Testimonials
Mia attended The Cottage School from 2004 – 2010. When Mia was in Tom’s Middlies class she put together a project on Mostar in Bosnia. She built the Mostar Bridge out of boxes and wrote about it. She has always remembered it. While backpacking through Europe on her own, Mia visited the Mostar Bridge and sent her mum a photo standing under the bridge.
“Thanks so much for inspiring and supporting her and all the other children at your wonderful school.” Belinda, Bernard and Mia 2019
Our Middlies 1/2 class visited the Brightside Farm Sanctuary which is a not-for-profit Farm Sanctuary and Shelter for animals. Hundreds of animals are rescued and re-homed each year. We received the following from MaryAnne, an ex Cottage School parent who volunteers at Brightside:
Lovely feedback today for the group from Cottage School who visited Brightside Farm Sanctuary this week. ‘Sharing, manners, listening, respect…among other things. “I didn’t know there were still children like this,” was the comment made to me today by Deb (Emma’s second in command at Brightside).’
“It’s taken 7 years, but finally one of my children has said it’s OK for me to come on a school camp. I’ve always thought the way for my kids to get the best out of camp is for me not to be there. Camps are a time for kids to be responsible for themselves and their own things. To be away from their parent’s watchful eye and ‘interference’. It’s a time for them to grow a little. So usually I’m waving off the school bus as it bounces down Queen Street on the way to another Cottage School camp. Off on unknown adventures (or well planned co-curricular learning opportunities), but this time I was going too.
I always knew this was a big undertaking from the staff. We know they’re ‘on’ from the moment they arrive at school in the morning to when they deliver our kids back tired, dirty and exhausted, but we parents usually only see these bookends and not the actual camp in the middle. I didn’t fully understand the commitment our staff make when they take our kids on camp. I knew it would be hard work, but the physical effort it takes to parent and teach and live with a class of kids for 3 to 5 days, 24/7 is enormous. The meals, the social guidance, the questions, the nurturing, the tents, hats, sunscreen, the constant balancing of risk and benefit and of course the planning that goes into their schedule, but what I really loved seeing and appreciate is the way they integrate daily camp life into learning experiences for the whole child. The short one-on-one conversations…and the long ones. A question in response to a question (they usually know the answers), sometimes deciding providing no direction is the best direction. They encourage. They engage and at the same time provide them with the freedom to roam. They show interest, patience and respect. Did I mention patience?! And they always treat our kids as individuals (wow!) What excellent role models…
I left camp thinking two things, “Wow! How lucky is Louis?” and “I think I can improve my parenting”. So thank you Cottage School staff for 7 years of wonderful camps. Respect.” George (Cottage School Parent/President 2017)
“As a Cottage School parent and a Year 7 high school teacher, I can say that the Cottage kids that come to our school (MacKillop) transition well and are very resilient. They adapt well to being with different teachers and are confident and tolerant. Academically, they do well, taking out major awards each year.” Deb