ALBANY PRIMARY

SCHOOL

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LOCAL CURRICULUM

(Revised Feb/Mar/Apr 2021)

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‘Where Learning Makes a Difference’

Updated Feb - May 2021

E te whānau,

To our family

Whāia te mātauranga kia mārama

Seek knowledge for understanding

Whāia te whakaute me kairangi

Seek respect and excellence

Aroha atu aroha mai

Love for others and yourself

Whakamahi te auahatanga me ngākaupono

Use creativity and honesty

Tau mai te mauri

Come great energy

Haumi e, hui e, taiki e!

Join together it is done!

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Updated Feb 2021

Updated Feb - May 2021

The Albany Primary Curriculum

Derived from the NZC:

Vision, Values, Principles, Key Competencies, Learning Areas

Contents

Cover

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Contents

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Overview: Directions for Learning:

Curriculum Design Statement

Learning Areas

Principles, Vision, Values, Key Competencies, Albany Graduate, Albany Learner

Principles

Vision and Values

Pedagogy

Effective Pedagogy

Culturally Inclusive at Albany Primary School

Supporting New Settlers within our Community

Inquiry Learning Statement

Albany Primary School Inquiry Model

Albany Primary Skills Progressions

Digital Learning at Albany

SAMR at Albany

Planning Statement

Curriculum Integration at Albany Primary School

Assessment Statement

Stakeholders and their use of assessment at Albany Primary

Albany Primary Implementation Plans Curriculum Learning Areas

English

Deliberate Acts of Teaching in English at Albany Primary School

Mathematics & Statistics

Science

Social Science and Aotearoa New Zealand’s Histories

Local History and Albany's past

Technology

Digital Technology

PE/Health

Fitness Expectations

EOTC

The Arts

Learning Languages

Te Reo

Mandarin

New Zealand Sign Language and Inclusive Education

ECO Statement and ECO Education

Gifted Education

Children With Neurodiverse Needs

ESOL

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OVERVIEW:

DIRECTIONS FOR LEARNING

The Albany Graduate - ‘Students who make a difference...’

Key Competencies

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Key competencies matter because things have changed. Since our education systems were first established there has been enormous change in the nature of societies, change in the nature of work, change in how knowledge is viewed, and change in technologies, to name just a few. Those changes, and the certainty of ongoing change, have implications for the kind of education our young people require. The key competencies put today’s students at the centre, and bring a future-focused perspective to teaching and learning (TKI). They make up the key underpinning components for successful, global citizens.

The New Zealand Curriculum identifies five key competencies:

• Thinking
• Relating to others
• Using language, symbols, and texts
• Managing self
• Participating and contributing

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At Albany Primary School we focus on what the Key Competencies look like, sound like and feel like in our classrooms. Learning opportunities are planned to meet both curriculum knowledge requirements and the associated skills needed to use and apply learning across contexts. Although the Key Competencies are not formally assessed, teachers monitor learners throughout the year and tailor opportunities to grow in specific areas of development. Some elements of the Key Competencies are reported against in the ‘Personal and Social Competencies’ section of the mid and end of year reports. Successes and next steps are also shared in the general comments box and make up part of the conversation at student led conferences.

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The Albany Graduate is resilient and able to problem solve, take risks and bounce back from failure. They take responsibility for their actions and belongings, as well as understanding their place in the wider community and the role of empathy within that. Albany Graduates are both critical and collaborative, taking opportunities to explore their curiosity and creativity, while knowing when to work independently or with others for the best possible outcome. Finally, Albany Primary Graduates are motivated learners who strive to be the best they can be and know their learning can make a positive difference to others.

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As part of our ongoing commitment to Te Tiriti o Waitangi, as well as reflecting the diverse community of Albany itself, our graduates are encouraged to reflect regularly on their personal identity at school as well as making links and connections around cultural experiences. Albany Graduates understand that they are one of many different nationalities that make up Aotearoa, New Zealand and that there is tremendous strength in diversity and difference.

PEDAGOGY

AT

ALBANY PRIMARY SCHOOL

EFFECTIVE PEDAGOGY - ‘Where learning makes a difference’

Teacher Actions promoting student learning. (Updated Feb 2021)

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A culture of inquiry and review of professional practice is established at Albany Primary School. In such a community we learn together, from each other and from evidence-based practice and research.

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The NZC (p34-35) identifies Teaching as Inquiry at the heart of Effective Pedagogy requiring teachers to inquire into the impact of their teaching. Teacher inquiry ensures the improvement of student outcomes through the development and use of more effective teaching strategies and is woven into our ‘GROWTH Coaching’ and school wide appraisal systems.

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Key indicators for success:

Create a supportive learning environment

Effective teachers foster positive relationships with students and the wider community that are caring inclusive and culturally responsive.

• Students are actively engaged in their learning.
• Learning focused relationships maximise the opportunities for learning, enabling students to become to become confident ,resilient active learners and citizens.
• Positive Behaviour Expectations at Albany (PBE): Teachers create an environment that promotes and encourages ownership of actions and decisions, reflections, utilising restorative practices.

Encouraging effective thought and action

• Reflective learners take their new learning, relate it to what they know, adapt it for a purpose, and put it into action.
• Learners are guided and encouraged through opportunities to develop creative and critical thinking in appropriate contexts.
• By using Split Screen strategy with learning intentions, teachers address both learning content and learning behaviours and dispositions e.g.
• Concept > Walt: inquire into how “Challenges” are approached;
• Skill > Walt: use effective questioning skills to select, compare, judge, explain…

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Facilitating student directed learning:�Students learn most effectively when they understand what they are learning, why they are learning it and how they will be able to use their new learning (Agency).

• Assessment for Learning fosters the development of students understanding and becoming responsibility for their own learning as well as being able to independently identify the next steps.
• Rubrics, Self-assessment tools and Progressions are visible and used by students to guide their understanding of their learning steps in Literacy and Mathematics.
• Authentic student led learning is based on passions and interests.

Facilitating collaborative learning

Learning is social, therefore learning conversations and partnerships are evident through the school community. As students engage in reflective discourse with others, they build the language that they need to take the learning further.

• Using multi-level groupings both within school and globally
• Working together to achieve a common goal, or solve a problem or meet a challenge is evident in the school community

Providing varied opportunities for learning: Students learn most effectively when they have time and opportunity to engage with, practise and transfer new learning.

• Modelled, independent and guided whatever the context, (new learning, reinforcement of learning, practice and strengthening/extension of learning)
• Reciprocal learning/ teaching from, with and by occurs across a variety of contexts learning.
• Responsive teaching to meet the needs of all students (is reflected in the use of flexible groupings). OR (is evident through the use of flexible groupings to address specific identified gaps).
• Direct Acts of Teaching (DAT’s) underpin all teaching and learning sequences.
• Differentiated (individualised)/groups for learning are based on data stories and gap analysis.

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Shifting the Locus of Control

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Source: http://www.acts.co.nz/ABACUS/Coping-Skills/5-Locus-of-Control.pdf

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There is greater ownership of the lesson by students as responsibility shifts from teacher to student for learning. Content, process, and choice of learning are experienced as co-constructed. The teacher empowers students to be independent learners who have a commitment to evaluating and adjusting their learning to meet their needs. (TKI)

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As we continue to explore the journey around shifting the ownership and locus of control in our classrooms, teachers need to become more familiar with the difference between praise and encouragement. This is not to say that praise should not be a part of the classroom programme, more that encouragement supports children to continue their learning, while understanding that praise is very often considered to be at the end.

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Praise:

• Recognizes the doer. (“You got an A on the test.”)
• Is control from the outside. (“You are good when you follow all the class rules.”)
• Is evaluation by others. (“You pleased me when you picked up all the pencils.”)
• Focuses on the finished, well-done task. (“You are worthwhile because you did the job well.”)
• Emphasizes personal gains. (“You came in first; therefore, you are good.”)

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Encouragement:

• Recognizes the effort of the doer. (“You worked really hard to get your grade.”)
• Is faith that the individual can control self. (“You are a responsible person.”)
• Promotes self-evaluation. (“How do you feel about your work so far?”)
• Emphasizes effort and progress of a task. (“Look at all the improvement you have made.”)
• Emphasizes appreciation of contributions and assets. (“Your efforts helped us have a good science fair.”)

Source: https://www.teachervision.com/teaching-strategies/behavior-management-locus-of-control

What does this mean for APS?

Teachers are encouraged to continue to develop Learner Focused Relationships, supporting student understanding of their own knowledge, next steps and current abilities. As students begin to understand their own abilities and knowledge as a learner, they can be encouraged to continue to take greater responsibility and ownership for their learning.

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Culturally Inclusive Practices at Albany Primary School

“Know me before you teach me”

February 2021

Albany Primary School (APS) is a culturally diverse school which reflects our community and changing face of Auckland as a whole. Currently we are building our Cultural awareness and capability, being responsive in our school and classrooms to develop meaningful relationships with all of our children and their families. We see this as a powerful way to develop belonging and high engagement for all of our learners and their whanau.

At APS being Culturally Capable means we respond to children and their families in a manner that is respectful of their identity and culture. Our actions should always show that all community members are not only welcome within our school and community, but that our school is a place of belonging and identity for all.

At the heart of the responses, we want to strengthen connections. It is our belief that by knowing a child, their family and their story from the beginning of their time at APS, they feel welcome, safe and are able to begin to develop a sense of their own identity belonging in this new place. It is our responsibility to forge a relationship with every family, through being welcoming and open to answering questions and sharing ideas without letting the language barriers inhibit these interactions.

Cultural Capability at APS reflects the research principles of best practice for responding to Maori and Pasifika in New Zealand and are relevant to pākeha, Māori and tauiwi (or all new immigrants). These include:

• Manaakitanga: Caring for students and culture
• Demonstrating caring for every student
• Ensuring everyone feels culturally safe and comfortable
• Mana Motuhake: Caring for the performance of all students
• Setting high expectations for all
• Whakapiringatanga: Managing a space to promote learning
• Develop a collaborative environment where different styles can be catered for and work together to achieve positive outcomes
• Wananga: Effective teaching relationships; Ako: reciprocal teaching and learning relationships
• Understanding and knowing our learners
• Working to ensure all Learners are engaged and able to discuss their learning
• Kotahitanga: Promote, monitor and reflect on outcomes that in turn lead to improvements in educational achievement for all.

Deep understanding of our own culture, what is important and the perceptions that may have been developed (by understanding and recognising the nuances of our own culture it helps develop awareness of those in other cultures.)

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We also choose to use the guiding principles of Ka Hikitia (To step up) after its publication by the Ministry of Education in 2017.

• Excellent Outcomes: We will support Māori learners and their whānau to achieve excellent education outcomes
• Belonging: We will ensure Māori learners and their whānau have a strong sense of belonging across our education system
• Strengths-based: We will recognise and build on the strengths of Māori learners and their whānau
• Productive Partnerships: We will support strong relationships between learners and whānau, hapū, iwi, educators and others to support excellent outcomes
• Te Tiriti o Waitangi: We will give practical effect to Te Tiriti o Waitangi in the education system

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We need to continue to be proactive in developing culturally responsive relationships for our teaching, learning and achievement to flourish. Strategically we are building a plan that covers and includes three dimensions including;

• Whole School Level; policies and procedures
• At Personal level: teachers are proactive in learning about cultures
• At Instructional level: Teachers becoming more culturally responsive with their teaching in response to what they know about how different cultures respond best to learning
• At APS we are continuing on a journey of discovery, exploration, learning about cultures and responding appropriately, so that our teaching and learning programmes are effective and authentic for all children.

In 2020 we established a Te Tiriti Waitangi specific annual goal for all staff. This is to:

1. Enrich cultural effectiveness through collaboration and a focus on shifting pedagogical practice; reflecting understanding (and true partnership) of Te Tiriti o Waitangi (all three articles), and being Culturally Responsive for all staff, students and their families.
2. To develop Teacher and Staff Effectiveness through understanding histories, heritages, languages and cultures of all partners to Te Tiriti o Waitangi (celebrating our place Ōkahukura - Albany, respecting bicultural NZ and connecting with the rich history that embodies Aotearoa).
3. To enrich Teacher and Staff Effectiveness by developing the use of te reo and tikanga Māori
4. To engage with teachers, parents, whanau and iwi in a collaborative way to:

(i) understand the aspirations that our communities have for our tamariki

(ii) explore hauora and hautū as they underpin the unique culture of our school

(iii) and to establish High Expectations for all tamariki to reach their full potential

We continue to be proactive in our responses to children / families from other cultures and these are listed below as a reference point. We are hoping to extend these as our understanding of diversity and inclusivity.

Ideas that have been used in our classrooms include:

• Pairing new students up with students of the same culture and language to help settle them in.
• Empowering students to talk and share openly about their overseas lives and backgrounds.
• Responded to a Hebrew speaking student by giving written feedback in English and in Hebrew.
• Learning how greet and interact briefly with learners in different languages to bring attention and focus to the importance of their personal identity.
• Taking the time to get to know each learner, trying to show true connections with their tradition or significant cultural events when activating prior knowledge and to bring their families on board with how important their first language/culture and history is.
• ‘Teach Me Challenges’ have been used as an opportunity for children to share their cultures and language creating discussion about similarities as well as differences between groups of people. (Chinese Flag, Korean, Russian, sushi being made, teaching Korean language.)
• Allowing children to write in their own language and have it translated by other children (guided writing).
• Parent help in classroom – translating within the classroom e.g. reading a story in Chinese and then in English to Chinese students. Both child and parent are learning language from each other.
• Knowing and using a range of greetings in different languages.

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At APS we continue to recognise the journey we are on towards complete proficiency and that our competency and proficiency within different cultural areas will differ depending on the changing intake from the community. It is important to reflect regularly on where individuals and teams feel they are within their cultural understandings:

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Cultural blindness

Discomfort in noting difference; beliefs / actions that assume world is fair and achievement is based on merit; we treat everyone the same: this approach ignores cultural strengths. The belief that methods used by the dominant culture are universally applicable can lead to implicit or explicit exclusion of ethnic minority communities

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Cultural pre-competence

Delegate diversity work to others, e.g. cultural programs asked to be lead by those of that background; quick fix, packaged short-term programs; a false sense of accomplishment; inconsistent policies and practices; practitioners are sensitive to minority issues but these are not an organisational priority

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Cultural competence

Advocacy: on-going education of self and others; support, modeling, and risk-taking behaviors; a vision that reflects multiculturalism, values diversity and views it as an asset: evidence of continuing attempts to accommodate cultural change; careful attention to the dynamics of difference, realising that equal access is not equal treatment.

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Cultural proficiency

Interdependence; personal change and transformation; alliance for groups other than one’s own; adding to knowledge-base by conducting research; developing new therapeutic approaches based on cultural considerations; follow-through social responsibility to fight social discrimination and advocate for social diversity.

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Cultural destructiveness

Genonocide or ethnocide; exclusion laws; cultural / racial oppression; forced assimilation.

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Cultural incapacity

Disproportionate allocation of resources to certain groups; lowered expectations; discriminatory practices, unchallenged stereotypical beliefs.

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Source: https://www.ecald.com/

Supporting New Settlers within our Community

At Albany Primary School we recognise the diversity within our school and focus on creating a culturally supportive environment where all learners are able to see and feel their identity. As part of our distribution of leadership, we have encouraged and supported several cultural projects led by teams of teachers from across the school.

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One area of success was the establishment of a Zen garden at the front of ths school grounds. This was created by a group of volunteers from within the community after much consultation with staff, students and other stakeholders. It remains a symbol of simple many Asian and other cultures, welcoming families to Albany School.

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Albany Primary School has a WeChat group communication system for Chinese parents for informal notices, weekly communications and queries relating to Albany Primary School.

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It is used for non-urgent communications - parents are encouraged to use wider channels or contact our Mandarin Speaking Admin assistant directly. A school representative monitors the WeChat group to respond to any questions and all members of the Senior Leadership team have access to this group. Interactions within the group that ask specific questions are common and school staff support the ongoing community conversations.

“Albany School promotes high levels of student achievement. A responsive, inclusive culture, and student-centred teaching motivate students to take responsibility for their learning.” (ERO 2015)

Understanding the diverse needs of our community remains at the heart of our practice and central to how we support all learners and their whānau. We strive to make sure that we hear the voices of all stakeholders, providing different formats and opportunities for all voices. One of the initial checks put in

place prior to any large decision making exercise is to simply as ‘Are all of the people/groups who will be impacted by this decision, at the table?’ If the answer to this is no, it is important to place this conversation on hold and invite all interested parties to the table.

“The Asia New Zealand Foundation Starting Strong: Nurturing the potential of Asian under-5s report looks at the rapidly increasing Asian under-5 population, their home environment, as well as the response of Early Childhood Education (ECE) centres to this changing demographic. Families of Asian ethnicity in New Zealand place great importance on their heritage culture and language, but as soon as children start school, English becomes the main language at home and their heritage language is used less, researchers say. (Education Central 2017)

As a school we often host curriculum information evenings to support families coming into Aotearoa from overseas and who may struggle to understand the NZ education system. Teachers are encouraged to reflect on their own experiences, looking at ways in which we can connect different students to teachers and staff who have had similar experiences. Across the school we have teachers from the UK, China, South Korea, Europe and South Africa.

Albany Primary Inquiry Statement

Inquiry-based learning is an approach to learning that emphasizes the student's role in the learning process. Rather than the teacher telling students what they need to know, students are encouraged to explore the material, ask questions, and share ideas. ‘Inquiry’ is NOT something which is done in the afternoons, it is not Topic! Inquiry is an all day long, way of thinking. It is MUCH bigger, broader and relevant than a ‘topic’. Inquiry at Albany provides learners with authentic, conceptual and transdisciplinary learning opportunities. Teachers invest in building a culture of inquiry that is much deeper than just asking and answering questions.

Inquiry teaching and learning at Albany School is a unique, fluid and exciting process. We have our own Inquiry Model which has developed and changed as the understanding of inquiry learning has grown for staff. We strive to relate both teacher and student learning directly to the Albany Inquiry Tree, as well as taking opportunities to connect the stages to professional documents and sharing.

Our curriculum and entire day is conceptually driven. The ‘concept’ is a specially chosen word that is an overarching umbrella for all students Year 0-6 and for their entire 9-3pm schooling day. Our aim is for this conceptual learning to be utilised after 3pm and at home also!

Our Inquiry Model represents what inquiry learning looks like at our school. It is a process but by no means linear. Each term, a new concept is ignited and afterwards the children can jump and move between cogs and inquiry stages.

1. We start our learning at the base of the tree with the roots. These roots represent the structured base required from the prior knowledge, Albany REACH Values, APC, NZC and Key Competencies
2. The trunk represents the IGNITE stage. The teachers love planning this stage and the children know not to miss the first few days of school so that they don’t miss this exciting experience. The IGNITE stage promotes and fosters natural curiosity. The teachers don’t tell the children what they will be learning about - the children get to experience it and try to work out what the new concept will be.
3. LEARNING COGS (experienced in no particular order)

Where possible, the UOI (Unit of Inquiry) is student driven after the first few weeks

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• Wondering COG = Wondering occurs throughout the UOI, asking and posing questions, wonderings, encouraging curiosity and promoting curious minds.
• Explore COG = Finding out, exploring wonderings, investigating, analysing and discovering opportunities. Utilising Guy Claxton’s notion of split-screen learning (discovering particular knowledge while learning transferable skills). Exploring HOW we can find information … who can we ask? where can we look? Exploration can be through ‘primary resourcing’ (people, places) or ‘secondary resources’ (books, digital).
• Reflection COG = This cog sits centrally on the tree for the reason that reflection is central to inquiry learning and pedagogy. During the reflection stage the children will be challenging their thinking, reflecting on what is important and identifying new, connected learning.
• Action COG = Learning is ongoing and all about ‘where to next’. ‘Action’ doesn’t occur just at the end of an inquiry unit but all the way through. Whenever students act on their new learning without teacher input - that is action! Action is student driven and celebrated.
• Connection COG = Making connections between our prior knowledge, experiences and new learning. Children connecting with others and transferring both knowledge and skills across all curriculum areas. Includes explaining shifts in progress/understanding and deepening connections about the world around us.

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What will you see in a classroom at Albany Primary?

• Teachers who teach skills for inquiries to be successful. Children will be experiencing and learning about transferrable skills rather than content.
• A focus on primary resourcing for learning, experiences and ideas (utilising people and places, rather than search engines).
• Teachers observing and having an awareness of teachable moments and wow moments – which could blossom into an amazing student-directed inquiry.
• Learners who can are actively engaged, can explain and justify their thinking, explain a shift in understanding and discuss their inquiry journey. Learners are enthusiastic, self-motivated and self-managing.
• Learners who are driving their inquiry journey, taking responsibility for their own learning, different classes which are following different paths/journeys (all under the same big idea / concept). Teachers who facilitate and guide learning without a predetermined path.
• Authentic, transdisciplinary learning – conceptual understanding across the whole day entwined through all curriculum areas
• Learners who are critical thinkers, problem solvers, risk takers, self-driven life long learners.
• Teachers who build and foster 21^st century skills of creativity, critical thinking, problem solving and collaboration within meaningful, authentic experiences.
• Children are collaborative learners, engaging both independently or with peers.
• ‘Thinking time’ provided deliberately by the teacher to allow for deeper thinking.
• Children working together with others to explore ideas, questions, thoughts and curiosities.
• Children exploring a range of tools and resources to investigate, create and present ideas and Teachers and students using the language of inquiry. Skills of the learners are built on and developed each year through a shared understanding of the APS Inquiry Skills Progressions

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Albany Primary School Digital Learning Statement

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Our Digital Learning Vision

“Learners are confident, connected and creative digital citizens. They take ownership of their actions and model the school values in both the online and offline space. Learners balance the consumption of information with creative and innovative learning outcomes. Our teachers focus on skills and values to support all ako as they operate in a hyperconnected and ever changing world.”

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Purpose

To equip all learners at Albany Primary School with the skills to be collaborative, communicative and confident risk-takers, developing the skills in an environment that prepares students for an unknown future. Thus developing not only agile and resourceful citizens, but those that will be successful in future learning environments, value innovation and entrepreneurial opportunities and able to engage positively and successfully in any digital environment.

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With daily access to devices and technologies as part of the classroom program, including interactive teaching tools, a range of capture devices, and high speed internet access, we can provide learners with instant access to tools that not only engage and support learning but also foster thinking, collaboration and communication which are essential in the real world and are meaningful in all curriculum areas.

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The learning will be interactive, planned, learner centred, challenging and vibrant. Knowledge and expertise is shared, everyone is encouraged to take risks, as flexibility and cooperation are the norm throughout the frustrations, and huge successes that are experienced by all.

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Learning through digital technology at Albany is focused on genuine opportunities to innovate. Teachers understand the SAMR (see SAMR@APS) model and how to gauge the enhancement and transformation of more traditional learning opportunities. We recognise that our teachers and learners will be at different stages on the continuum and so we promote the underlying skills and values of risk-taking, connectedness and our REACH values throughout all opportunities.

Curriculum

At Albany:

• We have a shared understanding of the role of digital technologies in teaching and learning (woven through all curriculum areas).
• Digital tools and experiences are considered when planning teaching and learning programmes using a SAMR lens to reflect upon their true value.
• Teachers are made aware of and have the ability to explore, with support if required, current digital resources available for use with their students.
• Students have adequate access to required hardware and resources.
• Students’ prior learning experiences and digital skills are recognised and built upon.
• Students’ and their parents are made aware of their cyber and media safe obligations and expectations.
• Teachers model positive behaviour in all online and offline learning spaces.

Professional Development

• At Albany:
• · We consider whole school needs, recognise and cater to teachers’ prior learning and skill sets when making decisions around PD.
• · We appreciate that all learners are on a pathway, with some beginning and others leading and we will endeavour to plan PD accordingly.
• · We offer a range of professional development strategies, resources, and support to cater for the range of skills and needs our staff have.
• · We provide monitoring and reviews at personal and school level

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Digital Planning and Administration

At Albany we:

Provide a clear picture of existing digital learning, by having an annual development plan, that includes a three year replacement cycle of hardware, a development plan that includes how we will achieve stated objectives for the future development of e-learning and include a budget for the expected expenditure to implement our future development of digital technologies use within the school.

SAMR@Albany Primary School

Licensed under CC04 BYSA : Explanation of the SAMR model (Lefflerd) retrieved from: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:The_SAMR_Model.jpg

At APS, teachers use the SAMR model as a reflection and design tool to review the enhancement and transformation of learning. Students are encouraged to use a variety of media and look at ways in which they can work ‘above the line’, focusing on audience and effective use of technology for specific purpose.

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The SAMR Model Explained

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Substitution

At this stage, technology is directly substituted for a more traditional one. It is a simple, bare-bones, direct replacement. For example, if you are teaching a government lesson on the Constitution, you might use an electronic or web-based version of the document instead of a hard copy.

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Augmentation

The technology is again directly substituted for a traditional one, but with significant enhancements to the student experience. In other words, you ask yourself if the technology increases or augments a student's productivity and potential in some way.

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Modification

In this stage, you are beginning to move from enhancement to transformation on the model. Instead of replacement or enhancement, this is an actual change to the design of the lesson and its learning outcome. The key question here—does the technology significantly alter the task?

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Redefinition

The last stage of the SAMR model is Redefinition and represents the pinnacle of how technology can transform a student’s experience. In this case, you ask yourself if the technology tools allow educators to redefine a traditional task in a way that would not be possible without the tech, creating a novel experience.

(2017, October 30). SAMR Model: A Practical Guide for EdTech Integration | Schoology. Retrieved February 12, 2021, from https://www.schoology.com/blog/samr-model-practical-guide-edtech-integratio

PLANNING STATEMENT (Revised 2021)

Planning for learners at Albany Primary School should be flexible, agile and allow for student input and ownership. Wherever possible, students should be afforded the opportunity to learn through a passion based lens, exploring knowledge and methods of sharing that focus on audience and student led outcomes. Within core curriculum areas, teachers should show progression of learning with a clarity around learning intentions from global down to local objectives. Success criteria should, where possible, be collaboratively constructed.

“Effective planning supports all students to access rich and broad learning opportunities across the learning areas of the New Zealand Curriculum. Such planning recognises different ways to support student achievement. Effective teaching and learning is based on teacher belief that the core of teaching and learning is the same, regardless of whether a student has a disability or requires additional support.

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Effective teachers:

• ensure that every student can access learning, if necessary drawing on specialist support to achieve this
• ensure that learning opportunities connect with students’ prior knowledge and experience
• ensure that every student has multiple opportunities to interact with others and with a variety of material
• provide opportunities for students to express themselves in a range of ways
• provide opportunities for students to show what they know and are learning.”

(Retrieved 2021 TKI/NZ curriculum)

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Teachers at Albany Primary School will use the following guidelines as a minimum for planning:

• Planning at Albany Primary School will be derived from the analysis of formative and summative assessments and will include:
• Identified Curriculum Achievement Objectives, Concept Statements, Inquiry Skill Progressions, Deliberate Acts of Teaching and Key Competencies.
• Specific Learning Intentions which are clear for whole group or smaller groupings as applicable for the learning area, derived from wider and more global objectives.
• Learning Experiences that support Learning Intentions and Achievement Objectives, offering depth and richness. Learning experiences should be open and students able to choose their direction or audience.
• Assessment tasks are relevant to Learning Intentions.
• Differentiation and inclusive learning design for our diverse learners both in class and through external programs (e.g. English as a Second Language Learners (ESOL); Children with Special Abilities (Gifted Learners); Children with special or learning needs - (CWSN).
• Evaluation, Reflections and Identified next steps.

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Planning Documentation will include:

Term Overview:

Purpose: To show the outline for the planned sequence of learning for the term across the Curriculum. This is a plan that covers all learning areas across the term, with some annotations to show response to subsequent reflections and changes.

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Long Term Plans:

Purpose: Long Term Plans (LTP) are informed by prior knowledge, assessment, identified gaps and opportunities for Curriculum coverage. They identify specific learning objectives, outcomes and teaching / learning experiences.

PLANNING STATEMENT (Revised 2021)

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LTPs would be expected to generally cover a term and be evident for:

o Unit of Inquiry: Conceptually based learning and may include authentic links to:

o Literacy: Listening, Reading & Viewing, Speaking, Writing & Presenting

o Maths: Numeracy & Strand

o Social Science, Science and Technology

o Physical Education and Health

o The Arts

o Te Reo Māori: Integrated throughout curriculum learning areas

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Long Term Planning formats are located on the school share site for:

o Unit of Inquiry

o Literacy

o Numeracy & Strand Coverage Sheets

o Physical Education and Health

o The Arts

o Learning Languages (to be developed)

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Daily Planning

Daily plans, where used, show the planned daily teaching and learning across the curriculum in detail. Changes occur which means this plan reflects the living / working nature of the classroom.

Purpose: Record of daily teaching and learning. Shows flexibility of planning and teacher changes to meet the needs of students.

Daily Plans may vary but they need to include:

o A clear order of the day.

o Learning Intentions.

o Variable and Flexible groupings for teaching.

o Resources

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Curriculum Integration at Albany Primary School

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The concept of connection is a powerful one. The idea that if we can link with someone, somewhere, or something, it will make us stronger. One of the Five Ways to Wellbeing is to Connect – Me Whakawhanaunga.

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This concept can be equally powerful if we embrace it in the design and delivery of our local curriculum. The New Zealand Curriculum (2007) gives schools the mandate to make connections within and across learning areas, with local contexts, community, and the wider world. References to connections are made throughout the document. (Fleck 2019 via TKI)

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Connected and integrated curriculum are delivered through the APS inquiry learning model and teachers plan their delivery and curriculum coverage through an overarching context decided at the beginning of the year. The model is more of a thematic model, essentially a type of contextual integration which is pre-planned by a team of teachers and is topic- or theme-centred. A broad topic is chosen and subsequently used as a contextual setting for subject-based learning, designed as the teachers see fit (Fleck 2019).

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ASSESSMENT

Guided by Assessment for Learning

(Revised Feb 2021)

(Refer also Albany Primary School Assessment Overview via the staff site)

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Purpose:

At Albany Primary School, we are guided by clear assessment purpose, underpinned by Assessment for Learning practices. The primary purpose of assessment is to improve students’ learning and teachers’ teaching as both respond to the information it provides. Assessment for learning is an ongoing process that arises out of the interaction between teaching and learning. What makes assessment for learning effective is how well the information is used.

System improvement

Assessment can do more than simply diagnose and identify students’ learning needs; it can be used to assist improvements across the education system in a cycle of continuous improvement.

· Students and teachers can use the information gained from assessment to determine their next teaching and learning steps.

· Parents, families and whānau can be kept informed of next plans for teaching and learning and the progress being made, so they can play an active role in their learners’s learning.

· School leaders can use the information for school-wide planning, to support their teachers and determine professional development needs.

· Communities and Boards of Trustees can use assessment information to assist their governance role and their decisions about staffing and resourcing.

· The Education Review Office can use assessment information to inform their advice for school improvement.

· The Ministry of Education can use assessment information to undertake policy review and development at a national level, so that government funding and policy intervention is targeted appropriately to support improved student outcomes.

(Retrieved Feb 2021 assessment.TKI)

Using Assessment

To better inform teaching and learning, achievement data is critically analysed at syndicate and school level through professional dialogue so that teaching and learning is better informed. This information also identifies and tracks individuals, cohorts and school trends.

We utilise a variety of assessment methods (formative and summative) to ensure that the assessment information we collect is:

· timely

· meaningful

· informing teaching

· supporting students learning

Together learners and teachers share assessment information and this forms the basis for all learning conversations.

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Stakeholders and their use of assessment at

Albany Primary

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1. With and by Learners:

· To share where they are at in their learning journey and co-construct individualised learning pathways (which may include cross-curricula, social and learning competencies).

2. With and by Teachers and School Leadership:

· To inform teaching and learning.

· To identify individual and group areas of need for planning across all learning areas (which may include cross-curricula, social and learning competencies).

· To track progress of individuals, groups, targets and cohorts within a year, and from year to year on a school wide basis.

· To indicate areas that may require specific funding for resources and Professional Development.

3. With Parents:

· To inform parents of their child’s current achievement, progress, next steps - in relation to National Curriculum levels (National Standards) across the curriculum areas, including social and learning competencies.

4. Sharing with Board of Trustees and Community:

· To provide school wide information related to coverage and achievement in all curriculum areas, with particular focus on National Standards, school targets and national referenced data.

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5. Albany Whanau Ki te Ako - Community of Learning (CoL)

· To gather, moderate, analyse and evaluate school wide information to map progress against the achievement challenges.

6. Reporting to the Ministry:

· To meet the requirement of NAG 2(a).

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The Stakeholders of assessment and learning (APS 2021)

ALBANY PRIMARY SCHOOL:

IMPLEMENTATION PLANS AND CURRICULUM LEARNING AREAS

ENGLISH

English is the study, use, and enjoyment of the English language and its literature, communicated orally, visually, and in writing, for a range of purposes and audiences and in a variety of text forms. Learning English encompasses learning the language, learning through the language, and learning about the language.

(NZC 2007)

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English Essence Statement

What is English about?

Understanding, using, and creating oral, written, and visual texts of increasing complexity is at the heart of English teaching and learning. By engaging with text based activities, students become increasingly skilled and sophisticated speakers and listeners, writers and readers, presenters and viewers. New Zealand Curriculum. (NZC p.18).

Why study English?

Literacy in English gives students access to the understanding, knowledge, and skills they need to participate fully in the social, cultural, political, and economic life of New Zealand and the wider world. To be successful participants, they need to be effective oral, written, and visual communicators who are able to think critically and in depth.

By understanding how language works, students are equipped to make appropriate language choices and apply them in a range of contexts. Students learn to deconstruct and critically interrogate texts in order to understand the power of language to enrich and shape their own and others’ lives.

Students appreciate and enjoy texts in all their forms. The study of New Zealand and world literature contributes to students’ developing sense of identity, their awareness of New Zealand’s bicultural heritage, and their understanding of the world.

Success in English is fundamental to success across the curriculum. All learning areas (with the possible exception of languages) require students to receive, process, and present ideas or information using the English language as a medium. English can be studied both as a heritage language and as an additional language. English presents students with opportunities to engage with and develop the key competencies in diverse contexts. (p.18 NZC).

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How English is organised at Albany Primary School

The achievement objectives within each strand suggest progressions through which most students move as they become more effective oral, written, and visual communicators. Students develop knowledge, skills, and understandings related to:

• text purposes and audiences;

• ideas within language contexts;

• language features that enhance texts;

• the structure and organisation of texts.

In the New Zealand Curriculum, English is structured around two interconnected strands, receptive and productive language (P.16 ELLP’s).

Making meaning of ideas or information we receive (Listening, Reading and Viewing).

Creating meaning for ourselves and others (Speaking, Writing and Presenting).

Students need to practise making meaning and creating meaning at each level of the curriculum. This need is reflected in the way that the achievement objectives are structured. As they progress, students use their skills to engage with tasks and texts that are increasingly sophisticated and challenging, and they do this in increasing depth. (P.18 NZC).

At Albany Primary School, we follow the Effective Pedagogy statement to plan for English. Teachers create language rich environments and plan according to their students’ needs, using the ‘Teaching as Inquiry’ model (P.35 NZC).

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Language rich classrooms at Albany…

Are multi-sensory and include:

• Text in different forms/fonts e.g. print and electronic books, examples of writing across the curriculum by adults and peers, with access to a range of text types.
• Literacy progression charts and tools are available to be accessed in the classroom and are used in Literacy programs to provide a common language. They are sourced from the Albany English Long Term Plan and include:

o Albany Writers pencils, toolbox and exemplars.

o Reading Comprehension cards.

o Oral Language Progressions

o Spelling Progressions

o Handwriting Progressions

• A set of age and level appropriate reference texts e.g. dictionaries, thesaurus.
• Access to technology and relevant electronic resources to support learning.
• Children actively engaged in sharing, questioning, discussing, processing information, debating and critically evaluating.

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What does an effective Listening, Reading and Viewing programme look like?

At Albany Primary School students have the opportunity every day to “making meaning” of ideas or information we receive by listening, reading and viewing across the curriculum.

• Shared class session with teacher modelling, the learning intention (WALT) is informed by identified needs and shared with the class and success criteria is co constructed.
• Guided group sessions may follow on from the shared experience.
• Flexible groupings are formed for a specific instructional objective to cater for diverse literacy needs.
• The learning intention (WALT), informed by identified needs, is shared with the guided groups.
• In reading students read, respond and think critically through the task.

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Initially pupils “learn to read” then “read to learn” throughout their time at Albany Primary school.

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What does an effective Speaking, Writing and Presenting programme look like?

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At Albany Primary School students have the opportunity every day to “create meaning” for themselves and others by speaking, writing and presenting ideas across the curriculum.

• Shared class sessions with teacher modelling, the learning intention (WALT) is informed by identified needs and shared with the class and success criteria is co-constructed where appropriate.
• Guided group sessions may follow on from the shared experiences.
• Flexible groupings are formed for a specific instructional objective to cater for diverse literacy needs.
• The learning intention (WALT), informed by identified needs, is shared with the group.
• In writing students construct or recraft their own texts by thinking, discussing and writing their way through the task.

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In Years 1-3 the focus is on learning to write, whereas in Years 4-6 the emphasis shifts to writing a variety of texts that are purposeful and express meaning across all the learning areas. At each year level the learners will be exposed to and explicitly taught a range of text types, while strengthening previous learning. Refer to Albany Primary School’s Long term Planning.

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Deliberate Acts of Teaching in English at Albany Primary School

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The teacher interacts with learners to support:

Reading and Writing,

Viewing and Presenting

Speaking and Listening processes through deliberate acts of teaching, which include:

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• Explicit teaching of the learning intention (WALT) and co constructing of success criteria.
• Modelling and use of ‘think alouds’ which support learners to know what to and how to do it.
• Prompting, to encourage learners to make links to prior knowledge, including both world and literacy knowledge.
• Telling to fill a gap to enable the children to maintain momentum and to move on e.g. “This text is about… We’re going to read so we can find about ...”
• Explaining, which is an extension of telling e.g. Teachers may explain what they want students to think about while reading/writing a text.
• Directing by giving a specific instruction e.g. “Read the next paragraph and think about …”
• Questioning (literal, inferential and evaluative) e.g. “I wonder why, where, how, if, who…?” “What is going to happen next?” “Do I already know something about this topic?” “What is the author trying to tell me/what am I trying to tell the reader?”
• Feedback which affirms, informs and guides the future learning.
• Children having the opportunity to share their writing and respond to others.
• Appropriate resources are chosen by the teacher to support the teaching of English. These resources should encourage links to be made by pupils across the English curriculum and where possible, should support the schools commitment to future focussed themes, cultural diversity, bicultural foundations of Aotearoa New Zealand while promoting high expectations for all learners.
• Lifelong Learning is modelled by teachers in the classroom to encourage a passion for learning and high achievement eg reading their own book during silent reading, teacher as a writer, exploring and celebrating new vocabulary.

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The Long Term English planning documentation and supporting documents (Assessment guides, Hot Spot templates, Rubrics and Albany exemplars) , including coverage sheets are on the Albany Google Website – in Teacher Drive.

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MATHEMATICS AND STATISTICS

Mathematics is the exploration and use of patterns and relationships in quantities, space, and time. Statistics is the exploration and use of patterns and relationships in data. These two disciplines are related, but are different ways of thinking and of solving problems. Both equip students with effective means for investigating, interpreting, explaining, and making sense of the world in which they live.

(NZC 2007)

Mathematics and Statistics at Albany Primary School

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What is Mathematics and Statistics about?

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Mathematics is the exploration and use of patterns and relationships in quantities, space and time.

Statistics is the investigation and use of patterns and relationships in data. (NZC 2007)

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Why study Mathematics and Statistics?

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By studying Mathematics and Statistics learners will develop the ability to think creatively, critically, strategically and logically. Our learners will be able to demonstrate the mathematical and statistical literacy to confidently make sense of the world in which they live. They learn to create models and predict outcomes, to conjecture, to justify and verify, and to seek patterns and generalisations. They learn to estimate with reasonableness, calculate with precision, and understand when results are precise and when they must be interpreted with uncertainty. Mathematics and statistics have a broad range of practical applications in everyday life, in other learning areas, and in workplaces. (NZC 2007)

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How is Mathematics and Statistics organised at Albany Primary School?

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At Albany Primary School, we follow the structure below and each term plan for Mathematics and

Statistics. Teachers plan according to their learner’s needs, using the ‘Teaching as Inquiry’ model.

(P.35 NZC). All strands will be covered in a year, however the amount of time spent on each strand will vary depending on the level in which the learners’ are working at. The domains of Mathematics and Statistics are interwoven, therefore are integrated within the mathematics programme.

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The fundamental learning areas for each strand are listed below with problem solving and number

integrated throughout:

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For achievement objectives according to a specific curriculum level, see the relevant pages in the NZC (starting P.45).

What does effective practice look like at Albany (adapted from Effective Pedagogy in Maths?

• Provide opportunities to work independently and collaboratively.
• Teachers will develop and use pedagogical knowledge as a basis for initiating learning and responding to the mathematical needs of all students.
• Assessment of each student’s learning is ongoing and shared with the students and parents, such as, snapshots / modelling books / teacher observations / other formal tests (PAT / easTTle/ GLOSS / JAM). All of this informs the O.T.J.
• Flexible and varied grouping systems are used according to individual needs.
• Teachers plan mathematical learning experiences that enable learners to build on their existing knowing, interest and experiences, developing critical thinking and using materials when needed.
• Student centred learning through rich tasks and authentic problem solving. Transferring learning to new situations/problems.
• Learning goals, reflection on learning, and identified next steps are shared and developed with students and parents .
• Students share learning experiences and knowledge through ongoing conversations, using specific mathematical language to explain and justify their thinking.
• Mathematical vocabulary is explicitly taught and used throughout the day.

What does an effective maths programme look like at Albany?

Planning and grouping will be based on identified students needs. Albany planning format includes coverage sheet, achievement objectives, learning intentions, weekly and group plans and specific class/group differentiation. Teaching is responsive to the varied educational and cultural needs and strengths of the learners.

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A lesson could include:

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A warm up

This should be QUICK , FUN and CHALLENGING.

• Reinforcing basic facts
• Exercising the mathematical thinking/vocabulary
• Maintenance
• Enjoying maths
• Talking about maths

Independent activities

• Practising and strengthening number through strand, strategy
• and knowledge reinforcements.

Group teaching

• Strand, strategy and knowledge lessons
• Shared learning intention and success criteria
• Build concepts by using materials
• Imaging

Using number properties

• Incorporating rich tasks/ problem solving

The lesson will include verbalising and applying both written and mental strategies to solve problems.

A warm down

Reflection on learning.

Science in the NZC

What and why study Science?

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Science is a way of investigating, understanding, and explaining our natural, physical world and the wider universe. It involves generating and testing ideas, gathering evidence – including by making observations, carrying out investigations and modelling, and communicating and debating with others – in order to develop scientific knowledge, understanding, and explanations. Scientific progress comes from logical, systematic work and from creative insight, built on a foundation of respect for evidence. Different cultures and periods of history have contributed to the development of science. (NZC 2007)

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Through Science, Albany students will develop an understanding of the world, built on scientific theories. Students learn that Science follows a scientific process, uses their current scientific knowledge and skills to hypothesise, problem solve, organise knowledge, evaluate and further develop their knowledge about scientific concepts.

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The Science curriculum is broken into four strands with an overarching umbrella term that looks at scientific nature and process to encapsulate all of them:

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• The nature of science strand is the overarching, unifying strand. Through it, students learn what science is and how scientists work. They develop the skills, attitudes, and values to build a foundation for understanding the world.

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• The living world strand is about living things and how they interact with each other and the environment. Students develop an understanding of the diversity of life and life processes, of where and how life has evolved, of evolution as the link between life processes and ecology, and of the impact of humans on all forms of life.
• The planet earth and beyond strand is about the interconnecting systems and processes of the Earth, the other parts of the solar system, and the universe beyond. Students also learn that Earth provides all the resources required to sustain life except energy from the Sun, and that, as humans, we act as guardians of these finite resources.
• The physical world strand provides explanations for a wide range of physical phenomena, including light, sound, heat, electricity, magnetism, waves, forces, and motion, united by the concept of energy, which is transformed from one form to another without loss.
• The material world strand involves the study of matter and the changes it undergoes. In their study of chemistry, students develop understandings of the composition and properties of matter, the changes it undergoes, and the energy involved. (NZC 2007)

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The science learning area in the New Zealand Curriculum promotes the idea of developing citizenship capabilities. Students (citizens) need to be ready, willing, and able to use their science knowledge. This means dispositions are important. What does this mean for teaching and learning? (Source)

Social Sciences and Aotearoa New Zealand’s Histories

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What and why study Social Science?

The social sciences learning area is about how societies work and how people can participate as critical, active, informed, and responsible citizens. Contexts are drawn from the past, present, and future and from places within and beyond New Zealand.

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Through the social sciences, students develop the knowledge and skills to enable them to: better understand, participate in, and contribute to the local, national, and global communities in which they live and work; engage critically with societal issues; and evaluate the sustainability of alternative social, economic, political, and environmental practices.

Aotearoa New Zealand’s histories

From 2022, Aotearoa New Zealand’s histories will be taught in all schools and kura.

It is part of the social sciences learning area because it encourages learners to be critical citizens – learning about the past to understand the present and prepare for the future.

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There are three elements to the curriculum content: UNDERSTAND, KNOW, and DO. It is structured this way to help teachers design learning experiences that weave these elements together so that student learning is deep and meaningful.

Local History and Albany’s past

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Connecting to the stories of our area

Albany remains an unusual ‘iwi-less’ area. Known historically as a trading route for flax traders, the history of Albany as a settlement only truly began to form post colonisation.

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“There is little record of Maori occupation in the area before the arrival of Pakeha settlers. The Māori name for the place is believed to be Kaipātiki, meaning ‘to eat flounder, or the feeding ground of the Flounder’. A small pā is recorded on the bank to the north of Lucas Creek and it is likely that local Maori relied on the creek as a source of eel, trout, crayfish and flounder.” (North Shore Thematic Review, Vol 2 Ch 6)

At APS, connecting with all forms of history and supporting students to see how their own culture has become part of the local stories remains a fundamental part of our local curriculum journey.

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Students are encouraged to explore their own timeline and beyond, understanding both Māori and Pākeha stories of the past from the perspective of kaitiakitanga and Manaakitanga.

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We strongly encourage criticality as students explore the timeline of our region and understand the perspective and culture specific to different time periods.

As part of their localised experience, we encourage students to find unity (kotahitanga) in diversity. Students and staff at APS represent in excess of 40 different countries and regions from across the globe. What links us all is that we are all manuhiri (visitors), but joined by our sense of belonging and connection to our school.

Ko te manu e kai ana i te miro, nōna te ngahere Ko te manu e kai ana i te mātauranga, nōna te ao.

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The bird that partakes of the miro berry owns the forest; the bird that partakes of education owns the world.

Much of the localised and recorded history of Albany could be classed as post-war modern history (1950s onwards). More information can initially be unpacked within the North Shore Thematic Review here

Technology

Technology is intervention by design. To intervene by design, students have to experience learning across all three strands so that they become designers of successful, fit for purpose outcomes.

(NZC 2007)

Technology (Revised April 2021)

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What is Technology About?

Kaua e rangiruatia te hāpai o te hoe; e kore tō tātou waka e ū ki uta.

Don’t paddle out of unison; or our canoe will never reach the shore.

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Technology is intervention by design. It uses intellectual and practical resources to create technological outcomes, which expand human possibilities by addressing needs and realising opportunities.

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Design is characterised by innovation and adaptation and is at the heart of technological practice. It is informed by critical and creative thinking and specific design processes. Effective and ethical design respects the unique relationship that New Zealanders have with their physical environment and embraces the significance of Māori culture and world views in its practice and innovation.

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Technology makes enterprising use of knowledge, skills and practices for exploration and communication, some specific to areas within technology and some from other disciplines. These include digitally-aided design, programming, software development, various forms of technological modelling, and visual literacy – the ability to make sense of images and the ability to make images that make sense.

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Why Study Technology?

With its focus on design thinking, technology education supports students to be innovative, reflective and critical in designing new models, products, software, systems and tools to benefit people while taking account of their impact on cultural, ethical, environmental and economic conditions.

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The aim is for students to develop broad technological knowledge, practices and dispositions that will equip them to participate in society as informed citizens and provide a platform for technology-related careers. Students learn that technology is the result of human activity by exploring stories and experiences from their heritage, from Aotearoa New Zealand’s rich cultural environment, and from contemporary examples of technology. As they learn in technology, students draw on and further develop the key competencies.

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The three conceptual strands are: Technological Practice, Technological Knowledge and the Nature of Technology. Through these strands students have opportunities within identified contexts to develop understanding of Technology and it‘s specific set of skills, language and understandings, as well as how it fits and works with other learning areas.

Through a range of contexts, students will be encouraged to develop their understandings about people using the Albany Inquiry Model. By following the Inquiry model, students will question, locate, create, organise and record and reflect on their learning journey.

Technology

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Strands

Although the three strands are described separately below, in reality they are almost always integrated in teaching and learning programmes.

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In Technological Practice, students examine the practice of others and undertake their own. They develop a range of outcomes, including concepts, plans, briefs, technological models, and fully realised products or systems. Students investigate issues and existing outcomes and use the understandings gained, together with design principles and approaches, to inform their own practice. They also learn to consider ethics, legal requirements, protocols, codes of practice, and the needs of and potential impacts on stakeholders and the environment.

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Students develop Technological Knowledge particular to technological enterprises and environments and in relation to how and why things work. They learn how functional modelling is used to evaluate design ideas and how prototyping is used to evaluate the fitness for purpose of systems and products as they are developed. An understanding of material properties, uses and development is essential to understanding how and why products work the way they do. Similarly, an understanding of the constituent parts of systems and how these work together is essential to understanding how and why systems operate in the way they do.

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For the Nature of Technology, students develop an understanding of technology as a discipline and of how it differs from other disciplines. They learn to critique the impact of technology on societies and the environment and to explore how developments and outcomes are valued by different peoples in different times. As they do so, they come to appreciate the socially embedded nature of technology and become increasingly able to engage with current and historical issues and to explore future scenarios.

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What’s changed in the technology learning area?

New content with a focus on progression

Two digital technological areas – Computational thinking and Designing and developing digital outcomes – have been added to the technology learning area. These are supported by progress outcomes, exemplars (for curriculum levels 1–5), and snapshots (for levels 6 and above). You can find the progress outcomes, exemplars, and snapshots on Technology Online.

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The inclusion of progress outcomes for digital technologies is the first time learning progressions have been formally introduced into The New Zealand Curriculum. The progress outcomes alert teachers to significant learning for their students as they develop their expertise in digital technologies, learning that mustn’t be left to chance.

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Along with the achievement objectives, the progress outcomes provide a comprehensive picture of what learning looks like across the breadth of technology, while supporting teachers to notice and respond to their students’ progress.

There are now five technological areas

As shown in the diagram, the three strands are the foundation for all five of the technological areas, and they provide the structure for achievement objectives for three of the areas:

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• Designing and developing materials outcomes
• Designing and developing processed outcomes
• Design and visual communication

The strands also underpin progress outcomes for the two digital technological areas:

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• Computational thinking
• Designing and developing digital outcomes

The five technological areas each describe a particular context for learning in technology. However, these contexts seldom exist in isolation.

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Revised technology learning area structure

The following diagram unpacks the components of the technology learning area in relation to The New Zealand Curriculum and a school’s local curriculum.

Digital Technology Learning Area

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Digital technologies

The first two of the five technological areas focus on developing students’ capability to create digital technologies for specific purposes. In years 1–8, these two areas are usually implemented within other curriculum learning areas, integrating technology outcomes with the learning area outcomes. These two areas also significantly contribute to students developing the knowledge and skills they need as digital citizens and as users of digital technologies across the curriculum. They also provide opportunities to further develop their key competencies.

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By the end of year 10, students’ digital technological knowledge and skills enable them to follow a predetermined process to design, develop, store, test and evaluate digital content to address a given issue. Throughout this process, students take into account immediate social and end-user considerations. They can independently decompose a computational problem into an algorithm that they use to create a program incorporating inputs, outputs, sequence, selection and iteration. They understand the role of systems in managing digital devices, security and application software, and they are able to apply file management conventions using a range of storage devices.

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Computational thinking for digital technologies

Computational thinking enables students to express problems and formulate solutions in ways that means a computer (an information processing agent) can be used to solve them.

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In this area, students develop algorithmic thinking skills and an understanding of the computer science principles that underpin all digital technologies. They become aware of what is and isn’t possible with computing, allowing them to make judgments and informed decisions as citizens of the digital world.

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Students learn core programming concepts and how to take advantage of the capabilities of computers, so that they can become creators of digital technologies, not just users. They develop an understanding of how computer data is stored, how all the information within a computer system is presented using digits, and the impact that different data representations have on the nature and use of this information.

Source: University of Toronto

Digital Technology Learning Area

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Designing and developing digital outcomes

In this area, students understand that digital applications and systems are created for humans by humans. They develop increasingly sophisticated understandings and skills for designing and producing quality, fit-for-purpose, digital outcomes. They develop their understanding of the technologies people need in order to locate, analyse, evaluate and present digital information efficiently, effectively and ethically.

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Students become more expert in manipulating and combining data, using information management tools to create an outcome. They become aware of the unique intellectual property issues that arise in digital systems, particularly with approaches to copyright and patents. They also develop understandings of how to build, install, and maintain computers, networks and systems so that they are secure and efficient.

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Students develop knowledge and skills in using different technologies to create digital content for the web, interactive digital platforms and print. They construct digital media outcomes that integrate media types and incorporate original content. They also learn how electronic components and techniques are used to design digital devices and integrated to assemble and test an electronic environment.

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Graphics courtesy of CORE Education and Anne Robertson CC-BY-2.0

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In essence, the aim of the Digital Technologies Hangarau Matihiko curriculum learning area is to inspire and support students as they become discerning creators of outcomes, rather than consumers of knowledge and the outcomes of others.

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Health and PE

In health and physical education, the focus is on the well-being of the students themselves, of other people, and of society through learning in health-related and movement contexts.

(NZC 2007)

Health and Physical Education

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Albany students are empowered to develop a healthy mind body and spirit for the wellbeing of themselves, others and society – focusing on making a difference now and for their futures.

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What is health and physical education about?

In health and physical education, the purpose is to promote the holistic, well-being of the students themselves and how they relate to others and the community. This learning will be undertaken through health-related and movement contexts.

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Four underlying and interdependent concepts are at the heart of this learning area:

• Hauora – A Māori philosophy of well-being that includes the dimensions taha wairua, (spiritual) taha hinengaro, (psychological) taha tinana, (physical), and taha whanau, (family), each one influencing and supporting the others.
• Attitudes and Values – a positive, responsible attitude on the part of students to their own well-being; respect, care, and concern for other people and the environment.
• The socio-ecological perspective – a way of viewing and understanding the interrelationships that exist between the individual, others, and the community.
• Health promotion – a process that helps to develop and maintain supportive physical and emotional environments and that involves students in personal and collective action.

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Why study in this learning area?

Through learning and by accepting challenges in health-related and movement contexts, students reflect on the nature of well-being and how to live a healthy lifestyle. As they develop resilience and a sense of personal and social responsibility, they are increasingly able to take responsibility for themselves and contribute to the well-being of those around them and their communities. This learning area makes a significant contribution to well-being of students beyond the classroom into the future. (NZC 2007)

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As part of our PE and Health delivery, strong links to the Albany School REACH values are made throughout, with learners understanding the connection respect and sportsmanship, excellence as a team and individual and aroha when analysing teamwork and successes. Teachers are actively encouraged to make explicit links to the Key Competencies, as well as wider links across the curriculum and through the inquiry process.

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Health and Physical Education

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How is this learning area structured at Albany Primary School?

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By following the four strands of Health and Physical Education, Albany aims to develop our learners in being engaging and responsible citizens:

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• Personal Health and Physical Development: In which students develop the knowledge, understandings, skills, and attitudes that they need in order to maintain and enhance their personal well-being and physical development.

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• Movement Concepts and Motor Skills: Students develop motor skills, knowledge and understandings about movement by participating in regular physical activity to promote healthy lifestyles in an environment that is enjoyable, skilful and inclusive of the student in a range of contexts (school, outdoor pursuits, sport, physical activity, team events etc.).

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• Relationships with Other People: Students cultivate understandings, skills, and attitudes that enhance their interactions and relationships with others, giving students an understanding of interrelationships that exist between individuals, community and global society.

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• Healthy Communities and Environments: Students contribute to healthy communities and environments by taking responsible and critical action using an inquiry based approach. Have positive and responsible attitudes and values to themselves, others and society.

(NZC 2007)

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The seven key areas of learning are:

Mental health, sexuality education, food and nutrition, body care and physical safety, physical activity, sport studies, and outdoor education.

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All seven key areas are to be included in the teaching and learning programmes at APS at appropriate age level in an authentic, inquiry based learning context.

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Hauora

As part of APS’ commitment to both teacher and learner wellbeing, we regularly undertake learning and implement programmes that focus specifically on supporting wellness and mindfulness. The Southern Cross supported programme Pause Breathe Smile officially rolled out into classrooms in January 2021.

PBS and the key competencies of the New Zealand Curriculum

• Independent thinking: Mindfulness has been shown to increase creativity and independent thinking, and leads to improved knowledge-retention.

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• Using language, symbols & texts: Mindfulness helps students learn how to use language to improve their wellbeing and their relationships with others. It promotes self-reflection, helps students to learn new ways of describing experiences and improves emotional literacy.

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• Relating to others: Mindfulness helps students learn to be less judgmental toward themselves and others, and fosters positive relationships.

• Managing self: Mindfulness cultivates self-awareness and self-regulation. This allows students to manage themselves better by choosing their behaviours based on mindful attentiveness rather than reacting impulsively.

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• Participating & contributing: Mindfulness develops empathy and compassion, making it easier for students to connect with others.

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Albany Expectations for an Effective Health & PE Programme

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Physical Activity (Fitness)

Taught 4 times a week for 15 minutes.

The main aims are to increase awareness of the benefits of physical activity leading a healthy and active lifestyle and to get heart rate up and blood pumping. Teachers are encouraged to become active participants within fitness sessions, modelling the expectation for their learners. Fitness sessions should offer up the opportunity to have all students moving continuously. Some examples of fitness activities could be:

• Jogging on the spot or short shuttle runs
• Planks
• Star jumps
• Fetch and retrieve activities
• Leg raises and high knees

Fitness should not be confused with PE or sport focused activities. It is an opportunity to improve student overall fitness levels by:

• Developing and improving cardiorespiratory efficiency, flexibility, muscular strength, and muscular endurance.
• Building on existing strength, endurance and coordination.
• Understanding the effects of specific exercises through innovative games and activities.
• Feeling the benefits of improved fitness and recognising the ongoing effects of a healthy lifestyle.

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Planned Physical Education Skills:

Year 0: Skill lesson taught once a week for 30 minutes

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Juniors / Middles/Seniors: Skill lesson taught at least once a week for 30 minutes

Skill lessons include the breakdown of specific skills involved with particular physical activity. The skills should be taught in ability groups using the learning phases of discovery, developing and consolidating.

This will be achieved by:

Participating in current specific skill based lessons.

Engage in body control, direct movement and how to apply this to the activity.

Refine existing skills.

Use these skills in individual or modified team games.

Goal setting and reflection.

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Syndicate Sport

Taught once a week for 45 minutes

This provides a time for the children to interact with peers, other classes and teachers. It is an opportunity to apply the skills learnt in skill based lessons in a game situation. It also reinforces positive attitudes, participation, rules of games, sportsmanship and fair play.

This will be achieved by:

• Providing opportunities to develop and use skills in a group situation.
• Provide competition for the purposes of promoting achievement and self-worth, whether in a winning or losing role.
• Understand the rules and etiquette of games – showing sportsmanship.

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Health Education

Health education lessons should be planned to run in conjunction with the physical education programme and woven through the inquiry concept wherever possible. We aim to develop Albany students’ understandings of the factors that influence health and wellbeing, and develop competencies for mental health, food and nutrition, body care and physical safety.

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EOTC

Out of the classroom learning experiences provide students with a range of contexts to develop the key competencies, explore their values and the values of others, and apply learning across the curriculum.

(TKI)

Education Outside the Classroom

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When students are involved in EOTC experiences teachers need to consider their learning needs, and their safety needs.

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An EOTC experience can be ten minutes in the school grounds, a half day visit to the bush, river or local museum. It can be a camping experience, being involved in a hands on project in the school’s grounds or a local reserve, playing sport, performing at a local Kapa Haka competition or dancing in a children’s art festival. It can be the week long kayak down the river or the school trip overseas. Each experience provides students with the opportunity to do and learn new things. (TKI)

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All EOTC activities include appropriate planning, organisation and consent requirements. Though there may be elements of risk involved, these are considered carefully and appropriate plans are put in place to minimise these for any particular activity.

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Prior to any EOTC activity, approval must be sought from the Principal, and then all relevant organisation and preparation documentation completed.

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Why?

We believe that encouraging a range of EOTC experiences at all levels:

• Enriches learning through a variety of well- designed experiences connecting to the learning at school
• Increases students’ knowledge, understanding and appreciation of the school area, local district and other familiar and unfamiliar places
• Develop students skills in observation, recording and organisation promote awareness and responsibility of the environment
• Assist with social development and self confidence in situations that the school environment alone cannot offer
• Help students develop an attitude of responsibility, particularly towards their own safety and that of others
• Provide students with opportunities to work together as a group
• Provide experiences for students that encourage awareness of the values and philosophies of the tangata whenua, and with other cultures within the school community
• Encourage students to challenge themselves and take risks in a safe risk taking environment

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How?

At Albany Primary School there are policies and procedures that align to National Guidelines (these can be found via the staff site and on School Docs), set up to guide the planning and implementation of all EOTC activities (including camp). These are designed to promote thorough pre planning that will result in safe and effective events that are centred in great learning for the children.

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Consideration is given to children with behavioural or learning Special needs and provisions are set in place prior to the event. These are also checked by the SENCO (Special Education Needs Coordinator) as appropriate. EOTC organisation takes into account inclusive practice and teachers are encouraged to use multiple lenses to ascertain all levels of access for all learners. Students with specific physical needs that may affect their involvement and enjoyment, are identified in advance and catered for directly through staff support.

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All school health and safety policies apply to EOTC activities. All appropriate resources, documentation and processes are stored and accessible through the schools digital system.

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What?

Education Outside the Classroom (EOTC) activities are all events that occur outside the classroom, including curriculum, sport and cultural activities. We include opportunities for students to experience authentic learning activities out of the school environment, to enhance the classroom learning program.

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At Albany Primary School overnight camps at; MERC, Peter Snell Youth Village, and Carey Park Camp are supported by our community, Board of Trustees and Principal for Middle and Senior schools, annually.

The Arts

The arts are powerful forms of expression that recognise, value, and contribute to the unique bicultural and multicultural character of Aotearoa New Zealand, enriching the lives of all New Zealanders.

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(NZC)

The Arts

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Te toi whakairo, ka ihiihi, ka wehiwehi, ka aweawe te ao katoa.

Artistic Excellence makes the world sit up in wonder

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The arts have their own distinct languages that use both verbal and non-verbal conventions, mediated by selected processes and technologies. Through movement, sound, and image, the arts transform people’s creative ideas into expressive works that communicate layered meanings. (NZC)

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The Arts encompasses four strands:

• Dance
• Drama
• Music/Sound
• Visual Art

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Why study the arts?

Arts education explores, challenges, affirms, and celebrates unique artistic expressions of self, community, and culture. It embraces toi Māori, valuing the forms and practices of customary and contemporary Māori performing, musical, and visual arts. At Albany Primary we focus on delivering culturally appropriate performance and artwork that explores identity and belonging through a Māori world view.

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Learning in, through, and about the arts stimulates creative action and response by engaging and connecting thinking, imagination, senses, and feelings. By participating in the arts, students’ personal well-being is enhanced. As students express and interpret ideas within creative, aesthetic, and technological frameworks, their confidence to take risks is increased. Specialist studies enable students to contribute their vision, abilities, and energies to arts initiatives and creative industries. (TKI)

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How are The Arts organised at Albany Primary School?

At Albany Primary, The Arts are integrated using relevant, contextual, learning experiences through the school Inquiry model. At times, standalone experiences are provided for students to experience wider variety, with classroom programmes used to support new learning and performances, both pre and post experience.

The four disciplines: Dance, Drama, Music/Sound and Visual Art are underpinned by the following four strands;

• Understanding the arts in context
• Developing Practical Knowledge
• Developing Ideas
• Communicating and Interpreting

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Each discipline will be covered over the course of each year. Coverage of the strands will be ensured through end of term reflection and backward coverage mapping. Teachers are encouraged to reflect regularly on events that have become part of their annual cycle, continually questioning relevance and need. At time of writing, music is taught via specialist teachers during CRT blocks. Planning for this is written in conjunction with syndicate teams and wider inquiry is woven throughout.

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What does an effective Arts program look like at Albany?

At Albany we value the arts as an important aspect of our Albany School Curriculum and daily school life. Visual Art, Music/Sound, and Dance and Drama will be covered in a range of different forms that reflect our diverse learners and follow our inquiry cycle.

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Learners will discover different aspects of The Arts by following their own wonderings and using different mediums to communicate and convey their ideas. We continue to encourage the community to share their culturally significant performances and arts based traditions. It is our long term intention to develop performance events that cater to the diversity and traditions within our learners, engage the community in an inclusive space that promotes belonging and showcases different aspects of performance and The Arts.

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Extra-curricular activities at Albany include; Kapa Haka, Glee, Albany Idol and every student has the opportunity to perform at the end of year prizegiving. Students can also opt in to guitar, piano and ukulele lessons with external providers during school time. These are usually at an additional cost to parents and caregivers.

The Arts

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What does an effective program look like?

An effective arts program covers all aspects of The Arts across the year, responding to students needs and wonderings.

To ensure coverage, teams are encouraged to reflect together regularly and track achievement objectives against the NZC. For achievement objectives according to specific curriculum level refer to the NZC.

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TKI hosts multiple resources and templates here.

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What does an effective lesson look like?

An effective lesson should follow the Albany Inquiry cycle and include an ignition to engage learners. It should explicitly focus on the teaching of skills and provide opportunities for students to create, reflect on and revisit their form of art. The Arts, at its core, is about students creating their own version of the Art form they are learning about.

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Ko Toi te uri o Mahara Pòhewa.

Art is the child of Imagination.

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Literacies in the Arts

Literacies in the arts involve the ability to communicate and interpret meaning in the arts disciplines. We develop literacies in dance, drama, music, and the visual arts as we acquire skills, knowledge, attitudes, and understanding in the disciplines and use their particular visual, auditory, and kinaesthetic signs and symbols to convey and receive meaning. For the purposes of this curriculum, developing literacies has been adopted as a central and unifying idea. Students develop literacy in each discipline as they:

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• explore and use its elements, conventions, processes, techniques, and technologies;
• draw on a variety of sources of motivation to develop ideas and make art works;
• present and respond to art works, developing skills in conveying and interpreting meaning;
• investigate the discipline and art works in relation to their social and cultural contexts.

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These aims will be achieved as students develop skills, knowledge, attitudes, and understanding in a broad range of traditional and contemporary art forms of New Zealand and international cultures. Students will:

• develop practical knowledge in the arts, exploring and using the elements, conventions, processes, techniques, and technologies of each arts discipline;
• develop ideas in the arts, individually and collectively, drawing on a variety of sources of motivation to make art works;
• communicate and interpret meaning in the arts, presenting and responding to a wide range of art works;
• understand the arts in context, investigating art works and the arts in relation to their social and cultural settings.

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Learning Languages

Languages are inseparably linked to the social and cultural contexts in which they are used. Languages and cultures play a key role in developing our personal, group, national, and human identities. Every language has its own way of expressing meanings; each has intrinsic value and special significance for its users.

(NZC)

Te Reo Mandarin NZSL

Learning Languages

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Ko tōu reo, ko tōku reo, te tuakiri tangata. Tīhei uriuri, tīhei nakonako

'Your voice and my voice are expressions of identity. May our descendants live on and our hopes be fulfilled.'

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What is Learning Languages about?

Learning a new language provides a means of communicating with people from another culture and exploring one’s own personal world.

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Languages are inseparably linked to the social and cultural contexts in which they are used. Languages and cultures play a key role in developing our personal, group, national, and human identities. Every language has its own ways of expressing meanings; each has intrinsic value and special significance for its users.

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This learning area provides the framework for the teaching and learning of languages that are additional to the language of instruction. Level 1 of the curriculum is the entry level for students with no prior knowledge of the language being learned, regardless of their school year. (NZC)

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Why study a Language?

Languages link people locally and globally. All forms of language link us to the past and give us access to new and different thoughts, beliefs, cultural practices and world views in relation to our own. At Albany Primary we embrace and encourage the use of languages other than English it it supports student learning and the understanding of a concept. If a student is able to think and speak English as well as their different first language, they are statistically more likely to achieve more.

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Learning a new language extends students linguistic and cultural understanding and their ability to interact appropriately with other speakers. Interaction in a new language introduces them to new ways of thinking about questioning, and interpreting the world and their place in it. Students acquire knowledge, skills and attitudes that equip them for living in a world of diverse peoples, languages and cultures. Learning a language(s) helps people understand their own language and culture

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How is Learning Languages area structured?

In the New Zealand Curriculum, learning languages is structured around one core strand and two supporting strands. In the core Communication strand students learn to use the language to make meaning. In the supporting Language Knowledge strand students study the language and how it works. In the second supporting strand Cultural Knowledge students learn about the interrelationship between culture and language.

New Zealand Sign Language (NZSL) is included in Language and Languages, an essential learning area in The New Zealand Curriculum Framework. These curriculum guidelines strengthen the following statement:

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“All students benefit from learning another language from the earliest practicable age. Such learning broadens students’ general language abilities and brings their own language into sharper focusn.” (The New Zealand Curriculum Framework, page 10)

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At APS, we ensure NZSL curriculum guidelines embody the principles, attitudes, values, and essential skills relevant to the learning and teaching of NZSL and reflect the importance of this language, which is unique to New Zealand.

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Te Reo Māori

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Our language and culture are taonga. Our

children are taonga. The teachers of te reo Māori

are also taonga because they are helping to secure

the future of te reo Māori as a living, dynamic, and

rich language. (NZC)

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Te reo Māori is included in learning languages, which is one of the eight learning areas in The New Zealand Curriculum (Ministry of Education, 2007). This learning area “provides the framework for the teaching and learning of languages that are additional to the language of instruction” (The New Zealand Curriculum, page 24). It emphasises the inseparable links between language, culture, and identity. As students learn te

reo Māori, they also deepen their knowledge and understanding of tikanga Māori and develop their own personal, group, and national identities

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What is Te Reo Maori about?

Te Reo Maori is an official language of New Zealand. It sits within the Te Reo Māori area of the Learning Languages learning area of the New Zealand Curriculum. Te Reo Maori is indigenous to Aotearoa New Zealand. It is a taonga recognised under the Treaty of Waitangi, a primary source of our nation’s self-knowledge and identity.

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Why do we study Te Reo Maori?

As our students learn Te Reo, they deepen their knowledge and understanding of tikanga Maori (customs and traditional values) and develop their own personal, group and national identities. All who learn Te reo Māori help to secure its future as a living, dynamic, and rich language. It stretches learners cognitively, enabling them to think in different ways and preparing them for leadership. As they learn, they come to appreciate that diversity is a key to unity.

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How is Te Reo Maori taught at Albany Primary School?

Teachers identify the knowledge and understanding already evident within their classroom. The teacher builds on this knowledge throughout their classroom programme. Te Reo is used regularly throughout the day by both the teacher and learners. At Albany Primary we actively encourage a bilingual approach to teaching and learning, recognising that Te Reo is often the third language for many of our learners to begin to understand and use.

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Te whakapakari i ngā pūkenga matua

Developing the key competencies

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The New Zealand Curriculum identifies five key competencies that people need in order to participate successfully in the community. They are: thinking; using language, symbols, and texts; managing self; relating to others; and participating and contributing.

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Students who are learning te reo Māori develop these competencies as they participate in meaningful social interaction. The competencies develop in a holistic way throughout the learning process. For example, as students negotiate the meaning of language, symbols, and texts in te reo Māori, they use metacognitive processes to think about what they are learning and to manage the learning process. They interact with their teacher and fellow students, learning to use language to relate effectively to other people in a context of care and respect. As they learn, they participate in a community of learners, and they enhance their ability to contribute to the wider community. Their self-management skills develop as they actively seek opportunities to practise their language beyond the classroom and as they become more aware of the assumptions that are part of their own cultural identities. Teachers may like to consider exploring Māori concepts such as tātaritanga, rangatiratanga, whakawhanaungatanga, whaiwāhitanga, and manaakitanga with their students. It is useful to relate such learning to real-life stories about actual people to illustrate the power of these qualities and competencies. (TKI)

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Ngā hua o te ako i te reo Māori

The benefits of learning te reo Māori

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Research shows that the opportunity to learn an additional language has many cultural, social, cognitive, linguistic, economic, and personal benefits for students. While these benefits apply to all language learning, there are some specific advantages for New Zealand students in learning te reo Māori. (TKI)

Whānau Week

Whānau week is held bi-annually as a focus week for Te Reo (the language) and Tikanga Māori (the culture). During this week classes are split into whānau groups (roopu) each afternoon, and programmes specifically focus on the teaching and use of Te Reo, including legends, art, music and other aspects of the culture. Whānau are encouraged to support teachers and share their talents with the children. Each afternoon a hui is held so that children can experience sharing their mihi and their learning with the whole school.

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The school also competes in the Māori Language awards, each year focusing on a different aspect (e.g. using Te Reo at home, using kai to share aspects of the language and culture).

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Meeting the Standards for the Teaching Profession

At APS we continue to focus on bi-cultural NZ as a lens for curriculum delivery and in support of all of our teachers continuing to develop their practice.

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Tīkanga Māori

Alongside formal pōwhiri for new students and whānau, teachers and learners are encouraged to take part on Kapa Haka and embed Te Reo REACH values into their programme. As a whole school, we are beginning to explore and develop our own karakia to welcome people to each day and reaffirm our whole school values through a Māori lens.

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E te whānau,

To our family

Whāia te mātauranga me te mārama

Seek knowledge for understanding

Whāia te whakaute me te kairangi

Seek respect and excellence

Aroha atu aroha mai

Love for others and yourself

Whakamahi te auahatanga me ngākaupono

Use creativity and honesty

Tau mai te mauri

Come great energy

Haumi e, hui e, tāiki e!

Join together it is done!

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New Zealand is an increasingly multicultural nation, and Te Tiriti o Waitangi is inclusive of today’s new settlers. As

with earlier immigrants, their ‘place to stand’ comes with an expectation that they will live here in a way that respects the commitments of Te Tiriti o Waitangi and the position of Māori as tangata whenua.

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As teachers, we are committed to honouring Te Tiriti o Waitangi and we understand this has implications in all of our practice.

(Education Council: Our Code, Our Standards)

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Mandarin Language Learning

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What is the purpose of Mandarin in the school ?

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To provide a means of communication with people from another culture which helps to build understanding of not just the language but the culture as well. It also helps to explore one’s own personal world.

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2017 - 2019 Mandarin Language Assistant (MLA)

In 2017 we were able to have a MLA in our school to help our children learn Mandarin. This continued for two further years. The Mandarin Institute previously supported Albany school with learning Mandarin by offering MLA’s to them annually. This is an area of curriculum that is currently under review and remains very important to all stakeholders within the Albany community.

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Achievement objectives for levels 1 and 2

• a short introduction;
• examples of texts that could be used at that level;
• an analysis of each text in terms of how it enables learners to address the achievement objectives.

Teachers can also select from a range of text types, forms, and media when planning text-based language learning activities for students.

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Levels 1 and 2

At these levels, students can understand and use familiar expressions and everyday vocabulary. They can interact in a simple way in supported situations.

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Levels 1 and 2

Achievement Objectives and Examples:

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At these levels, students can understand and use familiar expressions and everyday vocabulary. They can interact in a simple way in supported situations

Communication at these levels means that, in selected linguistic and sociocultural contexts, students will:

• receive and produce information;
• produce and respond to questions and requests;
• show social awareness when interacting with others.

Language Knowledge and Cultural Knowledge at these levels means that, in selected linguistic and sociocultural contexts, students will:

• recognise that Chinese is organised in particular ways;
• make connections with their own language(s);
• recognise that Chinese cultures are organised in particular ways;
• make connections with known culture(s). (Retrieved TKI May 2021)

New Zealand Chinese Language Week

New Zealand Chinese Language Week is an initiative aimed at encouraging New Zealanders to discover Chinese language and culture. Mandarin Chinese is the most widely-spoken language in the world and the number of people in the world learning Chinese is on the increase.

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In the 2018 New Zealand census, 247 770 people identified as being part of the Chinese ethnic group, an increase of 76 359 people since the 2013 census. New Zealand Chinese Language Week celebrates the identity, language, and culture of students of Chinese descent, supporting this group of learners to engage, feel a sense of inclusion, and achieve success.

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Learning a new language gives us insight into new ways of thinking, and into different beliefs and cultural practices. New Zealand Chinese Language Week helps all New Zealanders journey towards shared cultural understandings. (TKI 2021)

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New Zealand Sign Language and Inclusive Education

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About New Zealand Sign Language

New Zealand Sign Language is an official and unique language of New Zealand. It is the language of New Zealand's Deaf community. Like other signed languages, NZSL uses the hands, the body, and facial expressions (including lip patterns) to express meaning. NZSL has its own grammatical structure and ways of expressing ideas.

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The New Zealand Curriculum recognises that New Zealand needs more people who are fluent users of NZSL. By learning NZSL, hearing students are able to communicate with their Deaf peers and participate in the Deaf community. Skilled communicators may find career opportunities that involve working with Deaf people. (TKI retrieved 2021)

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At Albany Primary School, we recognise NZSL as an official language of Aotearoa, New Zealand, and look for opportunities to incorporate its use within our everyday teaching and learning. More recent examples of this include NZSL representations within some of our signage and materials to complement the school values.

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We are committed to being a part of NZ Sign Language Week, celebrated in the month of May each year.

Curriculum connections

New Zealand Sign Language Week provides an opportunity for schools to reflect on the inclusion principle and explore the values of diversity and respect. Students

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who learn New Zealand Sign Language can make use of key competencies, especially using language, symbols, and text and relating to others. They can also achieve learning outcomes described in the learning languages learning area.

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Inclusive Education

Inclusive education is where all students are engaged in their learning and achieve by being present, participating, and belonging. This includes students of all abilities, cultures, races and ethnicities, religious beliefs, gender identities, sexual orientations, neurodiversity, ages, and socio-economic status.

At Albany Primary School, we value inclusive education and aim to provide our students with an environment and education that respects their dignity and individuality, and that challenges them to achieve personal standards and reach their full potential. We aim to instill an appreciation of:

• the importance of the inclusion of different groups and persons with different personal characteristics
• diversity, cultural knowledge, identity, and the different official languages
• te Tiriti o Waitangi and te reo Māori.

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Promoting inclusion

At Albany Primary School, we:

• model and promote inclusive behaviour, language, concepts, and values at school
• work to confront and eliminate racism, discrimination, and stigma in education
• do not tolerate any bullying or harassment
• acknowledge and celebrate the diversity of our students and staff
• avoid cultural bias
• aim to have a board and staff that is gender-balanced and reflects the ethnic and socio-economic diversity and character of our school community
• support staff seeking professional development with a focus on inclusion and diversity.

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ECO Statement and ECO Education

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Eco education at Albany is integrated into all areas of our Curriculum. We are continually investigating and trialling ways to:

• Enhance the physical environment of the school for the wellbeing of students, staff and community.
• Deepen student engagement and learning outcomes in many curriculum areas through inquiry and eco-friendly initiatives.
• Promote better environmental practices and care for our environment (refer page 10 of the NZ Curriculum Values, ‘Ecological Sustainability’).
• Engage our school and wider community through shared eco-friendly activities and opportunities.

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At Albany Primary we:

• Nurture and encourage children's curiosity, wonderment of natural processes through authentic inquiry and extra-curricular activities.
• Provide authentic opportunities for children to learn more about, and participate in various eco practices through authentic school inquiry, personal inquiry and extra-curricular activities (e.g. Green Grubs Garden Club, Trees for Survival, school recycling initiatives and class environmental responsibilities).
• Model good environmental practices (e.g. school recycling initiatives, worm farms, composting and caring for native plants, animals and ecosystems).
• Support staff with information/materials for inquiry into environmental/ecological practices, and class environmental responsibilities.

Green Grubs Garden Club

Green Grubs Garden Club is open to students from all year levels and allows students access to the School vegetable gardens where they have an opportunity to be involved in planting, cultivating and harvesting plants. Additional excursion for seniors during the year includes planting out seedlings as part of the Trees for Survival initiative.

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• allocate watering and weeding teams
• Involve the whole class in pricking out and potting on.
• Make the planting day something to really look forward to.
• It is best that the teaching curriculum is completed in one year and a planting day planned annually.

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Trees for Survival

Albany Primary School is part of the Auckland ‘Trees For Survival’ project. While in school, we prepare seedlings and potting plants, to be planted in locations to preserve our waterways.

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As part of our project, we organise a ‘planting day’ at a farm in Wainui. During the day the children work with the project leaders and learn about why we are replanting native plants to help to preserve our waterways. The children help to plant the seedlings that they have nurtured throughout the year. It is a wonderful opportunity for children to learn about their wider environment.

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Trees for Survival is a charitable trust which works with schools and local communities to grow and plant native trees along waterways and on erosion prone hillsides. Our environmental education programme provides an opportunity for school children to make a practical difference to their environment as well as learn about conservation, revegetation, wetland restoration and protecting stream quality.

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Growing trees requires ongoing attention – there are lots of opportunities to involve students:

Gifted Education

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NAG 1 (iii) (iv)

• At Albany School we aim to recognise, identify and provide for children who perform or have the potential to perform well above their peers in a particular field.

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Gifted children at Albany Primary School are those who demonstrate or appear to have the potential to perform and achieve in one or more fields well above their peer group. This may be in their general ability or within a specific area where they demonstrate exceptional flair or performance.

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We aim to recognise a broad range of gifted children and through the development of a range of programmes, offer opportunities to stretch and enrich their development while maintaining a high level of motivation. We acknowledge that we cannot cater for all abilities but will endeavour to cover a variety of programmes as is feasible for our school at any given time within the constraints of resources, finance, and available expertise. The school may annually set priorities for specific programmes based on:

• Need ( as identified through the data),

• Resources,

• Staff expertise,

• Budget,

• School focus.

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At the same time the school will promote and encourage all teachers to cater in some way for the children with exceptional ability in the classroom through differentiating the curriculum. Opportunities will be given to staff to upskill in this area as is feasible and within the context of whole school Professional Development.

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Principles and Practices

The indicators of quality in provisions for gifted and talented students have been outlined by Maker (1993) as follows:

• Appropriate: differentiated provisions match to individual differences in gifted and talented students.
• Articulated: long-term, monitored, and comprehensive planning.
• Clear: clarity of all interrelated elements of the programme which is regularly and openly communicated and shared with stakeholders.
• Consistent: reflects philosophy of programme context (e.g., school) and demonstrates interrelationships amongst programme components.
• Comprehensive: utilises a continuum of approaches which will meet cognitive, affective, physical, social, emotional, and cultural needs.
• Responsive: flexibility of programme based upon ongoing evaluation.
• Unique: driven by uniqueness of individual gifted and talented students and fitted to his or her needs.
• Valid: based upon theory and research-driven models, strategies, and so on, and continually evaluated for effectiveness.

Children With Neurodiverse Needs

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What does an effective support programme look like and sound like for diverse learners at Albany Primary School?

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An effective support programme at APS will match the needs of the individual. The government stance on providing additional support for our diverse learners is devised on the premise of ‘Success for All' which is about schools getting ready for all children, whatever their needs. Everyone in education needs to make sure that each and every child is entitled a positive learning experience - including those with special education needs. Furthermore, Albany Primary School is an inclusive school where all children and young people are engaged and achieve through being present, participating, learning and belonging. Diversity is respected and upheld. Students’ identities, languages, abilities, and talents are recognised and affirmed and their learning needs are addressed.

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Provision of support for diverse learners at Albany Primary School

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Currently at our school we operate systems that offer an additional level of various support programmes based on the needs of the child, either in a learning and/or behaviour, or in a health capacity. For the process of identification, our school adopts two approaches of monitoring. One approach is called Children Causing Concern or (CCC) students, the other approach is Children with Special Needs (CWSN) students. We follow a tracking system of monitoring each child’s progress demonstrated through the flow chart (see on next page) to aid in applying ongoing, flexible and inclusive level of provision for our diverse learners. Equally we utilise other processes, externally in early identification:-

• Transition to school process between Early Childhood centres and Albany Primary School. Visits and Open Days for pre-school children to experience the school environment.
• Ministry of Education Early Childcare Educator (ECE) Lead workers when a referral for support has been accessed by Early Childhood centres. Support in transition to school process.
• Parent Identification in consultation with the school
• Teacher identification with supporting evidence, observations & parent consultation.
• An Individual Education or Behaviour plan (IEP, IBP) are implemented when a child has progressed through our tracking system and requires access to additional specialist support beyond that of what the school is able to provide.
• Specialist support agencies can include but are not limited to; Speech Language Therapists (SLT) Occupational Therapists (OT) Resource Teachers of Learning and Behaviour (RTLB) Ongoing Resource Scheme (ORS) High Health Needs (HHN)

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What does in class support look like for diverse learners at Albany Primary School?

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• Differentiation of curriculum subjects. This means that the Teacher acknowledges and plans for the different learning stages in literacy, numeracy and other topic themes that children with diverse learning needs require.
• In class Teacher Aides can provide specific progamme support for small groups and sometimes individuals based on a case by case scenario.

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Assessment considerations for diverse learners at Albany Primary School

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Most students in NZ are measured against National Standards in both literacy and numeracy. However, in some cases, for students who have diverse learning needs and have accessed external funding support, either through the Ongoing Resource Scheme (ORS) or Resource Teacher of Learning and Behaviour (RTLB) or High Health Needs (HHN), these students are monitored through the Individual Education and/or Behaviour Plan process and through this system of monitoring can form the basis of a narrative report of a child’s level of progress, whilst being recorded in the IEP/or IBP.

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English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL)

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Key Statement

“In an increasingly multi-cultural Aotearoa New Zealand, teachers need to be aware of and respect the languages, heritages and cultures of all akonga” (NZC). English Language learners come from a variety of backgrounds and countries. As teachers we need to provide scaffolding for our English Language Learners (ELL) in authentic and meaningful contexts that caters for individual needs to enable them to access the New Zealand Curriculum at year appropriate levels as soon as possible.

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Definition of English Language Learner

An English Language Learner has English as a second or other language. The home language/s that are spoken are identified on enrolment at school by the ESOL teacher or class teacher. These may include:

• NZ-born students – including Pasifika
• students from migrant backgrounds – including Pasifika
• students from refugee backgrounds
• Māori and Pasifika students in bilingual education settings or transitioning into English medium schools
• international fee paying students

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Expectations

Our teachers will get to know their English Language learners by:

• Identifying their home language and the family unit in New Zealand
• Learning about a student’s culture and home background
• Building relationships with them and their families

The relationship with the ESOL teacher, ELA’s and class teacher fosters opportunities for pastoral care. All of which help to provide an understanding of the student and support for individual needs.

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ESOL Programme at Albany Primary School

Delivery of the ESOL programme occurs in two ways:

The ESOL teacher works in a withdrawal situation with small groups of students based on the student’s oral language ability. These students are identified as working at Foundation and Stage 1 of the English Language Learning Progressions (ELLP).

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We also provide English Language Assistants (ELA’s) to support ELL’s within the classroom programme.

ESOL withdrawal lessons provide a supportive, interactive and comprehensive learning programme to:

• Develop oral language for communication, social and academic needs
• Literacy development across the four modes, speaking, listening, reading and writing.
• Development of self- confidence, motivation, perseverance, resilience e.t.c.

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Organisation

• The ESOL and ELA programmes and groupings are flexible and support classroom learning
• ESOL planning is informed by syndicate planning along with the use of ELLP (English Language Learning Progressions) ELIP (English Language Intensive Programme) and SELLIP’s, (Supporting English Language Learning in Primary schools) which are all MOE supporting documents.

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The following can change depending on student needs;

• The ESOL teacher withdraws students needing the most support to work in the ESOL classroom.
• ELA’s provide in-class support where the teachers and ESOL teacher are responsible for the support given.
• ELA’s may support language learners to carry out specific tasks, support individual children at their desks, take small reading/writing/.discussion groups or implement specific programmes supplied by the teachers.
• Provide support in particular areas (such as language functions and grammar) under the guidance of the classroom and/or ESOL teacher

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Tracking Identified students:

Once identified, students are entered onto the student manager system and develop and on-going ESOL profile.

The information that is tracked is from the ELLP funding forms. Four areas are detailed: speaking, listening, reading and writing.

ESOL students are assessed against MOE guidelines twice a year in December and June.

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Digital copies are available to inform and support teachers planning re the needs of students and can be updated when appropriate. ESOL students are assessed using the normal school assessment guidelines for reading ,writing and other curriculum areas in their classes by their teachers and participate in standardised testing where appropriate.

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Reporting using the ELLP’s (TBC)

In years 1-4 students working within the Foundation and Stage 1 of the ELLP’s may be tracked and monitored and have their progress reported to parents, using the progressions and National Standards for a period of up to two years.

In years 5-6 students working within the Foundation and Stage 1 or Stage 2 of the ELLP’s may be tracked and monitored and have their progress reported to parents, using the progressions and National Standards for a period of up to three years.

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The periods of up to two years (years 1-4) and up to three years (years 5-6) commence from the time a students is enrolled in English medium education in New Zealand.

Resources

• Resources are located in the ESOL room. Classroom teachers may borrow these for classroom use. Please ask the ESOL teacher if you are interested in using them.
• Copies of the MOE documents; ELIP, ELLP and SELLIP are located in the resource room and can be accessioned to you by the resource manager.
• Other resources can be accessed online, through the school APS teacher site.
• Websites- TKI, ESOL online can be used to support teachers’ programmes beyond what is available in school.

Supplementary Support

• Letters can be translated when requested
• Teachers are encouraged to identify “translator buddies’ to help support new arrivals to school if required.
• Parent meetings and morning teas
• Ministry support personnel

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