Respect
The Village School farm animals play an important role in teaching. Lessons in respect for all living creatures, reliance and responsibility are taught in very real ways. Respect for and commitment to the environment is also encouraged through the wet lands project that is run on the school property. Adults and children address each other on a first name basis as a way of showing mutual respect and reinforcing that everyone is valued as a worthwhile individual. You’ll find our children are more forthright, expressive, honest and well spoken because we do give them a real voice in the Village School community.
Resourcefulness
Problem solving, creative thinking and initiative are commonly named as the tools for jobs of the future. Village School children are taught to look for answers and solutions rather than be given them. The school gives children time and ready access to computers, the library, telephone, other staff members and any other resources in their pursuit of answers and solutions.
Responsibility
An important aspect of our philosophy is growing responsibilities as the child grows. This includes: becoming more responsible for one’s own learning, becoming more responsible for one’s behaviours and actions. The aim is for children to develop internal discipline. Through this a real sense of self-respect is gained.
Reliability
Interdependence is striking the right balance of co-operation and independence. It involves people relying on each other to do their individual parts. The whole school performance is just one important event at the Village School that fosters reliability and real community spirit.
Resilience
Resilience is all about picking oneself up after a negative experience or a mistake and knowing that you can go on. Village School’s discipline statement recognises that mistakes are valuable learning experiences and encourages children to see their own and other’s in this light.
Playing Together
Physical Education provides the opportunity to take risks and achieve personal challenges while at the same time focusing on cooperative behaviour. Most importantly, it is a source of enjoyment and personal fulfilment.
Mutual Respect
It's great when children can feel that they can have friendly relationships with their teachers
A caring community
We aim to create an environment that is warm and friendly - where children can feel happy and secure.
Learning at Village
Whilst the teacher maintains the learning framework, the children are empowered to plan, structure, self-manage and self-evaluate their own learning.
Working together
Children learn to work as part of a team, to respect the opinions of others and to be sensitive to the needs of those around them.
Performing Arts
Performance is an integral part of the Village School curriculum, combining various key learning areas in a highly satisfying, holistic and meaningful experience.
2020 Prep Now Enrolling
Enrolments are now being accepted for Prep in 2020. Come along to one of our group tours or book a private tour at a time that suits you.
See how our current prep children are thriving in our nurturing and stimulating environment. Speak to Carmel our Prep teacher about the program we offer and find out more about our part time prep program that runs for 3 days per week, perfect for those wanting to ease their child into school life.
Principal's Message
Welcome to Village School – the eastern suburbs best kept secret!
We’re a small ‘boutique’ style school tucked away in a bushland environment on the banks of the Brushy Creek. This place was chosen because it gives the children the space to play and build cubbies using natural materials. It also means the children learn to understand and respect their environment as they interact with animals and planting programs as part of the school curriculum.
We believe combining the academic program with farm work, horse riding and gardening develops resourcefulness, reliability and resilience. These programs also empower a greater variety of students to be leaders in our community, alongside those who naturally step up through our classroom programs, sport or the arts.
Empowerment is a keyword at Village School. The children run their daily meetings, their group meetings and their whole school meetings. The teachers and the children often brainstorm ideas for their ‘big picture’ focus for each term. Consultation and democratic processes shape the ongoing activities in the school and the children are often instigators of fund raisers, event days, ideas for performances and rules around the school.
The arts play a strong role in Village School. One term each year has a whole school performance as the main focus. The teaching themes will relate to the theme of the performance and the whole school will be involved in making props, costumes, sets and backdrops. The older children design the tickets, the program cover and content and design the advertising for our immediate community. Real life learning means giving a real-life context for the children’s tasks and the performance supplies the best vehicle for this.
The challenge for all schools in the 21st century is not only to keep abreast of all the technological changes and innovations, but also to keep sight of the bigger picture; educating the whole child for life. Practices will come and go, robots will become teachers, curriculum content will vary as generations change, but principles and ethics are timeless.
Our aim is that each child leaves Village School with the belief that they have the ability and the means to make real choices about their futures. They learn that not only do they have rights but so do all the people around them. If we can help our children start to develop a ‘world view’ of inclusiveness and sustainability, showing care and empathy for others and feeling confident about their own worth and their place in the scheme of things, then we’ll know we’ve done a good job.
Tanya Heine: Principal
Contact us
Phone: 03 9726 4766
Fax: +61 3 9727 1752
Email Village School
9 Holloway Road, Croydon North VIC 3136
Find us on Google Maps