Ethos and Goals

The tutors, Melissa Anderson and Tameka Buckley create a class atmosphere that is warm, appreciative, encouraging, attentive, engaging and inspiring. We do not allow cliques to form. We work as a team always. Our curriculum is designed to provide practical, hands-on training through peer review, discussions, role-play, multi-media analysis, case studies, experiential activities, competitions, games, self-assessment and structured class exercises. Our curriculum is also underpinned by a belief in “positive psychology” – a relatively new branch of psychology that shifts the focus from what is clinically wrong, to “the promotion of wellbeing and the creation of a satisfying life lived with meaning, purpose, positive relationships and goal accomplishment”. We don’t do labels – preferring to focus on a child’s strengths and, after building rapport, gently and diplomatically address areas for development. We are all atypical to some degree and putting students in boxes stigmatises and limits possibilities. Many of our students are high achievers who are looking for that extra edge in an already competitive world. Their parents realise that a narrow focus on academic excellence does not develop the sort of emotional and social intelligence required for leadership in chosen professions or, simply, in life. Many of our students show early signs of leadership qualities and we work to develop and improve those skills even further.