OneSchool Global Tasmania (TAS) in Launceston has completely overhauled a former banking call centre to become a cutting-edge school for up to 100 students from Year 3 to Year 12.
Unveiled last month, the school has transformed an uninspiring corporate building into a vibrant learning facility, which enjoys captivating views of Launceston’s mountains, wildlife and wilderness through soaring floor to ceiling bay windows.
Originally servicing one of the Big Four banks, the call centre has taken twelve months to completely refurbish and transform into the state-of-the-art learning centre.
The School, which has campuses in Launceston and Hobart, is part of the OneSchool Global network of schools, which was established by the Plymouth Brethren Christian Church.
Oakwood School commenced in 1995 and educates students throughout Tasmania, equipping them with self-directed learning skills and the ability to work collaboratively to advance their learning.
As part of OneSchool Global’s ecosystem, the Launceston campus delivers a mainstream education to Brethren students, utilising Zoom video conferencing to provide students with choice from a broad range of subjects.
The new campus in Launceston is built around a Learning Centre, which offers a range of different learning and collaboration spaces as part of the School’s self-directed learning approach.
This approach requires students to prepare themselves ahead of class, for example through watching prescribed video or pre-reading course material and bring to class questions to seek guidance from their teachers.
Mr Andrew Small, District Principal of OneSchool Global TAS School, said many schools are innovating through creating attractive facilities, but this School is unique.
“Our Learning Centre is connected to all Virtual Classrooms (VCs) working in tandem. We are the only school in Australia that has a Learning Centre attached to multiple VCs,” Mr Small said.
“All spaces within OneSchool’s Launcetson campus are versatile and adaptable to cater for different students, year levels, subjects and teachers.
“Our primary school and high school are under one roof, creating exceptional opportunities for collaborative learning and mentoring. You do not get this opportunity at larger school campuses.”
Mr Small said the success of the development of the campus and its ongoing operations is largely due to the partnership between the School’s professional staff and the supportive Brethren Community.
“Our staff and the Community are working towards the same vision. This partnership is powerful and enables us to innovate in a way that is unachievable in mainstream schools.”
This focus on innovation extends to the strengths of OneSchool Global TAS teachers, who are non-Brethren and have years of experience in government and independent schools in Australia and abroad.
Teachers are provided with school-wide professional learning and development opportunities and are skilled in facilitating self-directed learning.
“Our teachers have the ability to move quickly and seamlessly between the virtual world and face-to-face environments,” Mr Small said.
“Pedagogy by Zoom virtual learning is unique to the pedagogy applied in face-to-face mainstream learning environments.
“Our teachers are highly skilled in ensuring multiple students across multiple campuses can interact with each other and with their teachers.
“To blend VC, Zoom, face-to-face and self-directed learning is no mean feat. Not many schools and teachers can do this, so we are delighted to be leading this in Australia and throughout the world.”
Media Enquiries: Mia Joseph +61 0408 644 642 [email protected]
About OneSchool
OneSchool is one of the world’s largest and most comprehensive, truly global schools. With over 9,500 students, 130 campuses and 2,500 staff operating across 20 countries, OneSchool’s global education ecosystem provides an environment in which our staff and students thrive.
They develop learners who “learn how to learn”. They facilitate this learning through a forward looking and pioneering approach to education. While academic excellence has and always will be a priority, OneSchool challenges dated educational practices and processes with our Self-Directed Learning program. They place the focus on what and how students are learning, rather than merely on what is being taught.
The OneSchool global leadership team operates across Australia, North America, New Zealand, United Kingdom, and Europe.
For information about OneSchool Global, go to https://www.oneschoolglobal.com/
