New learning experience

By Melissa Donchi
THE Little Yarra Steiner School showed their point of difference last week as they unveiled a new purpose-built Upper School, designed to enhance the students learning experience.
The new buildings were made possible by a series of Commonwealth Grants of up to $1.3 million as well as additional fundraising by the school.
The Upper School will cater for classes nine to 12 and includes a new science block, four classrooms, a computer lab and faculty room.
But in line with the rest of the Little Yarra Steiner School, these aren’t any ordinary buildings, having been purpose built to complement the curriculum and activities of students and teachers.
Business manager Jim Taylor says one of the main building requirements was that the new classrooms suit what was being taught.
“For example, our grade one classes are built in a round shape and designed to hug the children,” Mr Taylor said. “There are no sharp corners or edges.”
Mr Taylor admits that this kind of dedication can make the developing stages ‘challenging’ but says more often than not that challenge has been met.
“In order to acquire a desk that met our requirements the school has developed and built its own desk and we anticipate demand from other schools for the Little Yarra desk,” he said. “We have only recently filled our first order for a shipment of these desks to another school.”
Created by a visiting German designer, students take their beautiful handcrafted desks all the way through to their final year at the school.
The design of the new buildings has considered everything from light, heat and space to its environmental impact.
“Our new buildings are well designed to take advantage of passive energy gain, minimise energy inputs for heating and lighting while not compromising the school’s principles for high level aesthetic value,” a school statement said.
“The materials are chosen with a conscious evaluation of ethical and environmental factors.”
The Little Yarra School may be celebrating its 21st birthday this year but age does not appear to have wearied it.
If anything, the school has become more innovative with plans to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by generating their own power on site using natural gas as a power source.
The school is also tackling the issue of CO2 emissions resulting from student travel to and from school by planting more trees.