Our Lady of the Southern Cross Primary School
Project Details
Architects
David Choate
Award
COMMENDATION: CATEGORY 1: NEW CONSTRUCTION, ENTIRE NEW SCHOOL
Address
2-20 Howqua Way Wyndham Vale Wyndham Vale , Victoria 3024 Australia
Submitter
Devkrishna Mistry
Cost
$10,181,065.00 +GST
Photographer
Peter Clarke
Project Overview
OLSC has pedagogy of modern personalised learning. Three learning spaces each accommodate P-Year 6 students working within open, flexible spaces with team teaching. The Learning spaces provide a variety of spaces for art, science and cooking, break-out spaces for large and small groups working at tables or on the floor and mezzanine space for quiet, independent work.
Jury Citation:
The new facility for Tonsley TAFE in South Australia is an excellent example of adaptive re-use on a Our Lady of the Southern Cross Primary School has been designed to create exemplary harmony between the pedagogical intent and the physical environment. The focus of the curriculum is on engaging students at their current level of capability and working to advance their learning from there with reference to learning not age. Further, the school has espoused a personalised pedagogy that emphasizes individual responsibility for learning. In response to these intentions the design encompasses variety, accessibility and versatility of learning spaces allowing all students, including those with special needs, to match choice of physical space to their current learning, and for teachers to foster this connection in their facilitation roles.
ESD has been attended to in interesting and visible ways so that it generates learning for the children as well as energy saving.
This is a great design response, the University of Melbourne research has been utilised and the outcome is an integrated and flexible learning environment supporting multiple nuances of children’s learning progress.
Statement from Principal:
“OLSC has pedagogy of modern personalised learning. Three learning spaces each accommodate P-Year 6 students working within open, flexible spaces with team teaching. The Learning spaces provide a variety of spaces for art, science and cooking, break-out spaces for large and small groups working at tables or on the floor and mezzanine space for quiet, independent work.
Embedded technology builds the independent and interdependent learning strategies of the students as they engage with learning and involve themselves in networking with other schools and online experts.
Our personalised learning focus caters for the individual learning needs of each student and develops students ‘ ability to map their own learning journey through the setting of individual goals and the timetabling of learning events. Teachers interact with and engage the students as whole groups, small groups and on an individual basis as the learning requires. Teachers have the opportunity to observe other teachers at work and to support each other through modelled teaching and learning strategies. The physical environment makes this working strategy possible through the easy flow from one area to another and the clear visibility afforded by the “no wall ” space.
Students respond very positively to the sense of freedom and movement that is experienced in the working space. They are not feeling ‘boxed in ‘ and can avail themselves of resources and equipment throughout the learning area as needed. The students select the according to the learning or to their physical and emotional needs. This is particularly evident for the special needs students – Asperger ‘s, Autistism & ADHD- who moderate their environment and are able to de-stress by moving to quiet spaces on their own or joining small working groups. Our Irlen students find the lighting, colour schemes and structure of spaces minimise their space orientation difficulties and the soft lighting helps maintain their focus and reduces the stress they feel when working in glary environments. Students are able to stay on task and gain the most from their learning.
The major success of the 3 learning environments stems from every aspect of the building and the outside learning spaces working to provide a real cohesion between the physical environment and the educational pedagogy. “
