Learning Environments and Facilities
Children love to learn, and at Golden Grove Lutheran we’re invested in ensuring our facilities provide the best environment for this to occur. Our school is at the forefront of innovation and contemporary learning practices, providing an exceptional environment for exploration and discovery. We enjoy a bright, innovative and happy learning environment providing the very best of facilities, amenities and resources.
In 2018, the school commenced a whole-school refurbishment program. Each of our learning spaces (Foundation to Year 6), specialist Music, Japanese, Art and PE spaces as well as our Library continue to be updated to be exciting spaces. Our school has committed resources to many areas of interest, including a dedicated multimedia room and multi purpose music and performing arts centre, and specialist sports programs.
Our design is research based with the aim to promote engaged learning, foster a sense of security, resilience and belonging, and to equip our students to be at their very best in all aspects of their learning.
Our award winning classrooms are flexible, vibrant, inspiring, creative, fun, motivating and appealing for all types of learners. They provide innovative furniture, interesting nooks and spaces, resources and technology. These are complemented by our outdoor facilities, which encourage students to develop and problem solve through play and movement.
Our contemporary classrooms, with innovative and inquiry-focussed design, allow students to think and learn creatively with one-another. The design of our classrooms and other learning spaces is based on design principles of safety, colour, sustainability, natural light, natural ventilation, acoustics, and ergonomics. They promote healthy play, investigation and discovery ; give children choices ; help children to concentrate; encourage positive relationships ; meet the differing learning styles of children and promote learner agency, interests and passions ; evoke a sense of comfort and home ; embrace the virtual spaces within our world and link students to learning opportunities locally, nationally and globally
For our 2023 project, Golden Grove Lutheran engaged the services of leading firm Arkvale Architects, and our relationship continues as we transform the school.
Flexible learning spaces
To support our teaching and learning program we are continually reviewing our spaces so they reflect and support the way teachers teach and students learn. Over the last few years, we have refurbished many of the classrooms and adjacent spaces incorporating: raised platforms, learning booths, ‘breakout’ areas complemented with recarpeting and redecorating. The most recent project in our ongoing refurbishment was the completion of the senior class learning area, which also includes a wellbeing and sensory room and a ‘green room’ for the teaching of STEM.
Playgrounds and open space
We have three playgrounds and a Nature Play area where children explore their abilities, collaborate with peers and take safe risks. The campus has three ovals and we are adjacent to Richardson Reserve which is used for sports days and carnivals.
ICT
Students in years 3–6 participate in a 1:1 iPad programme. Students are made aware of the responsibilities they have in owning and using their iPad. Through an education process involving SAPOL and school developed programs and policies, the students use their devices safely and purposefully.
Class sets of iPads are available for use by students in Foundation – yr 2.
STEM subjects are incorporated into the curriculum. This may be as a part of a unit of inquiry or through specific skills being taught (eg. coding). The acquisition of ICT skills may be through the use of robotics, iPads, PCs or a variety of other tools. Our ‘green room’ encourages the use of the practical use of ICT skills learnt.
Worship Centre
The multi-purpose Worship Centre provides a valuable resource that very few schools of our size enjoy. Students access the centre for regular weekly worship, as an extension to our classroom learning areas, for Assembly and for a variety of music opportunities, such as band, choir and individual music tuition.
