Connected education experience at Village School
The Phillip Island Village School (PIVS) fosters an authentic connection with the environment at school.
The Phillip Island Village School (PIVS) fosters an authentic connection with the environment at school.
Through regular immersion in nature and opportunities to learn about and connect with animals and ecosystems, students gain a true respect for and connection with the environment.
The small alternative primary school is located on rural acreage in Ventnor. The rural context gives students access to large areas of open play space, and the school’s proximity Berrys Beach lends itself to regular beach visits. The school’s setting, and its intentional focus on connecting with nature and the natural environment both foster a deep connection and respect for the natural world in its students.
The school provides many opportunities for students to be outdoors, starting with regular “Bush School” sessions. There are weekly visits to the nearby Landcare property owned by David Rooks and family, where the Shooting Stars (early years) students have been involved in a wide range of farm and conservation tasks, from learning about soil to helping with farm animals. The whole student group is involved in all of these activities, and as the children get older and move into the Allstars (older years) they have more opportunities to choose the ways in which they express their connections with nature.
An interest in nature has been a consistent theme for PIVS students throughout the school’s history. There’s a strong love of animals, including the school’s chickens (and baby chicks), which the children have a close bond with. Most recently, as part of Science classes, students were involved in learning about and helping with the incubation of ducklings at school. Caring for animals in the context of a Farm School program, connecting with animal rescue organisations and learning about wildlife have all sparked students’ interest and compassion.
The connections students make with animals and natural environments have tangible benefits for wellbeing. But they also meet broader school intentions around students learning to see themselves as part of and to care for the natural world, and for them to experience and overcome the personal challenges that come with being out of their comfort zones.
The PIVS Mentor team see immense value in allowing the space for students to be curious and to investigate aspects of the natural world. They are conscious that much of children’s lives can be sedentary and indoors and that it can be difficult to leave a comfortable indoor environment for a less predictable and messy outdoor one.
By supporting children in their desire to build cubbies or to go for bushwalks, and by initiating camps and adventures in natural places, the school consciously provides opportunities for children to connect with their natural environment and develop a desire for and skills in custodianship.
Children at PIVS have enthusiastically participated in climate action events and activities over the past several years, and have initiated multiple fundraising activities for Phillip Island Nature Parks and local animal shelters. Giving the children an opportunity to choose to be involved means that students genuinely want to be part of and feel truly invested in these activities.
The PIVS Mentors were very excited to hear about the upcoming Kids Teaching Kids Earthwatch Conference involving many local Phillip Island schools, since it feels like such a great match with what we do at PIVS. The concept of a conference run by local school children, teaching one another about local environmental issues and the actions they can take to make positive change is familiar territory for PIVS staff and students.
“Despite being such a small school, we had more students keen to present at the conference than we had places for, since they were so keen to share their passion for Berrys Beach and their efforts to understand and protect the environment there,” Principal Jo Huckett explained.
“Our students are excited to combine their environmental knowledge, teamwork and the presentation skills that they’ve developed in individual and group project work at school at the conference, and are looking forward to learning from students at other schools.”
Phillip Island Village School is accepting enrolment Expressions of Interest for levels 1 to 6 for 2023. To enquire, please contact: Lien Sim, Community Leader on 0401 728 736.
