Real-World Learning, Rooted in Hope
At Leighland Christian School, we are a hope-filled Christian community pioneering personalised,
real-world education. Our students thrive in a joyful, playful learning culture where curiosity, creativity
and connection are celebrated.
Through Project-Based Learning, Design Thinking, and Explicit Teaching, we equip students to solve
real-world problems with confidence and compassion. Learning is grounded in the biblical story and
shaped by a vision of transformation that engages the heart, mind, and hands.
We believe that every student is uniquely gifted and deeply loved by God—and that learning should
reflect this truth.
Curriculum & Pedagogy at
Leighland Christian School
Mrs Desiree Smuts
Head of Future Learning (Years 7-12)
At Leighland Christian School, we are a hope-filled Christian community pioneering personalised, real-world education. Grounded in the gospel of Jesus and shaped by the biblical story of creation, fall, redemption, and renewal, our curriculum is designed to nurture the heart, captivate the mind, and equip the hands of every learner.
We aim to develop curious and courageous learners who explore God’s world and live out the hope of Christ in their learning, relationships, and service to others.
A Playful Learning Culture
We are committed to building a playful learning culture where both students and teachers thrive academically, socially, and spiritually. We believe every child and adult has a right to play—a powerful and joyful approach to learning that is fuelled by curiosity and exploration.
“Our hope is that school will be such that the child and teacher will go to school with ecstatic joy.”
– Ella Flagg, as cited in Sahlberg & Doyle (2019)
Through playful learning, students experience choice, wonder, and delight in their education. This approach incorporates:
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Collaboration
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Creativity
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Critical Thinking
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Design Thinking
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Inquiry-Based Learning
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Project-Based Learning (PBL)
Project-Based Learning (PBL)
Project-Based Learning is central to our teaching practice. It allows students to engage in real-world and personally meaningful projects that develop deep content knowledge and essential skills such as:
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Critical Thinking
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Communication
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Collaboration
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Creativity
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Agency
Students work to solve real-world problems, receive explicit instruction, and present their work to real audiences. PBL fosters engagement, empowerment, and excitement, helping students to connect their learning to life.
At Leighland Christian School, PBL is how we teach. We prioritise:
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Outcomes that matter
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A culture that empowers
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Technology that enables
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Teaching that engages
Design Thinking
Design Thinking equips students with tools to solve complex, human-centred problems. Drawing from the five-stage model of the Hasso Plattner Institute of Design at Stanford (d.school), students learn to:
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Empathise – understand the needs of others
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Define – reframe problems in meaningful ways
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Ideate – generate creative solutions
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Prototype – design and build possibilities
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Test – evaluate and refine ideas
This iterative, hands-on process helps students become innovative problem solvers in their learning and in life.
Explicit Teaching
We are committed to evidence-based Explicit Teaching practices that support cognitive engagement and essential life skills. Defined by AERO as the clear explanation and demonstration of what students need to learn, Explicit Teaching at our school is integrated into every learning approach.
It is a myth that Project-Based Learning and Design Thinking exclude explicit instruction. Our teachers embrace both structured, teacher-led lessons and student-centred exploration, delivering personalised learning that is clear, purposeful, and rigorous.
Explicit Teaching:
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Supports knowledge acquisition
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Builds foundational skills
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Prepares students for deeper, inquiry-based work
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Works hand-in-hand with play, PBL, and Design Thinking
Transformation by Design
At the heart of our curriculum is Transformation by Design, a Christ-centred approach to teaching and learning. Our goal is to form students who:
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Know they are loved by God
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Understand their place in His world
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Are equipped to serve others with wisdom and compassion
Our learning programs are crafted to reflect the biblical story—creation, fall, redemption, and renewal—inviting students to explore how their learning connects to God’s purposes for the world.