Learning Blocks
Learning Blocks
Embedded Files
Our school’s teaching is based on the New Zealand Curriculum. Core subjects, including Maths and Literacy (reading and writing), form the foundation of learning, alongside Key Competencies, Values, Themes, and Inquiry-based learning.
Literacy
Literacy involves learning to use, create, and enjoy language in all its forms, including oral, written, and visual communication. In the New Zealand Curriculum, literacy is structured into two interconnected strands — Making Meaning (listening, reading, and viewing) and Creating Meaning (speaking, writing, and presenting) — and at our school students practise these skills to entertain, inform, instruct, and persuade.
Numeracy
Numeracy is the bridge between mathematics and everyday life, involving the knowledge and skills needed to apply maths to daily situations such as family, work, financial decisions, and community activities. Mathematics explores patterns and relationships in number, space, and time, while statistics focuses on patterns in data, helping students reason, problem solve, and make sense of the world using symbols, graphs, diagrams, and real-life contexts.
Science
Pūtaiao / Science education aims to equip all ākonga with the knowledge, skills, and attitudes needed to become informed, responsible, and positive contributors to New Zealand’s future. Guided by the New Zealand Curriculum and shaped by our local context, science at our school is taught as both a process of inquiry and a body of knowledge, where developing scientific skills and attitudes is closely linked to building understanding.
Social science
The New Zealand Curriculum states that Social Sciences help students develop the knowledge and skills to understand, participate in, and contribute to local, national, and global communities, while engaging critically with social issues and considering sustainable practices. At our school, we support students to understand who they are and how they fit into the world, honouring Te Tiriti o Waitangi and Aotearoa’s bicultural foundations while exploring our multicultural community through inquiry-based learning about the past, present, and future.
Te Reo Māori me ona Tikanga
The New Zealand Curriculum acknowledges the principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi and the bicultural foundations of Aotearoa New Zealand, ensuring all students have opportunities to learn te reo Māori me ōna tikanga. At our school, we promote this through regular te reo Māori teaching, Kapa Haka, whānau consultation and support, and culturally responsive teaching practices that value and strengthen Māori learners’ identity, language, and culture.
Health & Physical Wellbeing
In Health and Physical Education, the focus is on students’ well-being, the well-being of others, and the broader society, explored through health-related and movement experiences. This learning area is guided by four interconnected concepts: Hauora, a Māori philosophy of well-being encompassing taha wairua, taha hinengaro, taha tinana, and taha whānau; Attitudes and Values, promoting responsibility for self, care for others, respect for the environment, and social justice; The Socio-Ecological Perspective, which examines the connections between the individual, others, and society; and Health Promotion, which encourages supportive physical and emotional environments and active participation in personal and collective well-being.
Digital Technology
Our school uses digital technologies to enhance learning and creativity. Students have access to Chromebooks and educational apps to research, create, and collaborate both in the classroom and beyond. Learning is shared through blogs, digital portfolios, and presentations, while families stay connected and involved through online platforms. All activities are designed to help students develop skills for the modern world in a safe and supportive environment.
Arts
Te toi whakairo, ka ihiihi, ka wehiwehi, ka aweawe te ao katoa.
The arts are powerful forms of expression that celebrate and contribute to the unique bicultural and multicultural identity of Aotearoa New Zealand, enriching the lives of all. They have their own languages, both verbal and non-verbal, using movement, sound, and images to transform creative ideas into works that communicate deep and layered meanings.
The arts learning area includes four disciplines: dance, drama, music (sound arts), and visual arts. In each discipline, students develop skills, knowledge, and understanding through practice, reflection, and the use of both traditional and new technologies, building artistic literacies as they progress through the curriculum levels.
Digital-STEM
Hangarau Matihiko
STEM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. Technology plays a key role in our students’ futures, so it is essential they develop strong skills and understanding to be well-prepared for life beyond school.
Our structured STEM programme focuses on core areas such as Electronics, Science, Coding, and Robotics. Over the next year, we are expanding our Digital Technologies curriculum to include computational thinking and designing and developing digital outcomes. With significant investment in innovation equipment, students have hands-on access to tools that support creativity, problem-solving, and real-world learning.
Digital
Hard Materials Hangarau mārō
Hard Materials focuses on developing practical skills while creating products that are functional and fit for purpose. Students learn to problem-solve and collaborate with others to explore solutions and meet real-world needs.
Digital-Food
Hangarau kai
Students develop practical, real-life skills in our food technology suite, including safety, hygiene, budgeting, planning, and food preparation. They learn to cook everyday meals on a budget as well as explore creative and innovative culinary experiments.
Digital-Fabric Hangarau Papahune
A creative learning space where students develop skills to design and make products that are functional and fit for purpose. Through the technology process, students are encouraged to work independently, think critically, and solve problems.
Students participate in weekly hygiene sessions led by a nurse from Hutt Valley District Health Board (HVDHB). These sessions help students develop healthy habits and learn the importance of personal care and wellbeing.
Reading Recovery
Reading Recovery is a targeted support programme for students approaching their 6th birthday who are experiencing difficulties with early literacy. Students who have not made expected progress in their first year of literacy learning are selected for this short-term intervention to help them catch up and fully engage with the classroom curriculum.
ESOL
Many of our students come from homes or communities where languages other than English are spoken, and bilingual or multilingual learners make up a growing part of our school population. Students identified as needing support to develop their English language skills are supported through our ESOL programme, which helps them fully access the curriculum and succeed in their learning.
Oral Language
Students participate in daily oral language activities that provide regular opportunities to speak, listen, share ideas, and build communication skills.
Resource Teachers in Maori
Resource Teachers of Māori (RTM) support schools in promoting Te Reo Māori and tikanga. They assist teachers with curriculum planning and delivery, provide professional learning and development (PLD) for staff, and offer in-school support to strengthen bilingual and immersion programmes. RTM also produce high-quality resources and activities, and help with student assessment and programme evaluation to ensure effective teaching and learning outcomes.
Resource Teacher-Learning and Behaviour
Students who may need extra learning or behavioural support. They provide tailored strategies, guide teachers, help develop targeted programmes, and link the school to specialist services and resources. This collaboration strengthens classroom teaching, boosts student engagement, and ensures every learner, including those with additional needs, can thrive in a safe and inclusive environment.
Agencies that Support Us
Social Worker in Schools
Public Health Nurse
Ministry of Education Learning Support Specialists
Speech Language Therapist, Occupational Therapist, Educational Psychologist
HVDHB Child Development Service
Awhi Attendance Service
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