Primary School

Primary at Hypha is where the academic foundations of the school come fully into their own. Our learners build deep fluency in literacy and numeracy, encounter the world through science and the humanities, and spend a significant part of every day learning outdoors.

We use the Cambridge International Curriculum as our framework, complemented by Read Write Inc. for English and Singapore Mathematics for numeracy.

THE SHAPE OF THE DAY

Mornings are structured. Children work toward clear objectives in literacy and numeracy in small focused groups, often outside under trees or beside the pond. This is the most disciplined part of the Hypha day.

The rest of the day looks different. Project-based work, science investigations, the arts, and time outdoors. Children make real choices about what they explore and how. The Reggio and forest school traditions live here, in the part of the day where curiosity sets the pace. Specialist subjects such as music, physical education, art, and Portuguese literacy run throughout the week, taught by educators who specialize in each area.

Download Sample Timetable

BRINGING KNOWLEDGE DOWN TO EARTH

Whenever we can, we bring abstract knowledge into the physical world.

Mathematics happens in the garden, where children measure beds, calculate volumes for soil, and see for themselves that the concepts really work. When we study the Portuguese spice trade, the spices come out of the cupboard so children can taste what was traded. Our science is run as one experiment after another, with children’s hands and bodies involved before anything gets explained.

SOCRATIC SEMINARs

The Socratic Seminar is a method of structured intellectual dialogue that traces back to ancient Athens, normally taught at university or in advanced secondary classrooms. We have adapted it for primary-age children.

Our learners sit in a circle and discuss real, difficult questions, such as whether someone deserves a second chance or whether it is ever right to break a rule. They learn to recognize logical fallacies, construct sound arguments, and weigh evidence. The teacher sits outside the circle and does not lead; the children carry the conversation themselves.

For primary-age children, this kind of dialogue is unusually formative. Articulating an idea in front of peers stretches their vocabulary, while disagreeing with a friend and staying friends builds the emotional steadiness that this age group is working hardest to develop.

CLASS SIZES

Our Primary classes have sixteen children with two to three educators in each room. No child is ever lost in the room, and our teachers know each child as an individual.

TIME OUTDOORS

Primary students spend 3+ hours daily outdoors, especially for the project-based and inquiry-based learning. Each week our learners also have a dedicated session of Forest School, working directly with the land that surrounds the school.

SPORTS AND PHYSICAL EDUCATION

Through our partnership with União Mucifalense, a local sports and cultural complex, children enjoy dedicated and exclusive access to professional sports facilities, including an indoor gymnasium, a football pitch, a yoga and gymnastics studio, and a martial arts dojo. Learners use these spaces for Physical Education and a range of extracurricular activities.

PORTUGUESE

The language of instruction at Hypha is English. Children take Portuguese literacy lessons twice a week. Several of our specialist subjects are taught in Portuguese, and the staff who supervise outdoor play and lunch speak Portuguese with the children throughout the day.

extracurricular activities

Hypha offers a wide range of extracurricular activities, including gymnastics, beatboxing, private piano and violin lessons, group violin, language classes, swimming, surfing at Praia Grande, gardening, crochet, and astronomy.