Earlier this year, PLC Sydney opened its newly renovated Junior School, Evandale for students from Pre-Kindergarten to Years 2. This is in addition to the brand new Junior School, Hamilton precinct for students from Years 3 to Years 6 that was completed in 2018. The innovative developments incorporate new classrooms and large breakout spaces; with access for all Junior students to the specialist Science and Technology Innovation Labs; Invertebrate House, Turtle Pond; food gardens; native (non-stinging) bee hotel, nature walkway and playgrounds.

‘When initially rethinking the new Junior School, PLC Sydney was very keen develop a building with both intimacy and openness, one that demonstrates the positive impact of learning spaces on innovative teaching practices and student outcomes. We don’t just follow trends at PLC Sydney, we want to lead in education, and our new facilities and philosophy support this approach’ said Dr Paul Burgis, Principal at PLC Sydney.

‘Integrating Science and Technology and embedding these programs into meaningful, real world experiences for our Junior School students, has been a focus of our curriculum and specialist teachers for many years now. Part of the new development includes animal holding/breeding facilities for a selection of appropriate species, such as various praying mantises, the giant water spider, various grasshoppers, snails and turtles; with a view of inspiring our younger students with an interest in Science and wildlife conservation. We are also extremely pleased to be in consultation with experts from Taronga Zoo and have recently hired our own specialist Animal Exhibits Officers to work with our students on this exciting project’, said Dr Burgis.

Enquiry based learning and real world experience engage PLC Sydney's youngest students. Pre-K and Senior students alike have access to the Invertebrate House, a geodesic dome housing a variety of invertebrate species.

The introduction of the new K-6 Science and Technology Syllabus in NSW has also brought an opportunity for students to develop their critical thinking and creative problem solutions skills in a variety of integrated learning contexts.

At PLC Sydney, this begins in the early years. In Pre-Kindergarten students begin developing computational thinking skills though experimenting with Bee-Bot movements. Students also engage in mini engineering challenges in development play by testing and refining Bee-Bot bridges, roads and structures. In Kindergarten and Year 1, students continue to develop computational thinking skills with Bee-Bots in integrated Mathematics and Science units. Students also begin to explore local community problems and begin to create prototypes of solutions related to their Geography and Science units of work using a variety of digital tools. Students are also introduced to visual coding blocks on their digital devices through ScratchJr. In the middle and upper primary years students are introduced to more sophisticated robotics including Dash and Sphero and the humanoid NAO robot ‘Ruby’ to further develop computational thinking concepts.

To view two short videos about PLC Sydney’s Junior School Science and Technology Programs, please visit the PLC Sydney YouTube channel or go to:

https://bit.ly/2sPmWX5 Coding and Robotics

https://bit.ly/2kWdgXt Junior School Science

TO FIND ABOUT MORE ABOUT A PLC SYDNEY EDUCATION AND ENROLMENTS:

Families interested in a PLC Sydney education for their daughter are invited to attend one of our 2022 Parent Information presentations on: