Wednesday, 14th August 2024

Kia ora koutou,

Weren't we lucky with the weather for our Cross Country yesterday? We couldn't have asked for better weather and it was great to see our students participating with so much enthusiasm (even if long-distance running wasn't really at the top of their to-do list). The support they gave each other along the way, and as they crossed the line was impressive. Thank you also for your support throughout the course and at the finish line. For those involved in the Interschool Competition, this information was emailed out yesterday afternoon.

What do the latest curriculum announcements mean for us?
You might have seen recent news about student achievement in Literacy and Mathematics. A report last week mentioned that only 22% of Year 8 students are currently meeting or exceeding the curriculum benchmarks for maths. This is concerning, but it’s important to know that the study’s authors (from the University of Otago and the New Zealand Council for Educational Research) explained that “What we’re seeing in mathematics is a change in curriculum and a new benchmarking process rather than a change in achievement. We’ve been tracking student achievement in mathematics at Year 8 for more than 10 years, and in that time, there has been no evidence for improvement or decline. We do have a new draft curriculum however, and the provisional benchmarking exercise we carried out indicates it requires a higher level of proficiency than the 2007 curriculum.”

We are currently waiting for updates on any new policies or expectations for schools and students. In the meantime, we’re proud of the progress our students have made in maths, with achievement rising from 69% at or above expectations in 2021 to 86% now. Our teachers know our students well and use the current (2007) curriculum to meet their learning needs, including inquiry-based learning that connects different areas of the curriculum. We also emphasise the importance of the Arts, Health, and PE in our students’ growth. We’ll continue to support our students’ success as we navigate any up and coming changes.

Whānau Hui
On Friday 23rd August (next week), we are hosting our mid-term Whānau Hui. This begins at 2:20 and is a chance for you to see what our students have been up to so far this term. It would be lovely to see you there if you can make it.

Juliet Dickinson

What we are currently achieving:
At our latest Board Meeting, we were pleased to share our school-wide, mid-year student achievement data.

What we are currently doing (some initiatives we have in place):

At our school, our Strategic and Annual Plan is carefully crafted to ensure a positive and observable impact on student learning outcomes, especially in core academic areas. By focusing our funding and resources on these key areas, we’ve been able to make significant progress. Here are some initiatives that highlight this progress:

1 - Structured Literacy
This year, all staff, including Learning Assistants, have engaged in extensive professional learning around Structured Literacy. This ongoing journey, now over two years, has transformed our approach to teaching Reading, Writing, Spelling, and Oral Language. The results have been exciting to see, with a noticeable improvement in student progress and outcomes. We have also seen a significant increase in student engagement in writing.

2 - Numeracy Development
Our commitment to Numeracy has been reinforced through continued in-school development. Over the past three years, Sue Pine has worked intensively with us, and she now provides support on a needs basis. We are currently celebrating Maths Week.

3 - Inquiry Learning
A school-wide approach to Inquiry Learning has had a significant impact, as it provides the context for Literacy work in classes. This approach has been well-received by our students, who have also enjoyed the opportunity to share their learning with you each term at our Inquiry Open Afternoons. This term you will get to see students 'More than Medals' inquiry outcomes.

4 - Optimising Learning Spaces
Each Learning Community (LC) has identified what works well within their learning spaces and are working to maximise these. They have also considered any limitations or barriers within their physical spaces and are successfully implemented workable solutions.

What our next steps are:

Curriculum Updates: Strategically embedding new curriculum updates within our local school curriculum.
Structured Literacy and Numeracy: Continue to develop a cohesive curriculum and sequential teaching and learning skills across the school, supported by ongoing professional learning.
Inquiry Learning: Continue to use Inquiry Learning to support cross-curricular connections, making learning more relevant and meaningful for students.
Assessment Practices: Focus on gaining further clarity and consistency in assessment practices and moderation.
Learning to Learn: Enhance our students’ ability to articulate their learning more accurately, helping them become more self-aware and proactive learners.

These initiatives represent our ongoing commitment to providing the best possible education for our students, and we’re excited to continue this journey of improvement.

When you'll hear further from us about this:
When we have worked through the revised curriculum and have a clear idea as to what has changed, we will share a summary of this and what it means for your children.