Happy children, learning together!
Mr Colin’s Column
Colin Sinclair
Head of School
The Lumio educational team is beginning to take shape with colleagues joining on a weekly basis. The newest member of the Senior Leadership Team to join is Tania Oliveira, who is the school’s Inclusion and SEND Leader.
Tania has also been involved with interviewing our children and their families and is collaborating closely with staff to ensure we provide a personalised approach to our students. Her passion for inclusive education focuses on understanding each student’s learning needs and supporting the staff in meeting these needs. Together, Tania and Donna are key to ensuring our students’ learning, social, and emotional needs are catered for through a holistic and personalised approach.
I am pleased to share the news that our ESL (English as a Second Language) team is also expanding as we prepare to welcome our international cohort of students – many of whom will receive additional support as they settle into Lumio School.
Thank you to the parents who completed the MFL (Modern Foreign Language) survey. We will analyse the results to decide on how best to deliver our MFL programme.
The school site is progressing well as we work together with the architect and construction teams. Creating a school environment is a huge undertaking and everyone involved is working incredibly hard in the preparations for our educational licence application process in early September.”
Health and Wellbeing
Parent engagement opportunities
We are excited to share how Lumio School will encourage ongoing communication with parents and provide direct support.
Weekly Coffee Mornings
These will focus on topics such as Health & Wellbeing, Teaching & Learning, Personalised Learning, and General Q&As with the Head of School. Our informal gatherings will allow parents to familiarise themselves with school practices and ask questions.
Monthly Parental Book Club meetings
A book will be recommended in advance by the counselling team, and then discussed informally in a relaxed, supportive and non-judgemental setting. The first book (for the end of September) will be “The Whole Brain Child”, by Dr Dan Siegel.
Our Counselling department
Will offer regular informational sessions on topics such as Mindfulness, Positive Relationships, Understanding the Child/Teen Brain, The Power of Gratitude, Screen Addictions, and Sleep Hygiene.
We look forward to seeing our parents participating, sharing views, and contributing to the health and happiness of our students!
Campus update
Air-conditioning, underfloor heating, and classroom updates!
Our unique heating ventilation air-conditioning system (HVAC) will ensure that we have external fresh air circulating in all classrooms. While the cooling and heating systems will keep our students cool in summer and warm in winter. The contractors installed the underfloor heating for our youngest students which will keep their little feet warm in winter. Our classrooms are coming along with finishing touches to the floors, walls and ceilings being installed on a daily basis.
Our building contractor has assured us that we are still on course for the Ministry inspection in the first week of September.
Classroom design and furniture
Our innovative classroom designs ensure that every element is crafted to enhance the educational experience. A classroom where every inch is utilised effectively, balancing space and functionality.
Our acoustic ceilings are made of wood shavings to ensure a quiet learning experience, while smart LED lighting adjusts to the time of day.
The PVC flooring is durable providing comfort and ease of maintenance with its curved edges built up onto the walls.
The absence of baseboards and the use of a magnetic marker film on the walls maximise educational functionality; allowing for writing, displaying materials, and projecting images directly onto the walls. Additionally, special pinnable linoleum offers more display space and contributes to acoustic comfort.
The classroom’s design encourages movement and flexibility, with high tabletops at windowsills and various furniture options to promote different working postures.
Magic chairs, made from indestructible bent wood, support active sitting and are lightweight and easy to move.
Trapezoidal tables facilitate group work without gaps that swallow pens, and they are equipped with wheels for easy rearrangement.
Storage systems are thoughtfully designed, with open shelves for teacher materials and personalised trays for students, respecting privacy and organisation needs.
Each detail of our classroom setup has been thoughtfully designed and will foster an engaging and dynamic learning environment.
