The Classroom
Our primary school is currently organised into five mixed age classes. The groups are arranged according to the children’s needs, guided mainly by age, as well as social and academic development. A child’s development may not follow a regular school calendar year, so children are able to make the transition into a new group at any stage throughout the year.
The classrooms are a home base for the children and remain open and available for the children to use throughout the day. This means that during their free time children can continue their work or choose to play indoors to stay warm on a cold and wet winter day. Often children choose to spend free time in other classrooms so that they can explore a new environment, develop other friendships, visit their siblings or start their own personal transition into a new group.
The Playground
The children share the playground and free time is coordinated so that all class groups have the opportunity to play together. The playground has been designed to provide as many play opportunities as possible for the children. There is room to run, climb, hide, build, dig, work, play sport and have quiet time.
Preschool is a physically integrated part of the school. There is no division in the playground between the pre-schoolers and the older children. The open and shared physical space is fundamental in supporting the learning philosophies of the school. The older children enjoy visiting the preschool classroom and the pre-schoolers also visit the big kids in their classrooms to play with friends and begin their own personal transition into primary school.
