Apple Distinguished School
Humanitree school - apple distinguished school 2021-2024
Our Story
Why are we called Humanitree? Tree’s are places where people have always gathered to share learning and stories. They represent growth, development and connection. Aspirations like branches reach to the sky whilst equally important roots ground us. Our mission is that children have fun learning and learn whilst having fun in the school of life. Small class sizes, individualised attention, Project Based and technology infused learning ensure that children fulfil their potential. Technology is not an add on at Humanitree, it has the purpose to enhance and deepen learning. Developing the skills and attitudes to make the right choices, becoming compassionate and responsible global citizens are core to what we do. Because this is an ever changing world the school believes that we must all have the skills and outlook to become lifelong learners.
Technology has had a positive impact on my lessons… through using platforms where students can create their own content. For example using Clips and iMovie so that students can create videos to showcase their creative writing in an innovative and unusual way.
Georgina, English Department
Vision
Humanitree was founded on a shared vision of nurturing Life Long Learners and Apple technologies have always been an essential part of that outlook. The Growth Mindset is something we actively embrace across the school and it has been essential as we faced the challenges of the pandemic. Technology for learning is nurtured across the school by three Digital Literacy Coaches (DLC) who increase staff and student capacity to use technology, by addressing the challenges that integrating technology into each section of the school represents in innovative impactful ways. Staff are encouraged and supported to develop professionally. Attending PBL and Deeper Learning courses at High Tech High; joining masters programs; taking part in Project Zero through Harvard University and of course all staff are expected to become Apple Teachers.
Learning
Deeper Learning approaches to pedagogy have been at the heart of Humanitree’s approach to learning from the beginning and digital tools are natural extensions to that. The wireless network we have allows learning to take place anywhere on our campus, which supports ideas such as David Thornburg’s Campfires, Caves and Watering Holes. NearPod and BrainPop are used across the school to share media rich collaborative learning experiences. Everyone Can Create is used with Apple products and apps like Procreate to synthesise upper Blooms Taxonomy skills to focus on process as well as the end product. Student centred learning is important at Humanitree and core to our PBL outlook. To support this staff innovate their practice using Accessibility Features, e.g. Spoken Content and Colour Filters to support students with dyslexia and NearPod to allow opportunities for students to work at their own pace. Students at Humanitree work on their own personal interest projects and Pages, Keynote and iMovie have been used extensively to share those. Staff have used iPad to: Flip their classroom; create engaging video channels; develop Lego as a maker Platform; imbed Everyone Can Code and Swift Playground into the Computer Science curriculum; integrate Micro:Bit and Shapr3d into the Design Technology Curriculum.
I am so blessed to teach at a school that encourages innovation, risk taking and uses technology to do so.
Bella, Middle & Senior School Head of Art.
Success
One of our most important metrics is that Humanitree students enjoy learning. Our parents and students consistently feed back to us that they enjoy learning at Humanitree. As a staff we use a range of tools to establish the formative and summative assessments which fuel our growth. We believe that external measures are important, so we use GL Assessment to give us impartial summative data on student performance. Staff of course use formative tools and amongst the most used tools are Quizlet, Kahoot and NearPod. This year we have also begun to develop the use of a learning and school management system called Managebac. This platform is transforming the way that we design cross curricular learning at Humanitree.
What's Next
We are a young school, so every year brings new developments. In Summer 2022 our first cohort of IB Diploma students will graduate and head off to University. Mac and iPad have been an integral part of their journey. In August 2022 we will open a new purpose built middle and senior school. Apple technologies will be at the centre of the development of Science Labs, Art Studio’s, Coding Centre, Maker Space, Media Studio and a Theatre Space. Creativity - upcoming year is all about injecting creativity across our curriculum and schools. Last but not least, this year, technology across the school will continue to emphasise the creative aspect of Deeper Learning using Apple’s Everyone Can Create support to enhance learning using technology like never before.
