Why do children learn to read later?
How does a Steiner Education fit in with real world outcomes in Year 12?
Why is Sophia Mundi offering the International Baccalaureate Diploma for years 11 and 12?
What is happening in relation to school facilities?
What have prior students done?
How big is the school? How big are the classes?
Steiner or Waldorf Education was developed by Rudolf Steiner to educate the whole Child – the head, the heart and the hands. It is one of the fastest growing educational movements worldwide.
Why do children learn to read later?
We believe that there are many other things children need to learn before they begin to read and write, like social and emotional skills, kinetic skills, skills to do with the world around them. With time to learn these skills first, formal learning is easier. Pupils start formal learning, such as the alphabet and numbers, between the sixth and seventh birthday when we believe children are ready and can approach this challenge with ease and with great enthusiasm.
How does a Steiner Education fit in with real world outcomes in Year 12?
Until 2010, Sophia Mundi offered an ungraded VCE in year 12, in conjunction with an externally assessed major project. Graduates of Sophia Mundi under this system have been offered tertiary places in a range of courses including: Arts (Photography), Applied Design, Social Sciences, Social Work, Emergency Medicine, Outdoor Education, Architectural Drafting, Resort Management, Liberal Arts, Homeopathy, Sound Engineering, Nursing, Marketing, Multimedia Arts. Others have gone on to apprenticeships and other workplaces that suit their talents. This approach provided a very strong basis for entering the workforce and becoming an adult member of the community.
However the ungraded approach did not suit everyone and in recent years Steiner Schools around Australia that have not had accredited entry pathways into university have had falling enrolments in years 11 and 12. Sophia Mundi investigated various means of maintaining our attractiveness to students and parents through to year 12 while also ensuring strong alignment with the features and principles of Steiner Education. We selected the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme as a year 11-12 graduating pathway to enhance our relevance to senior students.
Why is Sophia Mundi offering the International Baccalaureate Diploma for years 11 and 12?
SMSS is committed to fostering a learning community with an international standard of excellence and is determined to provide graduating pathways that can reflect the essence of Steiner education in a Senior College. SMSS is attracted by the International curriculum focus, academic rigour and development of analytical and critical thinking skills development across all disciplines and the continuation of student involvement in the community, creative pursuits and activity which the IB Diploma Programme brings. The Diploma Programme continues to work in a three fold manner (thinking, feeling and willing) that we value so highly in Steiner education.
The IBO’s philosophy supports that of Sophia Mundi’s mission statement to educate towards freedom.
The aim of the journey at the Sophia Mundi School is the formation of young adults who can think, judge and act freely and responsibly through their strength of individuality and intercultural understanding.
To educate the whole human being through the harmonious working of not only the head, but also the heart and hand.
To educate the child as a being of body, soul and spirit
This is not a religious education, but neither does it espouse merely materialistic values. Education of the soul and spirit takes place through the uplifting power of beauty and the imagination, and out of the content of the curriculum.
The balance of the Diploma Programme and Vocational pathways is particularly beneficial to the education of our students with universities becoming increasingly concerned with the narrow focus of most students' educational contexts.
The 2012 annual school fees range from $9,588 in Prep to $13,024 in year 11. These fees include all tuition costs, the outdoor education/ camp program, writing and art materials and are payable quarterly. Sibling discounts of 10% (2nd child), 25% (3rd child) and 75% (4th and subsequent children) are available on tuition fees.
Fees for full fee paying overseas students are slightly higher than these fees, please contact the business manager for information.
On top of these costs music tuition, extra lesson, sports uniforms and excursions are billed separately by the school. Parents will also need to purchase textbooks for students in the senior school.
Bursaries are available in cases of genuine hardship however preference is given to students who have been at the school for some years rather than new students.
The school also has a building fund, donations to which are tax deductible. Please contact the business manager if you would like to make a donation.
Detailed fee information is provided in the Sophia Mundi Fee Policy 2012.
What is happening in relation to school facilities?
SMSS has been a tenant at our Nicholson St campus for twelve years and needs to vacate this campus in May/June 2012 as a result of the landlord selling the property. We have been a tenant at the Abbotsford Convent since 2006, initially for our primary school and more recently for classes 1-10. We have been seeking alternative facilities to replace the Nicholson St campus for the past few years and this became urgent when the landlord notified us of their intention to sell, in September 2010. After an exhaustive search, including putting proposals in to rent and fit out a number of buildings in the Abbotsford area, some council owned and others private, we were encouraged by the Yarra Council to work closely with the Abbotsford Convent Foundation to find additional space within the Abbotsford Convent.
The Abbotsford Convent proposed that Sophia Mundi design and build a new building adjacent to our existing St Marys Campus, partly on the "goat paddock". This proposal was put to Heritage Victoria and after a lengthy deliberation they determined that the paddock land was of significant heritage value as farm land. Sophia Mundi then worked with stakeholders including the Children's Farm, the ACF and Heritage Victoria to develop a proposal, designed by Gregory Burgess AM, which avoids using the heritage farmland whereby we will construct a new building, comprising 4 classrooms, within the existing playground space. To replace the lost playground space, the ACF has proposed that the school convert the disused swimming pool to the north east of the St Marys building to playground space which will be opened to the public outside of school hours.
The ACF has also proposed that the School convert the disused "Mercator Annex" to a science laboratory and we have had a design prepared for the laboratory, with input from Gregory Burgess AM on the external aspects.
Heritage Victoria approved the plans in September 2011 and the Planning Minister gave final approval on 7 December 2011. These projects: new classrooms, science laboratory, new playground and the relocation of our Prep from Nicholson St to St Marys will occur during February to June 2012.
The school vision is described in our Governance pages.
What have prior students done?
Past students from Sophia Mundi have gone on to a range of tertiary courses and employment types. Graduates of Sophia Mundi have been offered tertiary places in a range of courses including: Arts (Photography), Applied Design, Social Sciences, Social Work, Emergency Medicine, Architectural Drafting, Outdoor Education, Resort Management, Liberal Arts, Homeopathy, Sound Engineering, Nursing, Marketing, Multimedia Arts. Others have gone on to apprenticeships and other workplaces that suit their talents.
How big is the school? What are class sizes?
Sophia Mundi has one class in each year level from Prep to year 11 in 2012. In 2013 we will also offer year 12. Average class sizes are 16-20 pupils. In 2012 we have approximately 200 students.
As a parent, staff member, student, past member or other friend of the school there's lots that you can become involved in. Some of the groups that operate within the school include:
These and other groups, with contact details, are listed towards the back of the Parents Handbook.
Contact the School Principal through the office on 03 9419 9229