Page 9 - Southwell_The Chronicle_December2020

Port Jackson
Whitianga
Thames
Whangamata
HAMILTON
TAURANGA
correspondence, with Cath as the leader of learning,
in a free range education style approach. Lessons until lunchtime and a playful adventure based afternoon creating and exploring with ideas and themes from the mornings lessons. Why ever leave you ask?
Although stunning, geographically the location was a disadvantage to the kids’ involvement in club sport
and extra-curricular activities: Coromandel was over an hour away for rugby, netball and gymnastics. Eventually correspondence schooling and Cath parted ways and the children one by one became weekly boarders at Southwell. The routine to this day remains a drive from Port Jackson to Hamilton every Friday to collect the kids from three schools, Kate at Waikato Diocesan, Harry at St Paul’s Collegiate and Cameron at Southwell. Saturday sport, then a weekend in the Waikato, nights with Zander’s mum at Pauanui or a weekend at the farm.
The gradual move of the Ward children to Southwell was one of resistance given their free range upbringing. There was no pop- ping home for a missing tie or forgotten laptop! The require- ment to wear shoes was a large problem. Most missed was the spontaneity of a homeschooling lifestyle; the possibility of a daily surprise. An obvious contrast to the Phillip and Marcus who would have adapted to a regimented routine from a very young age. However Cath and Zander say the benefits have been abundant.
“Southwell has been a great bridging gap for our children, in terms of academic, social and sporting. Southwell has taught our children how to be in a structured environment and filled many of the gaps in their education. It has given them opportunities to be part of sports teams, drama and dealing with all sorts of people from varied backgrounds. They have all made strong friendships and they still have those friends today. As a family we have made great friends with other Southwell families and many have been to stay with us in Port Jackson.”