A boutique private school, set amongst an orchard in Algies Bay, offering children aged five to twelve a joyful, well rounded learning experience, in a homely environment.
Registration pending, join our waitlist at the bottom of this page to find out more.
Your child will follow an independent curriculum for maths and language arts, working at their exact level. This approach is methodical, enabling your child to continually progress with learning goals. Our teachers work with parents in choosing a curriculum appropriate for their child, which is then delivered one on one in the classroom. This ensures that children can truly go at a pace appropriate to them, ensuring they don’t end up with gaps in the foundations of their knowledge.
Teachers who are gifted and excellent in their area are brought in to lead and include your child in various sessions. With a passion and specific skill set they are able to teach your children with strength and confidence. These teachers are bought in when their gifting connects to an inquiry project, sporting need or performance piece.
The ratio for academic subjects is 10:1 with daily one-on-one teacher time. This ensures children are progressing with consistency and teachers are able to scaffold, support and redirect learning quickly. Children are provided with down time and a space to retreat and rest when needed.
The Arrowsmith program uses proven techniques to strengthen parts of the brain where there is cognitive weakness identified. Through neuroplasticity Arrowsmith sessions build memory, executive function, relational reasoning and more. This helps children who are struggling with learning difficulties to not just accommodate their challenge but to overcome it.
Our small class sizes allow for teachers to get to know the children they are entrusted to care for. Children’s interests and passion are used to engage children in various tasks. Additionally, teachers are able to show a genuine interest in what children care about, and out of this relationship children respond better to what is asked of them.
Kids are able to roam both freely, and supervised in the surrounding fields. Picking fruit, rolling down hills, playing. Picnic lunches, visiting sheep in the top paddock or watching the beekeepers harvest honey. It’s all onsite. Outdoor spaces for children to complete work, and learning activities are set up also.
Students are praised for their efforts and work completed. Enthusiasm is used to build confidence in learners. Students work towards mastery in various areas, and when achieved, the group game or activity of their choice is played or activated. Certificates are hand made with love by teachers, and given to students for various achievements both in academia and displaying positive values.
We are outdoors as much as we can be, and physical activity is an integral part of our program. It is essential for a healthy life and we want this to be a habit for children and adults alike. Group games, sports and individual skills will be taught to build team work, sportsmanship, strategic thinking, healthy competition, gross and fine motor skills. Children will participate in bush walks, trips to the beach, collecting fruit, building outdoor structures, nature journaling to name but a few. Outdoor safety will be taught whilst children will be given the tools and time to whittle, saw, pluck and climb. Free time outside is also important for children to be in nature, explore their environment and get creative. This will be offered daily.
Driven by relationship both with the children and their families we are able to respond accordingly to the unique needs as they arise, develop, and change. We welcome with appreciation parent and extended family participation, input and feedback. We report, converse and keep parents informed with the progress of their child’s emotional, social and academic posture. We welcome consistent communication so that we can support each family and the individuals we are entrusted to care for.
Like you, I’m sure, my children are my world, and above all my family have my heart. When I am not in the throws of negotiating with, mediating between and raising my littles, you’ll find me walking (preferably the beach, preferably with a friend), crafting, swimming, reading, researching or dreaming up events and adventures for, and with, the ones I love. I’m not so secretly (yikes) competitive when it comes to board games, love solving a riddle, building a puzzle, and find great joy laughing, connecting and conversing with friends. Our family have the privilege of serving in a local church and love the wider community we find ourselves in. How beautiful to live in the bay!
Oh if I could tell you how many nights I have ignored sleep, and instead sorted through the ideas in my mind of what a school would look like, if it was mine to choose. In detail I have considered what I would and would not do, ruminating on why, and circling back, in confidence to what we must not compromise on if we are to create a schooling experience different to that which exists. Countless hours have been spent thinking about how I would realistically implement my ideas, whilst protecting teacher wellbeing, for this too is of utmost importance. How can our students thrive under the leadership of stretched, exhausted and worn out teachers. I have examined my experiences as an early learner, school student, teacher, colleague and subordinate, building a philosophy that remedies what I do not like, while gathering all that is good, and laying it as the foundation of what the Enrichment Studio has to offer. I’ve wrestled and questioned pedagogies, researched neurodiversity, listened to the parents and teachers around me, challenged my own thinking and returned to ideas I had rejected, recognising that they too may have a place.
With 12 years in the Education sector I have taught in many different schools. Private, nature, low decile, semi integrated, and at home, schooling my little for the last year. In 2020, I taught at a private school serving neurodiverse learners through the Arrowsmith program. This is where I personally experienced benefit from the program and fell in love with its unique and evidence based way of helping learners with unique needs. We are so very pleased to be bringing this life changing program to our community where many children will benefit from this neuroplasticity approach.
Everything has been considered with intention, and debated with the devils advocate (my mum) concluding that this is it, this is the school I want for my children, and perhaps it is what you want for yours also. With a nearly six year old, now is the time to make these ideas a reality. Of course we are at our beginning and no doubt our ideas will be further refined, tested and developed as research and anecdotal evidence present themselves true, and we learn from teachers and students who enter our space, but for now, we are beyond excited, full of anticipation and hopeful that your children will thrive at the Enrichment Studio.
Gathering at our purpose built, homely studio Monday to Friday, 8:45am – 2:45pm. Set amongst rolling hills, fruit trees and a 5 minute walk from the beach, our campus has an idyllic indoor outdoor flow.
Investing in the foundation of your child’s learning sets kids up to go further, faster. A carefree, nature based childhood with appropriate work expectations and ethics, lays the foundation for secure adults.