Ms Amanda Hall | Head of Junior School

It started with a question raised by one of our curious and inquisitive Prep students, seeking to gain an understanding of his place and connection here at SCOTS PGC College. ‘Who is the boss of this place?’ was the question posed. This curiosity was met with forthcoming information and further questioning was encouraged by his teacher, who truly values child-centred learning opportunities. ‘Where does he live and can he come over to our place for a play?’ These questions took our Prep students on a learning journey that would have been virtually impossible to plan for or manufacture.

The questions were pondered, answered and explored which lead to an opportunity to explore how we write an invitation and the language we use to invite someone to play. Rich vocabulary was introduced and manipulated by the students to produce a letter, signed by every student, also demonstrating their capacity to write their own names. Our Prep class then took a wander to find out where Mr Thompson ‘lives’ and delivered their letter. They sat in his office, on the couches and the floor, experiencing where the boss of this place works.

Mr Thompson then visited the Prep precinct on Monday to continue the conversation, share in afternoon tea and have a play with our youngest students. The connections to curriculum, sense of place, real life experiences and inquiry skills were evident and explored throughout this learning journey. An excellent example of the power of child-centred learning.

Child-centred learning experiences are focused on individual needs and interests, and make allowances for the development of each individual child. This approach to learning recognises that each child brings their own unique style to learning as well as individual abilities and needs. This approach, alongside what is referred to as age-appropriate pedagogies are evident in our Early Years classrooms here at SCOTS PGC College.

When referring to the approaches as age-appropriate pedagogies, they may include but not be limited to:

• Inquiry Learning
• Event-based Approach
• Project Approach
• Explicit Instruction
• Play Based Learning
• Or a Blended Approach

When deciding on an approach, our teachers consider:

• children’s interests and capabilities
• their own interests, skills, capabilities and philosophies
• the curriculum
• evidence of children’s learning
• our unique school context

We know that considering these approaches allows our experienced and dedicated teachers to foster each individual child’s social, emotional, physical and cognitive development. Our learning environments are nurturing and engaging, promoting success and personal growth.