The RIVER SCHOOL
Neohumanist Education for Life
Connection, Love, Compassion & Respect for all Beings and the Environment
Photo credit: Ketakii Jewson-Brown
Principal’s Welcome
On behalf of The River School, I am delighted to welcome you to our website. Please take time to explore our pages and experience a little of the unique and rich learning opportunities our Primary School and Early Childhood Centre (ECC) have to offer.
The River School is a vibrant and diverse community where childhood is nurtured through mutual love and respect for all. It is a place where children feel safe, happy and free to learn ensuring a great foundation that will last them a lifetime.
At the River School we support our students to be confident learners, and promote the development of social and emotional skills for life. We are passionate about guiding our young people to acquire skills that encourage them to question and extend their growth mindsets. To be peacemakers who understand the connection and responsibility to themselves, others, animals and the environment. Our Neohumanist philosophy builds upon the Australian Curriculum enabling our students to take their place as confident, global citizens. The River School provides real life learning experiences where students develop deep knowledge, understandings and skills to assist them as they transition to young adults, making positive contributions to the world.
Having been part of this beautiful School for twenty-two years, in a variety of teacher capacities, and Principal since 2017, it is an honour to showcase our beautiful School. I warmly invite you to come and visit us, meet our inspiring staff, our happy students and experience the School environment.
Anne Donoghoe, Principal
The River School is a community of learning including students from Pre-Kindy to Year 6, teachers, administrators and parents. It is located four kilometres from Maleny on 26 acres of land, 15 of which is rainforest and creek.
The River School is part of a global Neohumanist Education movement which teaches love and respect for all humanity as well as all living and non-living beings. Through meditation and yoga children learn to experience peace and connectedness; through play-based and excellent academic education they learn how to use their gifts to make a difference; and through the arts they learn how to express their creativity with joy.
The school models sustainability by reducing, reusing and recycling in all areas of school life: from the vegetarian tuck shop, organic gardening, composting and mulching, rainwater collection and solar panels, to personal and social sustainability through enhancing inner peace, teaching moral values and training in relationship-building, leadership and service-oriented programmes.
The River School strives to build a strong cooperative community within and around the school and is part of a network of Neohumanist schools throughout the world.
Latest News
There are always so many exciting and enriching events and activities happening at The River School. Take a look at some of the latest news from around school and beyond…
The River School,
A place where young people are safe, happy and free to learn.
What is Neohumanism?
Helping children to realise their spiritual potential is an integral part of the mission of a Neohumanist school. Children are encouraged to develop their ‘internal life’ and to recognise their ‘interconnectedness of being’ with the natural world and planet Earth.
A Neohumanist education seeks to cultivate in children their already innate capacity for love and compassion. In the words of Shrii Prabat Ranjan Sarkar who first propounded the philosophy and who founded a global network of Neohumanist schools:
When the love of the human heart extends its embrace to the entire living and non-living worlds, this is Neohumanism.
The goal of a Neohumanist education is to expand gradually a student’s sense of community: from self, to family, locality, country, humanity, life on earth and ultimately the entire universe. A Neohumanist education is also an ‘education for the whole child’, that is, for the physical, mental and spiritual child. It is about doing (activity in the world), knowing (learning) and being (entering one’s inner world). A successful education leads to a deep desire for further learning which then continues throughout life.
The River School strives to build a strong cooperative community within and around the school and is part of a network of Neohumanist schools throughout the world.
Welcome to The River School Early Childhood Centre, a place where the magic of childhood is celebrated in every way. Our intention is to become an extended family member to you and your child…
Nurturing Educators | Natural Playspaces | Innovative Programs | Creek & Forest Kindy
Canteen available various days of the week
Quick Links
Latest school events
There are always so many exciting and enriching events and activities happening at The River School. Take a look at some of the latest news from around school and beyond...
Contact Information
Latest school events
There are always so many exciting and enriching events and activities happening at The River School. Take a look at some of the latest news from around school and beyond...