Piwakawaka – Year 0 – 1 in 2024
In the Piwakawaka learning space we aim to create an environment where tamariki will know they are valued, where their mana is fostered and they are valued as an individual. Learning through play is what we are about! Child led play allows for creativity to flourish, this in turn supports the growth in problem solving, resilience and critical thinking skills. Play nourishes communication and social skills helping young tamariki navigate growing relationships and friendships. Play along with a whole lot of fun exploration, this is encompassed by manaakitanga is what tamariki and whānau will experience when they join the Piwakawaka whānau.
Tui – Year 2 and 3 in 2024
In Tui we begin our day by engaging in a range of different hands-on maths activities. We are learning about communicating to solve problems and love working together. We have a focus on literacy for the middle part of the day, using our passions and interests to help drive our learning, interweaving different subjects such as science and art. Our afternoons consist of swimming and other topic based activities, including art, science, P.E, health and Te Reo.
Ruru – Year 3 and 4 in 2024
Our aim is to build happy, confident learners. We will develop independent learning skills so that children know how they learn and the next skills they are working on. There will be a focus on writing skill development and crossing over what we read into how we write and learn about interesting topics. Children get their own Google accounts to spend more time understanding how online tools can help us enhance learning and prepare us for a digital world. This will happen gradually throughout the year. We will build on curious questions to find out more about the world around us.
Kororā – Year 4 and 5 in 2024
We are a group of students who choose the topics for us to follow during the year, based on our passions and interests. A lot of our learning is environment and science focused and we do mostly collaborative group learning tasks. We are given opportunities to show our strengths across all areas of the curriculum and we enjoy using Chromebooks to enhance our learning experiences. We have a lot of responsibilities school wide such as looking after the chickens, recycling, compost, and lost property.
Kōtare – Year 5 and 6 in 2024
A group of students that enjoy flexible learning, following our passions, learning in the cloud, and being active. We care about the environment, having in the past helped to raise awareness around Kauri Dieback. We have explored Reotahi Marine Reserve through Experiencing Marine Reserves, visited the Poor Knights Marine Reserve, and local waterways through The Whitebait Connection. We are guided by our interests and love working together on projects like Market Days.
Kārearea – Year 7 and 8 in 2024
A class of Year 7 and Year 8 students who strive to achieve excellence across the curriculum. We have a large say in what we learn – using STEAM and inquiry approaches to enhance learning of our interests and passions. We work hard to be our best selves, developing our leadership skills by demonstrating Tuakana Teina, peer mediator techniques and increasing our knowledge of the world around us. We love sports, art, the environment, science and always have fun while we learn! As the senior class of the school, we enjoy several special opportunities such as going to the Manaia View Technology Department, Science Fair, EPRO8, Summit Club, lit quiz, chess competitions, participating in the Junior Tough Guy and Gal, working alongside the Predator Free 2050 team, and many leadership roles within the school.