{"id":1969,"date":"2017-04-27T06:19:18","date_gmt":"2017-04-27T06:19:18","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/hfschool.net\/?page_id=1969"},"modified":"2025-05-21T11:15:16","modified_gmt":"2025-05-21T01:15:16","slug":"the-learning-environment","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/highfields.nsw.edu.au\/index.php\/the-learning-environment\/","title":{"rendered":"Learning Spaces"},"content":{"rendered":"<h3>Learning Spaces<\/h3>\n<p>What we believe about how young children\u00a0learn best strongly influences the\u00a0continual design and resourcing of learning spaces at Highfields. Our students are confident, creative and relationally powerful users of our spaces and we design our learning environments to enable this. Great consideration is giving to acoustics, layout, furnishings and displays to ensure every space is welcoming, inspiring and conducive to deep thinking and focus.<img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"4959\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/highfields.nsw.edu.au\/index.php\/school-tours\/pxl_20250406_225635685\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/highfields.nsw.edu.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/PXL_20250406_225635685-scaled.jpg?fit=2560%2C1920&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"2560,1920\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;1.73&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;Pixel 6a&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1744016195&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;4.38&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;48&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.002608&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"PXL_20250406_225635685\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/highfields.nsw.edu.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/PXL_20250406_225635685-scaled.jpg?fit=790%2C593&amp;ssl=1\" class=\"wp-image-4959 size-medium alignright\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/highfields.nsw.edu.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/PXL_20250406_225635685.jpg?resize=300%2C225\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/highfields.nsw.edu.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/PXL_20250406_225635685-scaled.jpg?resize=300%2C225&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/highfields.nsw.edu.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/PXL_20250406_225635685-scaled.jpg?resize=1024%2C768&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/highfields.nsw.edu.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/PXL_20250406_225635685-scaled.jpg?resize=768%2C576&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/highfields.nsw.edu.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/PXL_20250406_225635685-scaled.jpg?resize=1536%2C1152&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/highfields.nsw.edu.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/PXL_20250406_225635685-scaled.jpg?resize=2048%2C1536&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/highfields.nsw.edu.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/PXL_20250406_225635685-scaled.jpg?w=2370 2370w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>As a team, we regularly reflect on what is working well in our spaces, balancing children\u2019s need for consistency and comfort, with our commitment to continually keeping our spaces feeling fresh and inspiring for young learners. Furnishings and materials create an inviting and engaging atmosphere, positioned thoughtfully to allow spaces for thinking, reflecting, connecting and exploring.\u00a0Displays in each of the spaces are developed with purpose and audience in mind, as teachers work together to ensure children\u2019s voices and thinking are made visible and knowable. In this way, displays go beyond decoration and carry our values on the walls.<\/p>\n<p>The questions below adapted from Jan Millikan\u2019s book, \u201cReflections\u201d (2003) support our continual professional reflection around environmental planning and design.<\/p>\n<h4>Does this space create possibilities for children to:<\/h4>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>express their potential, abilities and curiosity;<\/li>\n<li>explore and research alone and with others, both peers and adults;<\/li>\n<li>perceive themselves as constructors of projects;<\/li>\n<li>reinforce their identities, autonomy and security;<\/li>\n<li>work and communicate with others, and<\/li>\n<li>know that their identities and privacy are respected.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h4>Does this space enable teachers to:<\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li>feel supported and integrated;<\/li>\n<li>have appropriate spaces and furnishings to meet their needs to meet with other adults;<\/li>\n<li>have their need for privacy recognised, and<\/li>\n<li>be supported in their process of learning and professional development.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h4>Does this space ensure parents can:<\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li>be listened to, and feel informed, and<\/li>\n<li>meet with other parents and teachers in ways and times that foster real collaboration.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Learning Spaces What we believe about how young children\u00a0learn best strongly influences the\u00a0continual design and resourcing of learning spaces at Highfields. Our students are confident, creative and relationally powerful users of our spaces and we design our learning environments to enable this. Great consideration is giving to acoustics, layout, furnishings and displays to ensure every space is welcoming, inspiring and conducive to deep thinking and&hellip; <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-1969","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry","clearfix"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/P7EWEu-vL","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":317,"url":"https:\/\/highfields.nsw.edu.au\/index.php\/a-day-in-the-life\/","url_meta":{"origin":1969,"position":0},"title":"A Day In the Life&#8230;","author":"EGibbs","date":"29 June 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"A Day in the Life\u2026 K-2 children can arrive at school from 8:30am to enjoy time to connect with friends and teachers in the outdoors, prior to the formal start to the day at 8:50am. Breaks during the day include morning tea from 10:40 to 11:00am and lunch from 12:30\u2026","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/highfields.nsw.edu.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/DSC_7701-1-300x200.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":44,"url":"https:\/\/highfields.nsw.edu.au\/index.php\/the-highfields-experience\/","url_meta":{"origin":1969,"position":1},"title":"The Highfields&#8217; Experience","author":"EGibbs","date":"22 June 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"The Highfields' Experience Every aspect of our curriculum is developed and refined to reflect the real needs and interests of our students and first hand experiences are embedded in classroom activities to intrigue, engage and support constructive learning. Small group activities offer\u00a0opportunities for children to collaborate, negotiate, question and problem\u2026","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/highfields.nsw.edu.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/PXL_20250408_014803160-300x225.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":1904,"url":"https:\/\/highfields.nsw.edu.au\/index.php\/outdoor-learning\/","url_meta":{"origin":1969,"position":2},"title":"Learning in the Outdoors","author":"EGibbs","date":"27 April 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"Learning in the Outdoors The outdoor environment at Highfields is not just a place for lunch and morning tea times. Since its establishment, the school has offered the spaces outside the classrooms as a natural and rich extension to the indoor learning spaces. Our natural setting provides opportunities for children\u2026","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/highfields.nsw.edu.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/PXL_20250410_234943003.PORTRAIT-300x225.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":15,"url":"https:\/\/highfields.nsw.edu.au\/index.php\/our-garden-setting\/","url_meta":{"origin":1969,"position":3},"title":"Our Setting","author":"EGibbs","date":"22 June 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"Our Setting Highfields School is located in Lindfield on Sydney's North Shore. We are positioned in a garden setting surrounded by mature trees and a flourishing natural environment which provides boundless possibilities for exploration and creativity. Our indoor learning spaces are designed with the specific age group in mind and\u2026","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/hfschool.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/06\/photo-1-e1493117634321-768x1024.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":125,"url":"https:\/\/highfields.nsw.edu.au\/index.php\/co-curricular\/","url_meta":{"origin":1969,"position":4},"title":"Learning in Focus","author":"EGibbs","date":"23 June 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"Learning in Focus Schools and preschools differ greatly in their approaches to teaching and learning. How schools design learning programs for children is shaped powerfully by beliefs about how children learn and in what contexts learning is likely to flourish. At Highfields, we have strong views about the sort of\u2026","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/hfschool.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/06\/P1011771-1024x768.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":204,"url":"https:\/\/highfields.nsw.edu.au\/index.php\/home-2\/","url_meta":{"origin":1969,"position":5},"title":"Our Approach","author":"EGibbs","date":"24 June 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"Our Approach Teaching at Highfields Providing exceptional educational experiences for young children requires exceptional and highly qualified teachers. All Highfield\u2019s educators are passionate about working with children and bring excellence and care to every aspect of their work. Each educator in the school comes to their role equipped with a\u2026","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/highfields.nsw.edu.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/06\/IMG_2289.jpg?fit=640%2C480&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/highfields.nsw.edu.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/06\/IMG_2289.jpg?fit=640%2C480&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/highfields.nsw.edu.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/06\/IMG_2289.jpg?fit=640%2C480&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/highfields.nsw.edu.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1969","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/highfields.nsw.edu.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/highfields.nsw.edu.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/highfields.nsw.edu.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/highfields.nsw.edu.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1969"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/highfields.nsw.edu.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1969\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5034,"href":"https:\/\/highfields.nsw.edu.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1969\/revisions\/5034"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/highfields.nsw.edu.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1969"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}