At Cornish College, our commitment is to ensure that young people are engaged in the best schooling experiences now for a thriving and sustainable tomorrow. “We must recognise the privilege of educating young people, especially when we have the opportunity to do so on 100 acres of natural parkland, which provides a wonderful environment for the inquiry focus of the PYP” says Principal Nicola Forrest. “The opportunity here, to educate for a sustainable future and extend our vision of education beyond the curriculum, drives us toward education of a different kind.”
At Cornish, students learn to understand their roles and responsibilities as creators and contributors to education, not just consumers. Journeying through the Early Years to Year 12, they develop deep understandings of themselves as learners and about the interconnectedness of the world around them.
From the Early Learning Centre to Year 6 our students spend regular, extended periods of time becoming familiar with and connecting to the land. Experiences range from the Early Learning Centre ‘walk day’ where, each week students explore different parts of our ‘100 acre classroom’ to Year 5 students connecting with external organisations such as BirdLife Australia, participating in bird audits and designing and building bird boxes based on the data they have collected in order to increase biodiversity in our College environment.
A disposition for systems thinking developed through inquiry and concept-based learning leads students to becoming adept at identifying and solving problems with an entrepreneurial mindset that transfers far beyond the school and curriculum.
When young people come to Cornish College, their families come with them and join us as a community of explorers committed to making a difference. “There is a great deal of courage in a community that comes together to challenge the narrative of schooling,” Nicola says. “When we open our minds to unlearning and reimagining schooling, we open the possibilities to a better future for all.”
Creating time and space in the school day for play, deep inquiry, exploration and personalised learning opportunities, Cornish College is ensuring students have the tools to thrive in learning and in life.
