Not every child thrives in a conventional classroom setting. Our teaching methods stimulate innovation to produce creative, compassionate individuals. We are not right for every child and every family. We encourage our children to learn as much as possible from authentic learning experiences – our children play with sticks, wear gumboots, use recycled materials to build and create, take delight in dressing up, and enjoy exploring the bush around the school.
Get muddy, get wet, use sharp knives, light fires, use power tools, ride skateboards, do parkour, climb trees, go on camps, use kitchen appliances, do woodwork, swing off ropes, play wild games, fight with sticks, play in the bush, use technology and sometimes we even make them vacuum.
We believe that adults are necessary role models for children throughout their schooling years. In a large school, the role models children find are more likely to be children of similar ages. Our teacher/student ratios ensure that adults naturally become role models for children during their day, and we insist that Peregrine remains small for this reason.
Each of our students is a unique, vibrant individual. As a staff, we start with who they are and build upon that. We work with all our students to be creative, curious, and persistent. We promote independence and a spirit of adventure. A Peregrine child is not afraid to ask for help and to clarify things. They have an awareness of who they are and a strong sense of self. We hope we have made them resilient. We hope we have given them a strong moral compass. We know them well. We hope they know themselves well. We create young individuals who are creative, curious, and persistent.
Peregrine first opened in 2000, with only 14 students. Since then, teachers, parents, and students have woven an organic tapestry to become the school we are today. With 70 students, we are now a much bigger community, but we have learned from challenges, successes, and others. We are still a small school, where children spend their days with a team of adults who, over time, become their mentors and role models. The school operates on a first-name basis, and children benefit from the continuity of belonging to one whole group with the same small group of teachers throughout their schooling.
What lies at the heart of Peregrine is the fundamental development of relationships. Our students belong and have a sense of place in our small community. At Peregrine, we put connections at the heart of our structure. We keep the school and class size small, we keep children with the same teachers year after year in mixed-age groupings, and we use first names. We build powerful connections between people connections that are more like those in an extended family. Students learn and progress at their own pace, and each student's teacher's expectations are high as they know them well. Character development is as important as intellectual growth. When you use this structure, you get great results. The children engage in learning; they develop empathy and love school. We intend that the school remains small. We have a firm belief in the human benefits of small schools.
