School within a School: Educational Transformation by innovation instead of imposition

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Oct 21, 2023

This podcast explores the concept of a school within a school as a means of educational transformation. It discusses the benefits of reflection, cultivating an outward mindset, and inviting external experts. The podcast also highlights the process of creating a standalone school within a school and the challenges faced. It examines the rise of the school within a school model and the interest and support it has received. The transformation of traditional classrooms into studio spaces and the importance of sharing projects and preserving innovative schools is also discussed.

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Introduction

00:00 • 3min

Reflection, Outward Mindset, and Finding Alternatives in Education

02:56 • 3min

Encouraging Staff Evolution and Establishing a Studio School

06:21 • 2min

Creating a Standalone School Within a School

08:07 • 15min

The Rise of School Within a School Model

23:32 • 15min

Transforming Traditional Classrooms into Studio Spaces

38:43 • 20min

Sharing Projects and Preserving Innovative Schools

58:38 • 2min

Educational transformation is very difficult, if not impossible, to achieve because of the diversity of views on how schools should operate. Typically, when changes are about to happen, they are intended to apply to every student and teacher in the school. In other words, the change is for the entire school, which inevitably invites resistance. A school-within-a-school approach takes change in a different way. Instead of imposing the change on the entire school, it aims to create options for those students and teacher as well as parents who are interested in the change. The new school, which is part of the old school, can practice entirely different ways of organizing students, different pedagogical practices, and different scheduling and facility utilization. If the school becomes successful, more people may join and thus expands the innovation.

In this episode, we invite two people from Australia to share their stories of creating a school within a school. Belinda Provis is the principal of All Saints College in Perth, Western Australia and Esther Hill is Director at Djoowak: The Beyond Boundaries Institute of All Saints’ College. Together they have taken at least five years to create the The Studio School, which is part of All Saints College but practices a different paradigm of education.

Esther Wilkes Hill, Director of Teaching and Learning at All Saints’ College, Perth, has been one of the driving forces in establishing The Studio School (TSS), an Australian first model of personalised studio learning in Fremantle, WA. Focusing on the individual student and personalising pathways, TSS offers an alternative to mainstream schooling structures and systems through a studio model that sees students combining their studies with real-world projects and engagements. In addition, Esther has continued her leadership as director of the Beyond Boundaries Institute and its advisory group. Bringing together the creative and expert minds of Australia’s foremost educators and thought leaders in the advisory group brings value not only to All Saints’ College but to the wider education community.

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