Our Learning

Distance Learning

During the uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic, The Friends' School, along with schools across the nation, had to make the quick transition to Distance Learning. Over the course of just a few days, our staff worked hard to move the curriculum online, all the while trying to keep themselves and their families safe. Meanwhile, our students needed to quickly adjust to a new routine of learning from home, with parents and guardians faced with the considerable task of balancing their own work/life balance, the safety of their families and the education of their children. 

In unprecedented times, everyone in our community rose to the challenge and did their best to take care of themselves, and those around them. The following clip explores our community's experience of this time and with our distance learning program. Thank you to everyone who took the time to speak with us about their experiences. 

Floral Grief

For 2020, the School launched a new subject for Years 9 and 10, the Independent Negotiated Project (INP). INP is a single unit, semester-long elective that can be taken in Year 9 or 10. Students work with a teacher mentor to co-construct an individual learning plan with the goal of inquiring deeply into an area of passion and interest. The course provides opportunities for working in a transdisciplinary way with the flexibility to focus on skill development and consolidation as well as enrichment and extension – dependent upon the needs of the student.

Lily Neyland (Year 10) chose to undertake the INP this year and unveiled her finished project on Monday 18 May at Cornelian Bay.

Lily’s Project, titled “Floral Grief” investigates the impact that plastic flowers (often placed on gravesites) have on the surrounding environment.

You can read the full story about Lily's project HERE. 

IB PYP Programme

For almost 20 years, The Friends’ School has incorporated the Primary Years Programme (PYP) of the International Baccalaureate, which focuses on developing the whole child; offering a framework to meet the academic, cultural, physical, social and spiritual development of each person.

This video was produced by Lucy Loney (staff member, current parent and alumni) and George Underwood (current parent and alumni).  The video nicely demonstrates the impact of the collaborative Year 6 Exhibition experience in the final year of the PYP.  The project, which typically occurs in Term 3, is an authentic process for students to explore, document and share their understanding of an issue or opportunity of personal significance.  

Working with Clay - Prep explore new ways to express themselves

In Prep the children have been inquiring into How we express ourselves as part of the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Program. Our central idea is “We all respond to and make art in different ways and for different purposes” and we have been thinking about how people express themselves through the arts, ways of responding to the arts and how the arts can evoke different feelings.

The children worked with a range of creative modes to express ideas and gain new skills and we explored the concepts of form, perspective and reflection in clay sculptures made in response to Henry Moore’s sculptures.

When the children were working with clay they were deeply engaged in the sensory experience. It is a brilliant medium for children to learn about structure and balance as well as the technical skills required to enrich their sculptures such as pinching, rolling coils and using slurry to join pieces together.

Clemes Pathways Evening

At the halfway mark of Term 2, staff and students presented a live Zoom presentation on the broad pathway opportunities that are available at Clemes in 2021.  We encourage all parents, students and friends who are approaching senior secondary years to view the presentation.  The Year 11 - 12 Course Book 2021 contains details on both pathways and individual subjects.