Primary Years Programme

PYY Victorian Network Open Schools Fortnight

Multi-Age Unit of Inquiry – How We Express Ourselves

Across Anthology Week, we welcomed PYP teachers and coordinators from 5 different Victorian schools. These teachers were drawn in to learn more about how multi-age learning flourishes at Preshil.

Cressida and I greeted the visiting teachers and immersed them in a quick summary of Arlington traditions before seeing the learning in action. We shared how multi-age learning happens regularly at Arlington with electives and our whole school meetings and  committees for our How We Organise Ourselves Inquiry Unit.

The visiting teachers were captivated seeing the multi-age learning in action - in Kevin Borland Hall and in peer workshops being run across Arlington. They spent time speaking with the students, learning about how our Arlington students take action, creating, planning and running their own workshops across the week, including the highly popular “drawing club”.

Our visitors noted how impressed they were with our students’ ability to talk about Anthology Week and their specific workshops or work on display in the Hall. As the tour concluded, the teachers expressed how they were captivated by how multi-age learning flows so naturally for our students and ultimately began considering: “how can we take part of this magic back to our school?”.

The teachers left Arlington Anthology feeling inspired with ideas about multi-age learning, or cross-class opportunities for creative expression and a celebration of children'  creativity. 

Libby Gronn

PYP Coordinator