Ficino School

Ficino School was founded in February 1997, modelled on the highly regarded St James Independent Schools in London, with an aim to restore spiritual values, uphold traditional virtues and encourage disciplined study in primary school education. This initiative came from parents in the School of Philosophy in Auckland to meet the need for a comprehensive, formative and principled education.

The School of Philosophy is an adult education institution dedicated to promoting and supporting human development. It teaches a philosophy of unity and provides its members with a community of like-minded people. It has been running lectures and residential events in Auckland for over fifty years.

The Ficino School motto is part of the inscription which adorned the walls of the Platonic Academy in 15th Century Florence, of which Marsilio Ficino was the leading light, and from whom the School takes its name. The motto gives children a clear direction to attend to what is in front of them and to enjoy the clarity of mind and the efficiency which naturally follows.

The singular focus of the Trustees, Principal, teachers and staff of Ficino School is the provision of true knowledge and proper discipline giving rise to an understanding of good citizenship in our students. We offer a traditional emphasis on good materials, true values and simple disciplines, coupled with an innovative philosophy of inquiry into the underlying principles of life, principles of truth and unity. This practical and spiritual approach of learning united with virtue creates a joyful and harmonious environment in which the students, and through them the parents and in turn the community may be enriched and educated.

Ficino School has a unique curriculum designed to nourish the mind, body and spirit. It incorporates aspects of the Cambridge Primary Programme (for English, Mathematics and Science in particular) and the New Zealand Curriculum, as well as specialist programmes from our sister schools around the world.

In the junior school, (Years 1-4) our curriculum reflects the obvious and natural needs of the young child. To develop the whole child, the students sing fine music, meet great literature, practise mental agility in mathematics, learn about great men and women in history, discover the awe and wonder in science and learn to read, speak and write with sincerity and efficiency. We endeavour to present this good material in a simple, attractive and systematic way. This means the teacher leads the class’ learning while being alert to the interests, needs and capacities of the individuals.

In the second stage of education, from ages 9 to 12, children usually become much more aware of how others in the world think and relate to one another. This widening of interest is acknowledged in our curriculum with changes in both content and style of learning and enquiry. The Senior classes (Years 7-8) are increasingly taught by subject specialists and develop an enthusiasm for learning and a thirst for knowledge, which provides excellent preparation for Secondary School. The students are encouraged to take responsibility for their learning and have ample opportunity to discover their leadership potential.Our students are well received and valued in the best independent and state secondary schools.

Beginning with play, children love physical activity. Ficino School provides a full and balanced programme. There is physical activity every day for every child, with a wide variety of activities to give children the opportunity to continually develop their skills. Our programme encourages and reinforces character building qualities such as self-discipline, respect for others, honesty, fair play, competition, teamwork, and leadership.

All PE lessons are taken by specialist PE teachers. Lessons include large and small ball skills, athletics, gymnastics, striking, adventure education, minor games, fitness and Jump Rope for Heart. Students visit the local pools for swimming lessons with experienced independent instructors, leading to a swimming gala in Term 4 for Years 3-8. Hockey 2014 Specialist instructors are also brought into the school on occasion for different sports such as tennis, soccer, athletics and table tennis.

From the age of 5 children are introduced to team games where they learn teamwork and sportsmanship. There are competitive matches within the school and against other schools. In addition, daily games, gymnastics, cross country running and challenging field trips ensure that boys and girls stay fit and competitively motivated.

The School offers a wide variety of extra-curricular activities; hockey and netball teams play on the weekend, as well as training after school, and in the winter, a ski group visits Snow Planet on Sundays, culminating in a trip to Mt Ruapehu.

Students can take individual lessons in piano, violin, cello, recorder, flute, guitar, or music theory. We also offer individual tuition in speech and drama after school hours, leading to Trinity College exams.There are several after school clubs including running, gardening, French and Chess at different times.