7 Attwood Way
Rockingham
Western Australia 6168

Phone: (08) 9528 2118

School profile and context:

In 2011 an adolescent program was approved by the Department of Education Services, and it commenced the following year. The project was launched as a joint initiative between Rockingham Montessori School, Murdoch University and Big Picture Education Australia. The Big Picture Education Australia approach to working with the adolescents was adopted whilst Montessori training for staff and purchase of Montessori materials took place. Commencement of the Adolescent program saw an initial 13 students enrolled and this number grew to 22 within the first semester, with capacity being 50 students.

Program description:

Rockingham Montessori School has currently been using the Big Picture Education Australia Learning Plan proforma to guide the individual’s development of their term’s program. The process involves the adolescent, the parents and the advisory teachers having input into the term program. The program provides for self-expression sessions where students are provided with options of workshops that run for a set number of weeks in areas where the teachers identify needs. These workshops are designed around the ability levels of the students and are designed to engage the particular students in the next level of skill attainment.

Place-based learning is a major component of the learning for new students. Existing students will develop tours for new students and site surveys are used to help orient students to different areas of the site, but also to help gage areas of interest and therefore possible projects of study and future occupations.

Website: https://www.rms.wa.edu.au/