A Christmas Message from the Principal
The end of another year is almost upon us, and the Christmas season is just beginning. In many parts of the world this is celebrated in the darkest months, with the Christmas message and the resulting good cheer a beacon of light in the middle of winter. In New Zealand, we are fortunate to have […]
Learnings from the Italian Renaissance – Message from the Principal
This week in our Wednesday assemblies, we have been treated to some wonderful presentations from our Year 8 students. They have each chosen a place of interest from the recent Renaissance Trip and researched the topic in considerable depth. Each student has put together a slide presentation to accompany their delivery, which has largely been […]
Philosopy and Leadership – Message from the Principal
Philosophy is one of the unique subjects that Ficino students take every week, from Year 1 right through to Year 8. The word ‘philosophy’ not surprisingly has its roots in Ancient Greek and literally means ‘love of wisdom’. As part of their philosophy studies this term, some of our senior students have been investigating leadership, […]
The Value of Exams – Message from the Deputy Principal
Today is the final day of exam week for our students. At Ficino School, students are assessed both formally and informally throughout the year. The assessment questions are based on the learning objectives taken from the Cambridge curriculum. This means that the children should are not surprised by assessment questions and are able to show […]
The Importance of Unity
Eighty years ago today, the United Nations Charter was agreed upon following the devastation caused by two horrific world wars. Although there are conflicts in many places today, none have so far escalated to the levels of a third world war. The United Nations has been the primary instrument to keep alive the express wish […]
Diwali – the Festival of Lights
Diwali is a five-day festival observed by Hindus, Sikhs, and Jains. It symbolises the victory of light over darkness, good over evil, and knowledge over ignorance. Occurring in October or November it also marks the beginning of the Hindu New Year. The festival is linked to the ancient legend of Rama and Sita. In the […]
Message from Mrs Preston – The Value of Learning Language at Ficino
In today’s fast-paced world, the ability to communicate clearly and confidently is more important than ever. Here in New Zealand, we are surrounded by many languages every day. Because language and culture are closely linked, children growing up in our multicultural society gain great benefit from learning another language. Internationally recognised education expert, Professor Barbara […]
Ficino’s Unique Renaissance Tour
An excited group of our Year 8 students departed for Europe on Tuesday. This remarkable Renaissance Tour is unique to Ficino School. The students, teachers and parents will travel first to Rome, where they will visit the Pantheon, built in the first century AD, the Colosseum and St Peters Basilica, including the Sistine Chapel painted […]
Message from the Deputy Principal
Today schools across New Zealand are fundraising for the Cancer Society. At Ficino School Daffodil Day provides an important leadership opportunity for our Head Boy and Girl. They are tasked with internally publicising the event and delivering an age-appropriate assembly presentation to the Junior and Senior schools about the impact of cancer. This morning you […]
Use of finest materials at Ficino School
The message a couple of weeks ago spoke of handwriting and how important it is for brain development as well as focusing our attention and encouraging beauty. The other aspect of writing is of course the content. This has hit the media this week, with the Minister of Education proposing a new writing action plan […]
