Vicki Nicolson (50), of Port Chalmers School, won the 2013 Ricoh Otago Primary Principals' Association Prestigious Scholarship recently, which provides an opportunity to study in specific areas of professional leadership which support New Zealand's national goals and objectives.
Mrs Nicolson planned to study the Reggio Emilia Approach - an educational philosophy focused on preschool and primary education.
It was developed by Loris Malaguzzi and the parents of the villages around Reggio Emilia in Italy after World War 2.
The village parents believed the destruction from the war necessitated a new, quick approach to teaching their children, which led to the creation of a programme fostering respect, responsibility and community.
This was achieved by teaching children through exploration and discovery in a supportive and enriching environment, based on the interests of the children through a self-guided curriculum.
In the Reggio system, children have some control over the direction of their learning; they are able to learn through experiences of touching, moving, listening, seeing, and hearing; they have a relationship with other children and with material items in the world that children must be allowed to explore; and they have endless ways and opportunities to express themselves.
Mrs Nicolson said it was basically a child-centred approach to learning which centred on creativity.
''The kids are encouraged to play, explore and question.
''Teachers listen to that and extend that learning.''
Mrs Nicolson said she was humbled by the award and was ''hugely excited'' about beginning the research.
''I'm really keen to see how we can translate this into New Zealand schools.''
She planned to travel to Italy for 10 days in April next year, followed by another 10 days in the United Kingdom where she would look at creativity and imaginative programmes used in England's Steiner schools.
She hoped to share her research with colleagues at the Otago Primary Principals' Association on her return.
Ricoh would provide an $8000 study grant, while the Port Chalmers School board of trustees would continue to pay her salary, and the Ministry of Education would meet the costs of her replacement at the school.
