A.B. Paterson College Qld

Name

A.B. Paterson College

A.B. Paterson College is a co-educational, non-denominational independent private school, with an enrolment of approximately 1600 students, located on the northern end of the Gold Coast, Queensland.

Address

10 A.B Paterson Drive

Town or Suburb

ARUNDEL

State

QLD

Post Code

4214

Postal Address

PO Box 460, Helensvale, QLD 4212

Region(s)

Gold Coast

Telephone

07 5594 7947

Website

www.abpat.qld.edu.au

Contact School / Apply for Enrolment

abpat@abpat.qld.edu.au

Excellence. Care. Commitment.

Events Calendar

Upcoming Events

No events

View all events here

Facebook Feed

Enrolment Link

https://www.abpat.qld.edu.au/admissions/enrolment-overview-prospectus

Principal

Ms Joanne Sheehy

School Type

Early Learning
Primary School
Secondary School
Primary - Year 12 School

Campus Anatomy

ELC-12 Campus

School Character

Independent
Non-denominational

Year Levels

Pre-Prep - 12

Religion

Non-Denominational

International Students (CRICOS registered school)

Yes

CRICOS Provider Code

00902F

Main Gender

Co-ed

Student Enrolments

1600

Early Learning Program

Yes

Gifted and Talented Program

Yes

Strong focus on...

Academic Achievement
Co-curricular Activities
Community
Creative Arts
Culture / Tradition
Discipline
Gifted and Talented
Information Technology
Languages
Music
Numeracy / Literacy
Pastoral Care / Guidance
Performing Arts
Personal Values
Resources / Facilites
Robotics
Science/Technology
Social & Emotional Learning
Sport
Tertiary Pathways

Established in 1991, A.B. Paterson College has built a reputation as one of Australia's leading co-educational schools. With a strong academic record and exceptional facilities, the College has become a destination of choice for families seeking a Prep to Year 12 education rooted in purpose and ambition. Located in Arundel on the Gold Coast, the College brings together a diverse and vibrant community united by a shared commitment to excellence.

At A.B. Paterson College, tradition and innovation sit side by side. The College honours timeless values while embracing forward-thinking approaches to teaching and learning - ensuring every student is prepared not just for tomorrow, but for a future that is still taking shape.

Curriculum

Teaching for Understanding

A.B. Paterson College is recognised for its commitment to the Teaching for Understanding (TfU) framework, pioneered by Project Zero at Harvard University's Graduate School of Education. From Prep through to Year 12, this approach underpins the way students learn - encouraging curiosity, creativity, and real-world application.

Whether testing the chemical balance of local creeks, designing rockets, building mathematical and artistic models, composing original music, or unearthing historical artefacts, students engage with their subjects through hands-on experiences that bring learning to life. Participation, exploration, collaboration and leadership sit at the heart of every classroom. Teachers challenge students to question assumptions, seek new perspectives and apply knowledge in meaningful ways - ensuring academic rigour never comes at the cost of relevance or engagement.

The result is students who are confident, capable and genuinely inspired - ready for the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead.

Co-Curricular Activities

Co-Curricular Sport

Sport at A.B. Paterson College is about far more than competition. The College runs a comprehensive program designed to meet every student where they are, regardless of age or ability - because the values developed through sport are just as important as what happens on the field.

Through team sports, individual performance disciplines, strength and conditioning, and representative pathways, students build leadership, resilience, self-confidence and self-discipline. These are the qualities that carry young people well beyond their school years.

The Arts

The Arts faculty offers a rich and diverse range of co-curricular opportunities for every student. From choirs and bands to dance troupes, youth theatre, musicals and creative crew, there is a place for every form of expression.

These programs do more than develop artistic skill - they build creativity, confidence and a genuine sense of community. Throughout the year, A.B. Paterson College students perform, collaborate and share their talents with audiences both within the school and beyond it, contributing something meaningful to the world around them.

The Academic Academy

The Academic Academy is designed for students who are ready to go further. Catering to high-ability learners from Prep to Year 12, the Academy provides structured enrichment through project-based learning, competitions and annual international excursions - experiences that stretch thinking and open new possibilities.

Working closely with staff and students, the Academic Academy creates pathways that challenge, inspire and genuinely unlock what each student is capable of achieving.

Transport Options

A.B. Paterson College is located in Arundel, which lies in the heart of the growth corridor of the Northern Gold Coast.

The College is conveniently located off the M1 (exit 62), a 45 minute drive from Brisbane and 10 minutes from the Southport CBD and beaches of the Gold Coast.

A network of bus services provides transport to the College across the Gold Coast, extending north to Dreamworld and south to the QLD/NSW border.

For further information regarding local school buses, please click here.

The nearest train station is Helensvale North.

Please contact Customer Service on customerservice@tagroup.net.au or phone on 5552 2700 for other bus services in your area.

For more information – http://translink.com.au – Travel information – School transport
or phone Translink on 131 230.

If you are interested in employment opportunities at our school please visit the following page:

Employment link:

https://www.abpat.qld.edu.au/college-life/our-people/careers

Principal's Message

Welcome to A.B. Paterson College

At A.B. Paterson College, we strongly believe that it is the quality of the human relationships that exist within a school that defines its character, its feel and the essential teaching and learning relationships that are formed.

Schools of substance are often defined by the quality of relationships that exist between students, parents and staff. At A.B. Paterson College, we value these essential partnerships in the education of each and every child. Students take educational risks, dare to challenge themselves, and aim to succeed, when they feel supported in a caring and nurturing environment with dedicated and highly experienced teachers. This is of the utmost importance at A.B. Paterson College, as we continue our tradition of being one of Australia’s leading Colleges.

International research indicates that it is the quality of teaching within the classroom that has the greatest impact on student achievement. At A.B. Paterson College, we base our teaching and learning strategies on leading international research and the Teaching for Understanding framework, as conceptualised in Project Zero from the Harvard Graduate School of Education. This framework helps students from Prep to Year 12 think creatively, and learn to apply their skills and knowledge to new and real life-related situations. This leading approach to teaching and learning focuses on the individual student, thereby better providing for their individual needs.

Whilst proud of the very strong academic record that A.B. Paterson College has always maintained, our aim is to develop young men and women of character. The College strives to achieve this by challenging students to develop the intellectual character necessary to become passionate about the ongoing pursuit of learning; to have the skills and confidence to succeed in an increasingly complex world; and to become committed to creating positive futures for the good of all, through leadership and active participation in their communities.

The College caters for students with a diverse range of talents, interests, needs and academic abilities, through its rigorous and comprehensive academic programme, diverse co-curricular activities, and strong pastoral care system. Our College boasts leading educators, committed to on-going professional development, and highly dedicated non-teaching staff committed to the achievement of the College’s mission.

Choosing a school is one of the most important decisions that a parent will ever make. Every child and young adult deserves the highest standard of education to support and encourage them to the achievement of their personal best; to develop the essential qualities that enable them to act with purpose and character; and to possess those much needed values to operate within the moral framework of an ethical community.

I would like to take this opportunity to commend our College to you as a thriving and dynamic environment, and a place of outstanding educational opportunities and offerings. While websites are useful for the dissemination of information, they do not fully enable the unique essence of a school to be understood and appreciated and so, while I encourage you to peruse our site, I invite you to visit our beautiful campus for a personal tour, and an opportunity to see how our community can help in the education and growth of your child.

Joanne Sheehy B.Ed.(Hons), M.Ed.

Principal

Scholarships

For up to date information on scholarships offered at A.B. Paterson College, please refer to our College website https://www.abpat.qld.edu.au/admissions/scholarships

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