One of the main principles of our philosophy of education is the emphasis on the children expressing their learning, thoughts and ideas through the many different languages other than speech.

“The more skills an artist has to work with, the more he or she can communicate. And that is what art is about. It’s communication.”
(Carolyn Holm; Everyday Art for Kids)

These other languages include: drawing, painting, modelling from clay, dough, boxes, paper, wire, blocks, singing, dancing, dramatising using facial expression, body movement and variations of voice.

As part of our program on most days the children spend some time in small groups where they receive more individualised instruction on particular skills.

The aim of this program is to increase the skill and confidence that each child attains in all of the various arts or languages. The assumption is that when a child feels more competent and confident in a particular skill area then he is more likely to use these other languages to express his learning, thoughts and ideas.

Each of the arts or languages has its own specific program researched and formulated by the staff. The children gain skill and experience in the various techniques required to manipulate the many different mediums and tools available. During these classes the children are encouraged to draw, paint or model from a visible stimulus, rather than from their imagination. The benefits of this approach are clearly evident in the children’s work within their daily programs.