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Junior School

Our Junior School fosters inquiry-based learning, nurturing a strong sense of belonging and providing a unique educational experience for students from age three to Grade 5.

Welcome to the Beach Drive Campus! Located on the oceanfront in a unique mixture of state-of-the-art and heritage buildings where our students thrive. Our Junior School provides a true sense of belonging with meaningful opportunities for our students to wonder, explore and exhibit the best of learning in action.

Being the Junior School Principal at Glenlyon Norfolk School is indeed the opportunity of a lifetime. I first visited the Beach Campus while attending a CAIS Conference in the spring of 2014 where I witnessed firsthand an institution deeply committed to education, progressive thinking, and compassion. From children exploring the beach, to the energy within the school, to the calibre of the [IB Primary Years Programme link] and the faculty, GNS completely aligned with my philosophy for education, and a desire to one day work here was sparked. And today, as you read my welcome message online, that dream has come true.

Your decision to consider Glenlyon Norfolk School and entrust us with your child’s education is an important one. At GNS, we focus on the power of caring relationships to instil a love for learning and on building a strong academic foundation using inquiry so that our students feel that they are valued and contributing members of our community. They learn to be advocates for their learning and are empowered to make a difference. As you explore this website and visit our school, I hope that you note our ability to inspire academic excellence and confidence and to develop character in our students through rich learning opportunities both inside and outside the classroom.

There is a wonderful feeling at the Beach Campus that is often described as magical. That magic is a result of the true joy that is experienced by adults and children alike as we play, learn, work and grow together. It is the magic felt from a sense of belonging and a desire to always do one’s best through truth and courage.

I look forward to meeting you and working as a team to help your child’s dreams come true, too!

Warmly,
Crystal Shea
Principal, Junior School

Unique Features

At the Junior School, students aged three to Grade 5 learn on a campus where the beach is their playground and sometimes even their classroom. Our facilities were designed to create a school atmosphere that centres around inquiry-based learning and collaboration, a foundational element of the IB Primary Years Programme offered on this campus, which focuses on the development of the whole child as an inquirer in the classroom and the world outside. An award-winning Nature School program provides our Junior School students with quality outdoor learning that stimulates their curiosity and imagination.

Rattenbury house under a rainbow

teacher leaning to student

Physical Education, French, Design, Music, Art and Library Skills are taught by teachers who specialize in these areas and children have access to a fully equipped gymnasium, art room, music room, makerspace and an extensive primary library. Co-curricular programming for this age group focuses on developing personal interests, ftiness and fun and includes options like robotics, cross-country, basketball and mindfulness.