New Macclesfield Primary School principal Andrew Bagnall is looking forward to a bright future with the school.
“We have a committed team of educators, thoughtful, engaged families, and resilient, considerate and happy children who love learning about their world,” Mr Bagnall said.
“Our families value the style of learning that leads children to develop the skills, knowledge and dispositions required to be an independent, engaged learner in our modern world. Our children feel valued at our school when opportunities to contribute to learning both inside and outside the classroom take place.
“We value student voice and agency as essential for building a community that provides student-centred learning.”
Mr Bagnall said the school offered the progressive inquiry learning approach through the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Program (PYP) and believed inquiry was the vehicle to drive student learning.
“The PYP provides the scope, flexibility and structure for teachers and educators to guide student learning,” he said.
“Our children and families already come to school with a whole range of experiences, knowledge and skills that demonstrate their enormous capacity and potential.
“The curriculum we create through our Units of Inquiry emerges from the questions, wonderings, knowledge and experiences our children discuss and share.
“Our teachers are skilled at facilitating learning by balancing the need for explicit instruction of curriculum, skills and approaches with the careful release of responsibility that leads to self-management and agency.”
Mr Bagnall said he was extremely proud of the students who were kind, considerate and polite, creative and imaginative.
“I love the structures and games that can emerge from outdoor nature-based play.
Our children work together to solve problems. They are learning the responsibility we all share in taking ownership of our mistakes, and see these as opportunities to build on what we know.
“Our students ask questions to deepen their learning, and are beginning to take great responsibility for the role they play in building knowledge.”
He also praised the staff as extremely committed and understanding of the importance of their role in ensuring that students had access to the best learning environment and opportunities possible.
“Ongoing staff learning is a feature of our school and we are committed to improving our practice through targeted and specific professional development.”
A strong and supportive partnership between home and school was essential for a child’s learning to be successful and this was highly regarded at Macclesfield Primary School, he added.
“Our families are the first educators and we rely on information sharing, collaboration and trust to ensure we are meeting the learning and wellbeing needs for all of our students.
“As an IB school, we value the experiences, passions, interests and vocations from within our school community and see these as integral for building on the rich learning experiences taking place through the Primary Years Program.”
Prospective parent are invited to contact the school to learn more. School tours are conducted all year round.
