Every child is extraordinary. Our aim is to help them realise their unique potential.
Our vision is to have a school with a family atmosphere providing a Montessori education in a vibrant, supportive and nurturing environment.
Our school values are:
- Peace education
- Sense of belonging
- Friendship
- Inner discipline
- Independence
- Acceptance
- Self-transcendence
Perhaps one of the things that makes us different from other schools is the fact we give children a chance to explore the full richness of the world within and without us. Our development as people is much more than just textbook learning. It entails a discovery of our sense of self, our sense of others, and a sense of our role within this universe. To that end, our educational program is infused with excellent field trips, guest/specialist meetings and extracurricular activities. We offer activities from tai chi to nature trips and community support. Our classes are small, allowing for plenty of one on one time between teacher and student, and a peaceful working environment.
Silent reflection is a part of the daily schedule. This gives children time to focus their attention and energy, still their minds and focus on the task at hand. It gives the child the skill to stop and feel before acting, allowing them to act with clarity and from the heart. While we ourselves do not follow any particular religion, we are open to children from all religious and spiritual backgrounds.
At Golden Grove, we give children the opportunity to work uninterrupted. Our focus is on the understanding of the material, rather than memorisation. This inspired creative learning results in children who approach work with joy and willingness, and find it easy to learn even the most difficult subjects. Furthermore, they get satisfaction when the task is completed.
We encourage children to develop their wisdom, think and feel for themselves, and distinguish between right and wrong, so they may learn about the world and come to know themselves.
Caring for our environment
Montessori philosophy emphasizes immersion in nature to assist in the development of the whole child. Spending time in nature promotes physical, social, emotional, and cognitive development in every child.
At Golden Grove, the outdoor environment is a natural extension of the classroom. Whether within the gardens at school, at the local park, on school camps or day excursions we provide many opportunities for time in outdoor environments. In this way our students can build on their classroom knowledge through the sensorial experiences of nature and through constant contact with the natural world.
Golden Grove is a heritage listed villa surrounded by lovely gardens and mature trees. We also have free range chickens, fruit trees and extensive vegetable gardens. This leads naturally into teaching our students about caring for our environment and substantiality. We use natural cleaning products and strive towards reducing/reusing/recycling throughout the school.