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Orana School is a dynamic and vibrant community informed and inspired by the work of Rudolf Steiner. Through the recognition of the spirit, we strive for excellence in education and give support and guidance to the child on the way to a meaningful life journey. To be part of Orana is to participate in a rewarding partnership embracing sustainability and creativity.
The school is situated in Weston, 5 km south of the centre of Canberra. Starting in 1981 with four students in rented premises, Orana has since grown to occupy its own site with comprehensive facilities for over 640 students from pre-kindergarten to Class 12 and some 55 teachers.
In late 1996, Orana doubled its campus size with the acquisition and integration of an adjoining educational facility. Now totalling 12 hectares, Orana's landscaped grounds include two playing fields, an amphitheatre, four kindergartens, many classrooms, library, music, art and craft rooms, science block, woodwork and industrial arts room, drama room and other special purpose areas. Orana occupies a beautiful site incorporating natural and landscaped grounds within a few kilometres of the city centre. This offers a wonderful environment for school and play - a country atmosphere within the city.
Orana is a co-educational, non-denominational independent school providing a complete educational program from Pre-Kindergarten to Senior College. Our underlying system of values is Christian-centred.
Orana strives to ‘serve the freedom of the human spirit’ by providing a balanced and disciplined environment in which a full range of academic and creative subjects blend to nourish the ‘whole child’. We work with the ‘head, heart and limbs’, that is, the intellectual, emotional and motivational development of the child.
Our holistic approach to child development and education unfolds the full potential of the child.
The child at play is fully engrossed in doing. These formative years of development, beginning at birth and culminating in the change of teeth at around seven years of age, are a miracle to behold.
The child's play mirrors the world he or she perceives. In the Orana Kindergarten, the children create imaginative scenes and games by freely using the natural materials in the Kindergarten room and gardens.
The Orana Kindergarten provides a secure environment in which children can develop their learning through play and imitation, in a social situation and calm environment carefully created by the teacher.
The children enjoy cooking, craft, drawing, painting and modeling, learning through these activities an enthusiasm for simple tasks in an environment where healthy routines are established as part of the daily rhythm.
In Kindergarten the stories, songs, rhymes, dance, games and celebration of special occasions all nurture the experience of wonder and desire to learn, gently preparing the child for Primary School.
Rudolf Steiner presented a picture of the child unfolding and growing in consciousness over time. The Orana Primary School curriculum reflects this basic principle in its content and methods.
In early primary classes, the teacher enlivens mathematics, science, languages and the arts through an imaginative, pictorial presentation. At 9 to 10 years of age the child’s imaginative experience of the world fades and the world of reality awakens. Accordingly, the teaching approach adjusts in its presentation of a broad range of humanities and science subjects during the upper primary years.
The child’s guide on this journey is the Class Teacher, a person to whom parents entrust their child’s core education for seven years. The child is deeply satisfied to have a consistent adults who can represent knowledge of the world as one whole. Other specialist teachers work with the children on a regular basis in Japanese, German, Handwork, Sport, Speech, Library and Music.
A rhythm is provided to each day through the ‘main lesson’, an early morning period that allows in-depth teaching of each key subject over 3 to 4 weeks. Mid morning lessons consolidate these skills. The afternoon period is a time for the development of the artistic skills such as Painting, Modeling, Drawing, Music, Handwork or Craft, Games, Sport, Drama, Gardening, Speech and Movement.
High School commences in Class 8 with specialist teachers giving the main lesson and practice lessons, while the Class Guardians, are responsible for student pastoral care, class administration and parent contact.
The High School main lesson program encompasses English Literature and Language, History, Geography, Maths, Sciences, Drama and Art. Practice lessons in these subjects continue each day, together with Japanese, German, Physical Education, Music, Industrial Arts/Technology, Life Skills/Personal Development and Work Experience.
The High School teaching program encourages students to take increasing responsibility for their own learning and to develop their own ideals, values and sense of purpose for adult life.
High School concludes with Class 10 at which point students move into Years 11 and 12, the Senior College.
A comprehensive Steiner-based curriculum has been developed for Orana’s Senior College program, in which the Main Lessons in all subjects continue as part of a curriculum that meets all ACT Board of Senior Secondary Studies requirements, in order to provide tertiary entry scores where sought by students.
A feature of the Orana Senior College curriculum is that students are able to continue to explore a broad selection of humanities and science subjects in order to complete a balanced and well-rounded secondary education. Students are also given the opportunity to select, develop and document a significant research or activity based ‘Year 12 project’.
Orana’s tradition of extensive pastoral care for students continues into the Senior College. Senior College teachers work closely with each class group to support both academic and personal development in line with individual students’ aspirations.
In addition to an attractive Senior College facility completed in 2001, the upper school facilities include purpose-built science, art, music, woodworking, drama and photography facilities, all available on the 13 hectare Orana campus.
A feature of the Orana School experience is the close association and interaction among the teachers, pupils, parents and friends which make up the ‘Orana community’. In addition to the School Council and other committees which directly support school operations, there are numerous groups affiliated with Orana which provide parents with opportunities for learning and fellowship, including:
To realise its vision to provide a complete and holistic educational environment, Orana has a very active building and landscaping program which is supported by the Commonwealth and ACT Governments. Tax-deductible donations to the Orana School Building Fund contribute to making this vision a reality, and are always welcome.
School tours are conducted regularly during term time, giving parents of prospective students an introduction to Steiner Education and an opportunity to speak to teachers, look around our facilities and ask questions.
Tour bookings are an essential element of the enrolment process and can be made through the school office, telephone (02) 6288 4283.
Please forward a completed ‘Application for Enrolment’ form together with the enrolment fee to the Orana School office.
Application for enrolment will then proceed subject to places being available.
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Copyright © Orana School for Rudolf Steiner Education Canberra, Australia This page was updated on September 7, 2007 Copyright Disclaimer | Privacy Policy |
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