A Classical Education in Aotearoa New Zealand
The term ‘classical education’, in our context, refers to an approach to education rooted in the ancient Hellenic notion of ‘paideia’; later adopted and refined by the Romans in their emphasis on ‘humanitas’; and carried through to modern times by the evolution of formal schools, universities with colleges of study, and an education founded in the liberal arts.
The Tenets We Draw From This Rich Tradition
The tenets we draw from this rich educational tradition are:
- The true mastery of a focused set of key educational disciplines via stepped, deliberate learning stages.
- The pursuit of academic rigour, industriousness, and high standards of behaviour.
- The development of critical thinking and the practice of respectful, open-minded challenging of ideas.
- The development of moral, intellectual, and physical balance.
- The commitment to personal character development, active contribution to our community, and our civic duties.
What Makes Altum Unique
What makes us unique is our acceptance that we cannot, and should not, attempt to be all things to all people — rather we must excel at embodying these tenets and serving those who value them as we do.
Because these things are the very foundation of great, properly educated people and successful societies, we do not leave them to chance. We plan, execute, review and refine their development in every aspect of our school’s functioning.
Thank you for joining us in this commitment.
Christian Pera – Principal of Altum Classical Academy
Related articles
A Typical Day at Altum — Michael's Story
Curious about what a school day at Altum actually looks like? Follow Michael through a typical Thursday — from the train at Upper Hutt to prep at 4 pm and everything in between.
Read now
What Our Parents Are Saying
We recently gathered feedback from our founding families. Here is what they had to say about life at Altum — from academic rigour and school culture, to student engagement and practical logistics.
Read now
