Learning Experiences
Garden to Table
This year we have started our journey with the Garden to Table program!
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Garden to Table is a charitable trust that supports primary and intermediate schools and kura to take learning out of the classroom and into the garden and the kitchen. Garden to Table schools teach thousands of kiwi kids knowledge and skills that have a transformative and lifelong impact on their hauora — wellbeing — and on the world around them.
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Bush Classroom
We are so excited to now be offering Bush Classroom to all of our students. Every class spends at least one dedicated block a week out in our own school bush with their class, as well as another block a week participating in our specialist 'Bush Classroom' programme. Our school bush is also used by students during break times!
Our teachers have all participated in the 'Nature Play' Professional Development, growing their own knowledge around 'Nature Play' so that they can support and extend student learning and skill building during Bush Classroom sessions.
Outdoor Education
Every term our whole school ventures out for a day in nature together within our local area. This year we are set to explore Otaniwainuku, Papamoa Hills, Tect Park and Redwood Valley Farm!
Maketu Ongatoro Wetlands Society
We are so lucky to be a part of this awesome programme! The aim of the programme is to encourage students to become kaitiaki for their local environment, through fun and creative classroom activities and field trips. The programme also enables students to be of service to the community through restoring the local ecology.
Science
Science is part of our daily learning programme where it is taught explicitly and is also intergraded into our learning programmes through Garden to Table, Bush Classroom and our MOWS experiences. We use House of Science kits to support our science learning which also sparks lots of other learning pathways.
Senior Camps
Both of our senior classes, Whanau Tui and Kereru go on school camp each year! On even years they head to Redwood Valley Farm in Paengaroa for a few nights, where they enjoy bush walking, swimming, water sliding, river floating and much more. On odd years, they head further afield to visit new places and enjoy new experiences!
Swimming
We have our own swimming pool! In Term 1 and Term 4, swimming is part of our PE programme daily. Our aim is to build confidence in the water and to learn water safety skills - essential in the Bay of Plenty! Our senior students visit the local full length pool to build their swimming endurance too!
Ag Day & Animals
Every year our school holds an Ag Day. Ag Day is an opportunity for students to raise and train a lamb, calf or kid as well as showcase their Ag Day arts and crafts with the community. Finalists from our school Ag Day go on to compete in the Group Ag Day with alongside other school's finalists.
Sport
We are lucky enough to be working alongside Sport BOP. Facilitators come in each term to teach our tamariki and kaiako lots of fun new games to support their fine and gross motor skills and develop their teamwork and sportsmanship skills.
We also get involved in AIMS Games, Top Schools and other inter school sports tournaments.