What We Offer

• High adult to child ratio

each child is well-known, cared about and unlikely to slip through the cracks

• Small by design

we can seriously personalise learning and academically challenge every child and humanise the process

• Highly researched

innovative practice relevant to living in the 21st Century, connecting children to the world rather than isolating them behind four walls and a door; children who can cope and thrive with modern living and its requirements

• Stimulating

work place conducive for all children to ‘be, belong, become’ – engaged and responsive children enjoying their childhood and education

Thank You

There has been a lot of hard work by many parents, family, friends and volunteers as well as generous contributions from individuals and businesses. While it is recognised we will never be able to mention everyone, this page is dedicated to all of those who have helped us to develop and sustain our/your small by design independent school:

Karron McDonald and Leonie O’Connell, without whose vision and tireless energy Child Side School would never have been.
Our children with their laughter in the playground, joy when they learn something new and gorgeous smiles.
All families and friends past, present and future who have played a role in developing our school.
Educators, staff and volunteers past, present and future who continue to educate our children in a way they deserve.
GC and P&F members past, present and future for promoting and upholding the school’s philosophies.
The behind the scene heroes who help keep the finance, information technology and communication systems working.
Professionals (e.g. Maggie Dent, Dr Marie Martin) and organisations (e.g. AISWA, BPEA) that have and continue to support us.

There are also many professionals whose time and expertise have been freely provided to broaden our children’s real life experiences, such as:

Shire of Capel’s Natural Resource Management Officer, Rae McPherson, teaching the children about mosquitoes risks and bats, a natural predator.
Gene Hardy the Regional Coastal NRM Facilitator from the South West Catchment Council who has visited us through incursions and excursions on several occasions.
Steve Beatty and others from the Centre for Fish and Fisheries Research from Murdoch University who taught the children about feral and native freshwater fish.

The following donations of resources have also been provided for which we are also very grateful:

Iluka for gifting the school the land on which is now resides.
APH Contractors for their significant contribution to the development of our oval.
Dependable Tree Services, for attending to storm damaged trees in our playground.
Stratco Bunbury for donating colorbond sheeting to construct our chook pen.
Landmark Bunbury for donating fencing wire and posts to construct our chicken pen.
Depiazzi T J & Sons Landscape supplies for donating sawdust for our community garden project.
Full of Beans for donating wicking garden beds for our community garden project.

There has also been very generous financial support along the way, these grants have included:

The Federal Community Water Grant that enabled us to purchase and install our main 62,000L water tank.
A Shire of Capel community grant to allow us to install a bore pump.
Australian Government Building Education Revolution Program which provided us with our multi-purpose hall.
The National Solar Schools Program which supported the installation of solar panels.
A Telstra Grant to install a hard court surface.
An ‘Investing in Our Schools Project’ Grant by the Federal Government to install playground equipment.
Australian Government capital Building Grants for 2 new buildings.
State Government Low Interest Loans for 2 new buildings.
A’ Volunteers Small Equipment’ Grant to purchase gardening equipment.
A ‘South West Catchment’ Grant to develop our dampland area and provide suitable equipment for scientific observation and exploration.
A Shire of Capel community grant for our Choose Respect sign.