A wealthy couple who couldn’t find a school good enough for their gifted six-year-old son have built him one – for $10million.
Property developer Evan Christian and interior designer Katherine Allsopp-Smith struggled to find a primary school that met their standards for their eldest son Branson, who has a keen interest in robotics.
Resigned to not being able to find the right school that catered to his interest, they decided to start their own.
The school, in Takapuna, New Zealand, has specialist technology and science labs, performing arts theatres, a kitchen and lounge area, and garages for workshops, while children will spend a third of their time outside the classroom on excursions.
Classes are currently attended by 20 children and are held in an office, but the school will expand to a new $10million site next year.
Katherine and her partner Evan (pictured) decided to build their own innovative school after their gifted son Branson (left) couldn’t find a primary school to fit his needs
The Academy for Gifted Education plans to expand its classroom next year to create a space to house 150 students (pictured)
Branson was described as ‘gifted’ when he was assessed by experts, and he has a passion for robotics.
After scouring all the primary schools in the country, Ms Allsopp-Smith and her partner couldn’t find any that offered a robotics program, prompting them to create the AGE school.
‘Both Evan and I had academic success but neither of us enjoyed the school years because our respective schools didn’t cater to our passions and interests,’ Ms Allsopp-Smith told the NZ Herald.
The modern classroom offers education for any student, not just those who are gifted, for a price of $16,500 a year.
The school said they are aiming to enhance ‘social and emotional learning’ as well as academic abilities.
AGE principal Steve Mouldey told Daily Mail Australia he saw the chance to work at the school as an exciting opportunity.
‘I have been involved in a range of different teaching experiences and this is the most exciting of all: leading a school based on developing students’ curiosity and creativity,’ Mr Mouldey said.
The school allows students to receive tailor made education that focuses on their own passions
The small class of 20 has two full time and two part time teachers as well as a principal, giving each student a tailor made program based on their own strengths and passions.
‘We believe childhood should be happy and joyous, not boring and tedious,’ Ms Allsopp-Smith said.
‘Having students from the ages of five up get to experience learning robotics, digital music, science and discover their passions is exciting. This is learning as it should be,’ Mr Mouldey said.
The school costs $16,500 a year with a 20 student classroom, as they plan to expand the space to hold up to 150 students next year
The new school building is set to be ready next year and students will have access to a range of activities throughout the school’s regime, including the local YMCA, Takapuna Pool, local library and even studying the environment at the beach down the road.
Children will also engage in activities like yoga, sailing, tennis, surfing and skiing.
‘Children tend to learn a lot better in environments that provoke thought and inspire them. So the building is designed to provoke thought, inspiring different emotional responses as you move through it,’Ms Allsopp-Smith said.
Principal Mouldey said that larger schools aren’t able to cater their teaching to individuals like the AGE classrooms can.
Students are encouraged to learn in a natural environments about principles of sustainability and innovation
‘Large schools need to cater to the needs of the many and although they can tweak programs for some students they just don’t have the flexibility to truly contextualise learning for each individual student like we are able to at AGE School,’ Mr Mouldey said.
‘Having the chance to lead a school that is reimagining education for the future is an exciting opportunity.’
The school plans to hold larger groups of students with an estimated total of 150 from years one to ten, with 15 in each year group.
The couple hopes that the private school will personalise learning for students and there will be a sense of community.
Some of the topics being dealt with include sustainability where the class designed and built shelters.
Scholarships will also be on offer for those who can’t afford the annual fees.
The school will hold specialist technology and science labs, performing arts theatres, a kitchen and lounge area, and garages for workshops