Mentone Girls’ Grammar School – Creative Learning Centre

The CLC’s expertly designed spaces greatly assist teachers and students to work together. Twenty-first century approaches, optimising creativity and innovation, occur in the following ways:

1. Creativity and problem solving skills are stimulated by bright, interesting décor; vivid and continually changing displays; ready access to a variety of resources (e.g. art, drama, dance); seamless ICT connectivity as well as varied and flexible learning spaces. The CLC is a bright and light environment with prominent features such as the colourful picture window that provides abundant and coloured light into the two storey atrium space, visually connecting and integrating the students across two levels.

2. Collaborative learners have access to both real and virtual spaces for group discussion and storage of team products. The ability to combine spaces by opening the glass bi-folding doors adds flexibility for activities that require movement. The breakout spaces have colourful and coordinated soft furnishings and are important extensions to the classroom, allowing for breakaway groups; a variety of learning structures; collaborative learning; small group work; private study and review; and they have become important socialising areas well suited to small groups of young girls.

3. Independent learners have access to staff, their belongings and private working spaces, both real and virtual, creating a sense of ‘home base’ while at school.

4. Oral communication skill and confidence are developed through presentations to small and large groups. The new learning areas can accommodate audiences of varied sizes. The atrium also includes a large “Performance staircase” – a popular learning, entertaining, gathering and performance space. It has created a great sense of community and integration amongst the Year 7 and 8 community. It has an important informal nature and, in conjunction with the wide stair, creates a mini auditorium. It is an ideal area for student meetings, lectures, presentations, drama and music rehearsals as well as formal performances.

5. Healthy, active young learners are encouraged to make use of the outdoor as well as indoor learning spaces and the direct, wide connection to the Rose Courtyard’s adjacent landscaped areas facilitates this approach.

6. Young girls enjoy socialising and collaborating in small groups and need spaces such as conversation nooks, both in and outdoors, to accommodate these preferences; the comfortable furniture throughout the CLC, as well as the Performance Staircase, provides many opportunities for this. The landscaped areas in the Rose Courtyard extend these opportunities outdoors.