At Te Kura o Haewai, tamariki are recognised as powerful, active, reflective partners in their learning journey.
We provide a vibrant learning environment for all ākonga.
Our Local Curriculum guides our how and why for designing learning.
Inquiry
Inquiry at Te kura o Haewai underpins all our teaching and learning. It is our way of working.
Starting with big ideas and concepts which link to our learner qualities and our curriculum, we notice students' interests and passions, and plan our programmes to target these.
Through this we foster curiosity, problem-solving, self-management, and collaboration.
To guide us, we use an Inquiry Cycle:
Exploring, Finding Out and Sorting Out, Taking Action, Looking Forward and Looking Back.
Learning Through Play
Learning Through Play is a teaching approach where children can explore, experiment, discover, and solve problems in imaginative and playful ways, and where play is the valued mode of learning.
The play is self-directed and based around students’ interests, and is guided and supported by the classroom teacher. Our Learning Through Play flows from inside the classroom to our wonderful outdoor space.
Learning Through Play supports ākonga to settle into the school day, grow and develop their strengths and interests, connect with their peers and teacher, and practise their collaboration and self-management skills.
There are also strong links to other learning areas, such as inquiry, the arts, mathematics, and science.
At Te Kura o Haewai, we have six Learner Qualities. A learner quality is about growing and teaching skills for learning, rather than what to learn.
We support ākonga to grow their skills in these areas across the curriculum, to self-reflect on their strengths and goals, and we report on progress to whānau.
Learner qualities
Thinker
Collaborator
Reflector
Creator
Self-manager
Self-regulator
Structured Literacy
Our school has recently started on the journey of Structured Literacy and we are already seeing the wonderful effects this is having on the engagement and confidence of our tamariki.
We are using the Better Start Literacy Approach (BSLA) in our Year 0-2 classes to support early reading, writing and oral language success.
This programme is funded by the Ministry of Education and is a very well researched and supported literacy programme currently being implemented across a large number of schools in Aotearoa.
Mātauranga Māori
Mātauranga Māori is about building and developing our knowledge and understanding of Te Ao Māori.
We build ‘Māori knowledge’ from Māori ancestors and Māori world views, values and perspectives, and cultural practices.
We develop and grow our te reo māori, tikanga and kawa so that we can honour Te Ao Māori in all that we do.
Sustainability
Sustainability is woven through all of our learning programmes and learning environments.
We have a unique opportunity to be active kaitiaki with our amazing outdoor learning environments, and this guides much of our learning. It allows us to be active in our efforts to make positive changes to our planet.
We are a Green/Gold EnviroSchool which shows our ongoing commitment to our whenua.
Hauora
Our Hauora Framework is based on social and emotional wellbeing, and corrective and restorative pedagogy.
This means we believe behaviours can be taught and learnt. We use a number of tools and techniques (Positive Behaviour for Learning (PB4L), Pause Breathe Smile, Restorative conversations and Zones of Regulations) to support our learners to understand themselves as citizens.
Our social and emotional needs inform how we make decisions, choices, build relationships with others and deal with issues and conflicts.
Research shows us that ākonga who can regulate their emotions have better success in their learning. Being cognitive about yourself allows you to thrive in a collaborative and connected learning environment.
“Research shows us that ākonga who can regulate their emotions have better success in their learning”
Learning Support
Te Kura o Haewai provides an inclusive supportive culture for all tamariki to learn.
Every classroom ensures accessible learning opportunities for all tamariki and we actively monitor and celebrate progress. We know that progress can look different for different learners, and that some ākonga may need additional support to feel successful in their learning.
Learning Support is tailored to individual needs, and the process of deciding what is required is done in collaboration with whānau.
Should you be concerned about your child’s learning or behaviour, please contact your child’s classroom teacher and see what supports are available.
Physical Education and Sports
We have many opportunities for our tamariki to be active and to participate in PE and sporting activities in and outside of school.
We have the most fabulous spaces to develop gross motor skills, team sports and sportspersonship.
Each year we have a number of annual events:
Colour Run/Cross Country
Athletics programme
Interzone Events:
Cross Country
Athletics
Swimming
Extra Curricular HVS Sports Teams
Floorball
Basketball (Miniball)
Waterpolo
Netball
Futsal
Extension programmes
Our tamariki get many opportunities to participate in a wide range of extra curricular activities within school time.
These are to provide opportunities to explore new learning, and to nurture and strengthen passions.
Kapa Haka
Choir
Dance Group
Sports
Green Geckos
Ākonga Roopu
Peer Mediators
Leadership opportunities (Bike Monitors, bell monitors, dog walkers, PE Shed organisers, leading school hui)
Bi-annual school production
