Welcome to Daylesford Dharma School

Live to be kind. Learn to be wise.

Established in 2009, Daylesford Dharma School is Australia’s pioneering independent primary school that integrates the Australian Curriculum with Buddhist philosophy.

As a not-for-profit institution, we blend academic learning with practices of kindness, compassion, and mindfulness, creating a heart-led and experiential environment for our students. Our community fosters a strong sense of belonging, crucial for early childhood development, helping children understand themselves and their place in the world.

This foundation of self-awareness and compassion supports our students and alumni as they transition to secondary education with resilience and moral character. Our education subcommittee has crafted the Australian Dharma Curriculum, a comprehensive approach to social-emotional learning that enables teachers to deliver the Australian Curriculum through Buddhist principles.

This program features daily lessons focused on core values and our Five Precepts, ensuring that creativity and the arts are integral to our holistic education, nurturing well-rounded individuals ready to embrace life’s challenges.

Enroll now for 2025

Fill in an enrolment enquiry form to secure your child’s place in 2025.

We are Australia’s first registered school to teach the Australian Curriculum through a wisdom-compassion educational approach. Each day begins with the Australian Dharma Curriculum to nurture students’ inner qualities, such as kindness, patience, and altruism. 

The Five Precepts (Our School Values)

At our school, values and rules are expressed in a genuine and non-punitive way to instil self-reflection and growth in our students and our community. We provide students with a vocabulary to describe how they are feeling and set behavioural expectations that enable self-reflection and growth. In this way, language guides the child’s social intelligence to understand what the experience of others might be as they develop their intrinsic wisdom and character. The Precepts are a useful lens through which students can develop their inner resources and examine their community, and our staff practice and uphold these values through daily meditation and mindfulness practices.

Reverence for Life

We are committed to protecting people, animals, plants and minerals from harm.

We care for them in a way that we would like to be cared for ourselves,

We respect all life. 

Deep Listening and Loving Speech

We listen deeply and use mindful speech.

We speak truthfully, using words that inspire confidence, joy and hope. We speak and listen in a way that can help ourselves and others. 

Body Responsibility

We are respectful of our bodies and the bodies of others.

We are committed to learning appropriate ways to take care of our energy and cultivate loving-kindness, compassion, joy and inclusiveness.

Mindful Consumption

We choose food, drink and activities that are healthy for ourselves and others.

We contemplate interdependence and consume in a way that preserves peace, joy and well-being for all living things. 

Generosity

We do our best to share and be generous when we think, speak and act. We give compassion to those in need. We always ask when borrowing. 

We believe that being generous and honest allows us to truly connect with the best in ourselves.

Discover Our Inspiring Learning Community

Explore how our unique approach to education nurtures your child’s growth in a supportive and mindful environment. Join us for a tour to experience firsthand the compassionate and holistic learning that sets us apart.