At Ripley Central State School, we believe that challenge is where real learning begins. To support our students in developing deeper thinking and resilience, we have embraced the concept of The Learning Pit, originally developed by educational thinker James Nottingham. The Learning Pit provides a visual and conceptual framework to help students understand the learning process especially the feelings of confusion, struggle, and eventual clarity and success that come with grappling with new ideas.
Our adapted approach
While the original Learning Pit focuses on the journey from surface understanding to deep learning, we have adapted the model to reflect our school values of Empowered, Polite, Inclusive and Careful (EPIC), alongside our focus on learning dispositions, thinking routines, growth mindset and questioning that inspires inquiry.
We created 2 unique versions of The Learning Pit-1 for staff and 1 for students-that link the stages of learning (concept, conflict, construct and consider) with practical strategies, questions and mindsets that encourage reflection and critical thinking. These versions are prominently displayed in our classrooms and used in teacher practice to guide learners through challenges with curiosity, courage, grit, ownership and resilience.
Learning Pit + dispositions = EPIC learning
Our Learning Pit is more than just a model it's a living, breathing part of how we teach, learn and grow. Students learn to say things like, 'I'm not there... yet' ;and 'mistakes are valuable', recognising that the struggle is part of the journey. Teachers model and support this process using visible thinking routines like to move students through the pit with confidence and reflection.
Our 5 core learning dispositions-curiosity, resilience, grit, courage and ownership are woven into each phase of the pit. These dispositions inspire learners to take risks, persist through challenges and develop agency over their thinking and growth.
Inspired by excellence
We would like to acknowledge the work of Elderslie Public School in New South Wales. Their commitment to embedding thinking routines, learning dispositions and growth mindset deeply inspired our own journey. Elderslie's approach demonstrated what's possible when these powerful tools are purposefully woven into a whole-school learning culture. Drawing on their success, we set out to develop a Learning Pit model that was uniquely 'Ripley' aligned to our EPIC values and responsive to the needs of our learners and community.
Why it matters
We are building a generation of learners who are not afraid to take risks, who know how to reflect and push through challenge, and who understand that being stuck is a normal and necessary part of learning. The Learning Pit helps our students recognise that real understanding takes time, effort and support.
At Ripley Central, we don't rescue students from challenge. We coach them through it and that's what makes the learning stick.
Student model
Teacher model
