buddhism and reflects the school's commitment to fostering these values among its students and staff.

We have fully embraced a "paperless" approach to education. All coursework, assignments, and communication between students and teachers are conducted through digital platforms (Office365). Whether it's distributing assignments, receiving marked class workbooks, collaborating with peers over distance, or providing feedback, everything is done digitally. Even secondary student textbooks are digitalised which allows information to be received and transmitted efficiently. The only exceptions are hands-on activities like building projects, L.O.T.E recitals, Visual Art projects, poster creation, and musical performances, where physical materials are necessary. However, even in these subjects, the theoretical aspects are taught using our 4D Learning devices, ensuring a comprehensive and technology-integrated learning experience.

We accept any Surface Pro models and iPad Pro (1st generation and newer) and if they are compatible with a stylus or Apple Pencil. We do not accept Chromebooks as the Chrome operating system is not compatible with our learning structure.

Whilst Surface Pro and iPad Pro models can be purchased online or from any technology store, we give our families access to our exclusive JB Hi-Fi educational portal, where they can purchase either the latest Surface Pro or iPad Pro. Beyond the year-round discount available through this portal, the real advantage of buying from this portal is the bundle of add-ons that come with the purchase, including extended warranty and on-site servicing, among other benefits.

We constantly emphasise that technology is a tool, not a weapon and by innovating our lessons through the use of technology to keep students engaged, we also place a strong emphasis on discipline and clear expectations in the classroom, supported by our Expect M.O.R.E system. Additionally, we expect parents to take an active role in managing and monitoring their child's technology usage, both at school and at home. Tools like Microsoft Family and Apple Family Sharing can assist parents in this regard. It is an expectation that upon pre-induction, parents are to set up these parental controls platform so they can gain a clearer understanding of their child's digital inclinations and habits.

Our school operates in a predominantly paperless environment, with the majority of lessons conducted using digital devices. However, we maintain a healthy balance by incorporating off-device activities into the curriculum. For instance, in Primary School, students have dedicated time away from their devices for reading lessons, PlaySpace, Training Grounds, Primary Service, Activity Time, and Sports. In the Secondary School, technology plays a more prominent role in the curriculum, but students also engage in off-device programs such as Sports and Training Grounds to ensure a well-rounded education.

Our school takes internet misuse seriously, and we have measures in place to address it. Our student Wi-Fi network is private, and each student provides the school with a unique identifier for their device to gain access. This unique identifier allows us to monitor students' online activities, including the websites they visit and downloads they make. Engaging in activities that violate our 10 Codes of Moral Conduct can result in the student's network access being blocked.

It's important to note that if a student uses their own hotspot, the school cannot directly monitor their usage, and any monitoring would depend on parental control systems set up by parents. Additionally, our S.L.A.N.T classroom rules require students to place their devices flat on the table, ensuring that teachers can easily see their screens to promote responsible and focused technology use in the classroom.