You will notice upon entering our junior classrooms, the inviting and intriguing environments that our teachers have created to captivate the interest of our young learners.

Play based Investigations is a pedagogical approach to learning. It is developmentally appropriate practice for children from Prep to grade 2. Investigations occur when students inquire using their imagination to explore, experiment, discover, collaborate, improvise and create through play. They have the opportunity to engage in authentic personalised learning based on their interests and to deepen their understanding of the world around them. Investigations have a positive influence on the whole child; their social, physical, emotional and cognitive development.  

Our Investigation sessions occur 3-4 times per week in the mornings. Research has found that active hands on learning in the morning increases the brain chemicals (endorphins and dopamine) which sets the students’ brains up for optimal learning in the more formal sessions in Literacy and Numeracy that occur later in the day. It has also shown that students who engage in Investigations have 4 times the amount of oral language opportunities, and double the exposure to literacy and numeracy than in a traditional classroom.

There is a rigorous structure to our Investigation sessions. We spend time tuning students in to the learning of the day which prompts them to investigate further concepts or explore new learning in their natural environment. The children are enthusiastic about being the ‘Focus Friend’ whereby they have the opportunity to work one on one with the teacher on an investigation of their choice and then share it with the rest of the grade.

We also have a Reporter who also works closely with the teacher on a more intentioned task related to the learning that is occurring in class. For example, if the class is learning about procedural writing, they may be asked and supported in writing a procedural text. They would then share this with the grade.

Finally, the Photographer is a highly regarded role whereby the students are asked to take photos or clips of a variety of things that are linked to the learning later in the day.  Again, these tasks are deliberately set by the teacher and linked to the learning.