Mission & Values

Our mission is to provide a holistic and inclusive education that celebrates diversity and respects the unique contributions of everyone. The size of the school is small to build meaningful relationships with each individual, while ensuring all unique needs are catered to. We cultivate curiosity and creativity, and aim to ensure students achieve their rights to read, play, think and create.

We foster the development of respect, integrity, compassion,  curiosity and commitment to improving the world, as our inspiration, Dr. Penfield, had shown. Rooted in a commitment to equity and inclusion, our school is a welcoming space for everyone, promoting universal values of kindness, respect, empathy, and collaboration.

Six Principles

Collaboration & Community

Children thrive in a welcoming community that values belonging and collaboration. Students, families, and the wider community work together to celebrate diversity and respect different cultures. Through the ‘Funds of Knowledge’ approach, we invite everyone to share their skills, knowledge, and cultural experiences, creating an inclusive and enriching learning environment.

Wonder

We cultivate a culture of curiosity, embracing ambiguity, celebrating questions , and encouraging exploration. Using an inquiry-based approach, our curriculum is designed to spark interest and inspire students to investigate the world around them, encouraging children to think critically, ask “why,” and discover “how.”

Exploration

Wonder sparks exploration at our Maker Field, a hub for creativity and hands-on learning. Students engage in open-ended projects that integrate Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics (STEAM). Every child becomes a maker and builder—designing, tinkering, woodworking, sewing, and working with technology and robotics. Through these experiences, children discover, innovate, and develop critical thinking skills— We learn to invent, and invent to learn.

Responsibility

Following the Montessori principle of freedom within structure, we provide children with the freedom to choose their learning activities while ensuring an underlying structure that promotes responsibility and respect. Children are expected to be involved with chores at school, expanding Montessori’s Exercise of Practical Life.

Fall-Forward

‘Failing forward,’ a term coined by John C. Maxwell, teaches children to see mistakes as opportunities, not setbacks. In learning and exploration, errors are natural. Developing the courage to fail and learn from errors helps children build a growth mindset, persistence, and perseverance.

Ecology

The ecology principle at Penfield Academy supports each child’s holistic growth—social, emotional, intellectual, and physical—within a nurturing environment. Students explore the interconnectedness of people, nature, and communities, learning how their actions impact the world. Through hands-on nature experiences, children develop environmental awareness and become empowered to create a sustainable future.