Junior School Innovative learning spaces

Throughout 2023, the Year 5 and Year 6 students have been enjoying learning in the new Year 5/6 Centre.

The refurbishment of the School’s old gymnasium has resulted in spacious classrooms with collaboration zones and breakout spaces. These spaces facilitate group work amongst the students. One Year 5 student reflected: “This term, we have learned a lot about group work, especially how to work in a team. This can be really challenging, and you have to listen to one another, compromise on important decisions and be kind to one another.”

Research indicates that in the 21st century, learning spaces need to be flexible, in both a pedagogical and a physical sense. Open spaces, natural light, noise reduction and air quality all contribute to successful learning outcomes. The Year 5/6 Centre is filled with light, and we have the flexibility we need to plan for a variety of learning activities. Our Year 5 and Year 6 students participate in a variety of different learning experiences each day and there is a need to ensure that learning spaces can be adapted to these different modes of learning. We aimed to create spaces that were both aesthetically pleasing and conducive to learning.

The new Tinkering Studio in the Years 5/6 Centre enables us to further embed technology and entrepreneurial skills into our curriculum. At Lauriston, we are conscious of the need to prepare our students for jobs that don’t exist yet — many of which will be in technology where women are underrepresented.

Recent technology and entrepreneurial projects completed include:

Prep – Year 2 Market:

Students created a range of products to sell to the school community, managing the stalls and finances.

Year 4 Tiny House Expo:

Students designed their own Tiny House for a customer and printed their design on a laser cutter, before creating a sales pitch to ‘sell’ their house to potential buyers.

Year 5 Smoothie Bar Project:

Students developed a business plan including a product, brand, website and pop-up shop.

Year 6 Nerve Tester Game Project:

Students created a game in the Fabrication Lab (FabLab) that considered a UN Sustainable Goal.

In addition, the School has increased the number of STEM co-curricular activities available over the past two years. Students are welcome to join our Years 1-2 Coding Program, Years 3-6 Coding Program, Years 5-6 Minecraft Club, Years 5-6 Entrepreneurship Club, Year 6 Podcast Club and Years 2-6 Tinkering Club. One Year 3 student reflected: “I love going to Tinker Club because we get to play and explore.”

While it is important that students develop their technological skills, it is also important that they learn to be respectful and safe online. Recently we partnered with the Cyber Safety Project to deliver a program for all students to ensure they act thoughtfully, respectfully and ethically online, and that they start to develop the ability to self-manage the quality and the quantity of time spent online. A key initiative was our Cyber Safety Week with the theme of ‘THINK before you post’. Informative and fun workshops for teachers, students and parents were run and the Student Representative Council (SRC) were involved in developing several fun competitions that highlighted the importance of what you say online being True, Helpful, Inspiring, Necessary or Kind.

As educators, we need to constantly find new ways to positively influence our students and create a culture of engagement and excellence in STEM studies. Through the acquisition of digital technologies and the implementation of an integrated STEM curriculum, we provide the girls with opportunities to develop key skills in problem-solving, creativity, critical analysis, teamwork, independent thinking, initiative, communication and digital literacy. These skills will be vital skills for life in our rapidly changing digital world.

Chris Toms Vice Principal, Head of Junior School

The new Year 5/6 Centre has state-of-the-art classrooms, modern technology, and a dynamic learning environment designed to inspire and support the growth of our students, while still preserving some of the historical elements of the existing building by renowned Melbourne Architect Daryl Jackson AO.

We would like to thank the following families who were major supporters of the new Year 5/6 Centre: The Rockman family, Ding and Jiang family, Yau family, Wu family, Yu and Sun family.