Children investigate, collaborate and begin to organise their thinking and learning more strategically, with greater responsibility, reflection and awareness of how they learn.
1 : 4Two educators for up to 8 children, in every lesson.
27capabilities with clear milestones for this age, from the Developmental Map.
6multi-week projects, from the question to the presentation.
EXPLORERS AT A GLANCE
The practical details, in six lines.
Session
1 × 90′ a week
Six stages in every lesson, with the Bridge before the close
Year
6 units × 5–6 weeks
September–June · joining at the start of each unit
Group
Up to 8 children
With two educators in every lesson
Language
Greek or English Track
The whole learning experience in the language you choose
Levels
Junior and Senior
We choose the level together, after we get to know each other
Fees
Announced when enrolment opens
Those who have registered interest hear first · 10 monthly instalments, September–June
WHAT CHANGES FROM SPARKS
From the rhythm of the activity to the rhythm of the project.
In Sparks many experiences are completed within the session. In Explorers a question can open today and close weeks later. Children begin to hold a longer-term goal, plan intermediate steps, return to their work and revise it as they learn.
KNOWLEDGE · WHAT THEY LEARN
Substantial knowledge, at the depth this age allows.
Three core subjects in every zone. Each unit opens with a question worth investigating and closes with a project or a presentation.
01
Mathematics
Fractions, decimals, geometry and graphs that read real data.
02
Language & Literature
Reading in depth, argument and writing with revision, in the language of the Track.
03
Science
Controlled experiments, variables, measurement and first scientific models.
Alongside them, within the units: History & Social Sciences · Computing & Robotics.
The year in Explorers.
6 units, two Developmental Profiles and three parent meetings.
SEPOCTNOVDECJANFEBMARAPRMAYJUN
1st Developmental Profile
2nd Developmental Profile
Getting to know you
01MATH
Report
02SCI + LANG
Report
03MATH + SCI
Report
04LANG + HIST
Report
05SCI + COMP
Report
06LANG + MATH
Report
Parent meeting
Parent meeting
Parent meeting
SEPGetting to know you
OCT–NOVUnit 01 · MATH+ Unit Report
NOVParent meeting
NOV–DECUnit 02 · SCI + LANG+ Unit Report
JAN–FEBUnit 03 · MATH + SCI+ Unit Report
FEB1st Developmental Profile
FEBParent meeting
FEB–MARUnit 04 · LANG + HIST+ Unit Report
APR–MAYUnit 05 · SCI + COMP+ Unit Report
MAYParent meeting
MAY–JUNUnit 06 · LANG + MATH+ Unit Report
JUN2nd Developmental Profile
Explorers: 6 units × 5–6 weeks · 90′ a week · Indicative schedule. the unit of the sample lesson
MATH Mathematics · LANG Language & Literature · SCI Science · alongside them: HIST History & Social Sciences · COMP Computing & Robotics
GROWTH · THE MILESTONES OF THIS ZONE
What the child will be able to do in Explorers.
The Developmental Map milestones for this zone, with the main route through which each capability is cultivated. Each milestone is one way for a capability to show, not the only one. “NEW” marks what appears for the first time in this zone.
01Working memoryKeeps two criteria in mind at the same time when judging a solution.Within the task
02Inhibitory controlPauses at the points where they have made a hasty mistake before, and checks before answering.Within the task
03Cognitive flexibilityWorks with two representations of the same problem and moves between them.Within the task
04PlanningPredicts where they will struggle before starting, and plans for it.Within the task
01Emotional awareness and self-awarenessTells frustration apart from tiredness, and responds accordingly.Bridge
02Empathy and respect for diversityRepresents the view of someone who disagrees with them faithfully enough for that person to recognise it.Bridge
03Communication and collaborationTakes on someone else’s idea when it improves the result, and shows what it added.Way of working
04Ethical thinking, integrity and responsibilityTakes a position in a dilemma and explains a rule that would apply equally to everyone, not only to themselves.Bridge
Thinking and meaning-making
05Critical thinking, problem solving and decision-makingChanges position after hearing an argument they had not considered, and says exactly what changed their mind.Within the task
06Systems thinkingIdentifies what affects what, and what would change if one part were altered.Within the task
07Creativity, imagination and innovationCombines two ideas from different subjects into something that did not exist before.Within the task
08Curiosity, inquiry and reflectionRecognises what they do not know yet, and turns it into the next question.Within the task
Future-ready, citizenship, care
09Health literacy and well-beingConnects sleep and movement with how they feel and how they get on.Bridge
10Global citizenship and environmental awarenessConnects an everyday choice with one specific consequence for other people or the environment.Bridge
11Digital and AI literacyChecks whether information they found online holds up before using it.Within the task
12Computational thinkingBreaks a problem into smaller pieces they can solve separately.Within the task
13Financial literacySeparates what they want from what they need, and waits for something worth more.Within the task
14Initiative and entrepreneurial mindsetTakes on a part of the group’s work that nobody asked for, because they saw it was missing.Way of working
All four zones, so you can see where each capability starts and where it leads.
THE BRIDGE IN EXPLORERS
From the day’s knowledge to a human question.
Real situations, data and the neighbourhood. Children connect a choice with a consequence and write down one action.
10–14 minutes before reflection. In the Bridge we assess how the child thinks, never what they believe.
01“The heart that beats fast”Circulatory system, measuring pulse · SCI + MATHEmotional awareness and self-awareness
02“Letters from America”Letter and narrative · LANG + HISTEmpathy and respect for diversity
03“The measurement that was ‘corrected’”Fair test and data · SCI + MATHEthical thinking, integrity and responsibility
04“The graph in the advert”Graphs and scales · MATHCritical thinking, problem solving and decision-making
05“The plastic that came back”Ecosystems, food chains · SCISystems thinking
06“The sailors’ stars”The sky and navigation · SCICuriosity, inquiry and reflection
A LESSON IN EXPLORERS
One session in Explorers, from the inside.
A sample lesson from this zone: the learning objectives, the growth targets with their routes, the Bridge and the flow. The full lesson plan opens alongside.
UNIT 03 · LESSON 3 OF 5 · MATHEMATICS + SCIENCE
“Can we trust a graph?”
Today: How fast does a hot drink cool down? · 90′
KNOWLEDGE · LEARNING OBJECTIVES
O1Explains that insulation slows the transfer of heat and does not “make heat”.
O2Designs a controlled experiment with one independent variable: the insulating material.
O3Draws a line graph with a suitable scale and compares cooling rates from the slope.
GROWTH · OBSERVATION TARGETS
PlanningWithin the task
Critical thinking and decision-makingWithin the task
Independent Application & Transferat school · in new contexts · in life
MORE SUPPORTMORE AUTONOMY
PROGRESS IN EXPLORERS
The child begins to observe themselves.
SPARKSThe educators observe
EXPLORERSThe child compares
PATHFINDERSReads their own path
DESIGNERSHelps decide what is tracked
In Explorers self-observation becomes more systematic. Children compare their own picture with the educators’ observations and discuss where they agree, where they differ and what the next step is.
This comparison supports metacognition and self-regulation: children learn to read their own learning more accurately.
First, we get to know the family. Then, the right start.
Meeting the parents
We talk about your expectations, our approach and how the Academy and the family work together.
A Developmental Introduction with the child
We get to know the child and where they are starting from. It is not a test; there is no pass or fail.
A shared decision on the start
Together we agree the zone, the level (Junior or Senior) and the support the child needs.
Junior and Senior. Every zone has two levels, Junior and Senior: the same architecture, a different degree of challenge and autonomy. We choose the level together, after we get to know each other.