Independent Schools Guide 2024: Woodleigh is a school for adventurous minds

Authentic, real-world learning is central at Woodleigh, where students gain a profound understanding of their changing world.

A Woodleigh School education promotes learning by doing and students spend immersive blocks of time in their pre-VCE years building deeper research skills and exploring project management and design process.

The new Regenerative Futures program for Year 10 students illustrates the school’s belief in “purposeful education”.

The program draws on students’ strengths and interests across different core subjects to gain a deeper understanding of issues relevant to their lives and world.

In one instance, students are exploring the adverse impact on the environment from the production of whey protein used in dairy products. They are researching alternative, more environmentally-friendly ways of creating whey protein by engaging with manufacturers and studying its chemical composition.

“This is authentic real-world learning and it’s teaching students how to unpack complexity and the world they live in and create a genuine understanding of what is going on around them,” explains Woodleigh Principal David Baker.

“When we teach Maths or English or take students on a hike, what are the skills we want them to grow through that experience? How do we factor that into our planning and how do we also factor in compassion, creativity, being skilful and resilience?” asks Baker.

“Our teachers don’t just design learning around facts, figures and knowledge – they design learning around how to grow each student. They deliberately think about how each student will grow as a person through each experience, and how that can be facilitated.”

A new Year 10 Futures Studio – designed with sustainability and environmental expert Joost Bakker – will open in 2025.

The carbon positive building will become a tangible demonstration of efficient design principles and power generation, effective use of building materials, and how to reduce building waste.

“The building will be part of our ecosystem of learning, embedded in our reserve and farm. We want it to become a blueprint for other schools to build carbon positive buildings that put back into the environment,” says Baker.

The Regenerative Futures program is just one way the school demonstrates its commitment to offering more than a textbook education.

Baker says, “We offer a holistic education in which the growth of each child as a person is our most important priority – when you get that right, everything else falls into place.”

Woodleigh School

Senior Campus and main reception: 485 Golf Links Road, Langwarrin South, VIC 3911

Minimbah Campus: 3 Minimbah Court, Frankston South, VIC 3199

Penbank Campus: 460 Mornington Tyabb Road, Moorooduc, VIC 3933

woodleigh.vic.edu.au

Enquiries: 5971 6100

enrol@woodleigh.vic.edu.au

Years: 3YO Early Childhood-Year 12

Denomination: Non-denominational

Gender: Co-educational

Boarding: No

Scholarships: Yes