Welcome to primary School

Primary School

At Santa Cruz International School it is the student who is at the centre of our school. The driving force of what we do, as teachers, lies in the fact that we truly care to know our students. We aim to understand what their needs are, what characteristics they have and their well-being in general. Because our attention is focused on who we teach, this becomes the point from where our decisions about education flow.

Each child knows that he or she is a valued member of the Griffin family through the action and decisions of teachers and assistants. Each student is considered/viewed as a capable, competent and an active participant in his/her learning process. The educational experience focuses on the development of the whole child, and in this manner encompassing a student’s social, emotional, spiritual, physical and cultural needs alongside their academic, intellectual and creative growth.

In establishing a stimulating and encouraging environment for learning, we strive to instill in every young child, a sense of belonging, connectedness and security. This is also why the school actively encourages the formation of strong and productive partnerships with parents. We value the importance of these connections, where parents and teachers are drawn together, because good, open relationships with parents provide us all with a deeper knowledge and understanding of our students.

We are passionate educators of young children and believe that this period of development is unique where we actively participate in setting a foundation for future life. We acknowledge that individuals learn in different ways, and we firmly believe that all children learn and perform academically through an educational process that is responsive to their backgrounds, experiences and needs. Our commitment to early-years education and our firm belief that all children can learn, forces us to continuously look for, analyze and incorporate educational philosophies to enhance our programme. This drive and ongoing contemplation greatly impact how we approach our interaction with the students and their families.

The boys and girls in elementary school learn from and with one another in an environment that is in harmony with our philosophy of preparing our students as young leaders for the future. We make sure that we provide an education that encourages and enables our students to be life-long learners in a global society that is technologically advanced, and rapidly changing in its educational, political, economic and social structures. It is our task to instill the importance and value of diversity and interdependence, to stimulate critical, creative, reflective and empathic thinking skills.

As educators, we seek to prepare all the young children in our care to become innovative and globally-oriented. We mold and shape young world citizens who are confident, creative and compassionate, willing to embrace the challenges of the future and use them as opportunities to make a positive difference.

While the school is growing at a very fast rate, we aim to maintain an intimate environment. The staff works hard to ensure that our students feel that they are understood and individually cared for. There is a strong sense of interdependence between parallel classes and even between the different grades. Families who join the Griffin family, become a valued members of a small, connected community in which they forge supportive connections with one another, where they are known by our educators, and open communication is encouraged and appreciated.