Core Curriculum
English
Ko te reo te tuakiri
Ko te reo tōku ahurei
Ko te reo te ora.
Language is my identity.
Language is my uniqueness.
Language is life.
Whangaparaoa School gives high priority to the teaching of Reading and Writing. We set high achievement expectations in our annual targets. Teachers assess regularly and use up to date information to inform their planning and teaching. We cater to individual needs, giving support and extension through differentiated grouping and personalised programmes.
In Years 1 and 2 the focus is on developing the children’s language abilities and their knowledge of how language is used in a broad range of contexts. With teacher support and through the sharing of text, children develop an appreciation of the characteristics of language in use.
In Years 3 and 4 the focus is on developing the students’ independence and skills in speaking and listening, reading and writing, and how to collect, respond to and organise ideas and information.
In Years 5 and 6 the focus is on expanding the range and complexity of the texts children speak, listen to, read, view and write. There is a particular emphasis on responding to fiction and factual texts with more critical awareness and on developing more advanced research and reporting skills.
Maths
At Whangaparaoa School we want all of our students to be excited by maths and learn to value maths as a vitally important part of everyday life. Students need to develop an understanding of how numbers work and improve their strategies for manipulating numbers mentally. Basic facts need to be recalled quickly and accurately.However maths isn’t just about numbers. Mathematics develops students’ ability to problem solve, develop logic and reasoning, analyse, think critically and creatively and most importantly to solve problems correctly.
The Mathematics curriculum is divided into four areas – Number and Algebra, Measurement, Geometry and Statisics. We provide a balanced programme to ensure students are given the opportunity to progress across all areas.
Our teacher’s have high expectations for students’ achievement in mathematics and we encourage our students to have high expectations of their own work. Students have access to a range of equipment and are given opportunities to solve realistic problems relevant to their everyday lives.
In Years 1 and 2 the focus is on the development of children’s key number knowledge. The programme includes a range of activities in all strands that are linked to children’s personal experiences and real world contexts. Children begin to explore different strategies for solving number problems and are taught how to explain their thinking using mathematical language.
In Years 3 and 4 the programme focuses on the extension of children’s number knowledge and greater exploration of patterns. Children are provided with opportunities to develop a range of strategies through authentic tasks and are taught to select and explain efficient methods of solving problems. The programme encompasses both number and strand activities that are meaningful and enable students to make connections between their learning and the world around them.
In Years 5 and 6 the programme focuses on further developing the children’s awareness of the role and significance of Mathematics in and beyond the classroom. Children discover, demonstrate and explain appropriate methods of mathematical calculations. The programme emphasises the importance of drawing on a range of strategies for problem solving situations.
