What is a micro-school?

If you are considering home schooling but are undecided because of the logistics involved, a micro-school can be the way to go.  A micro-school is a small, independent educational institution that serves a limited number of students, often 10 to 15.

Micro-schools are designed to provide an academically rigorous alternative to traditional K-12 education and a controlled environment that is attuned to parents’ beliefs.

Micro-schools have gained popularity in recent years among families seeking alternatives to traditional public or private schools.  The growing success of this formula is the product of a unique set of features:

1. Small class size and customised learning.  At Coram Deo, we keep class sizes small.  This fosters close teacher-student relationships and lets educators fine-tune their methods to the specific needs and interests of each student.  Another much-welcomed side effect of a small class is a better environment that allows for concentration and is free from stress and bullying.

2. Flexible curriculum.  Being small and private (Coram Deo is 100% non-government funded) means more freedom in designing each year’s curriculum compared to traditional schools.  Studies are consistently showing that an optimised curriculum yields great results in the long term.
3. Multi-age groups and peer mentoring.  It has been said “if you really want to learn a topic, teach it” and there is indeed a great deal of truth in that statement.  Teaching something pressures you to think clearly.  For this reason, at Coram Deo we routinely group students of different ages together, thus encouraging peer mentoring and collaborative learning.  Children start to hone their leadership and relational skills from a very young age and becoming a mentor is one of the most interesting and important roles that they can take.
4. Community and socialisation.  Micro-schools strive to build strong groups and encourage socialisation among students.
5. Parental involvement.  In contrast with regular schools, parents at Coram Deo have an active role in their child’s education.  They work closely with our teachers (sometimes they are the teacher!) to support the children’s learning goals.  Most importantly, parents have visibility over what happens in the classroom and have input and influence in decision making.
6. A range of different underlying philosophies and missions, from which parents can freely choose those more in tune with their values.  At Coram Deo, we implement the tenets of classical Christian education. 

• The Frequently Asked Questions page is an excellent starting point for understanding how Coram Deo works in practice;
• Information about our founders and board members’ names is published on the Meet the team page;
• Please do not forget to read our testimonials!
• Registrations are open for 2025 (K-12) in several locations around Perth: Students Registration form