Embracing Our Rural Roots
Kaurihohore School is a rural school that, despite its growth in recent years, continues to maintain a small school atmosphere. Our enrolment fluctuates between 170 and 210 students annually, reflecting our commitment to providing a close-knit community feel. We take immense pride in our Kaurihohore Kids, who consistently excel in various fields after leaving our kura.
Core Values: Empathy, Respect, Kindness, and Citizenship
At the heart of our educational philosophy are the values of empathy, respect, kindness, and citizenship. We view citizenship as the embodiment of these three values in action. Our aim is to foster these values through strong relationships and a deep understanding of each child. This foundation supports our mission to nurture students who are:
Creative and Innovative: Encouraged to think outside the box.
Supportive Peers: Standing up against bullying and supporting each other.
Self-Driven Learners: Embracing challenges and learning from mistakes.
Responsible Risk Takers: Resilient and quick to recover from difficult situations.
Outdoor Learning and Small Class Sizes
Our school environment maximises outdoor learning opportunities, allowing students to engage with nature and benefit from experiential learning. We believe that small class sizes lead to better educational outcomes, and we strive to keep senior classes below 26 students and junior classes below 24. Our new entrant room is staffed with two teachers to begin the year to provide a nurturing environment.
Committed Staff and Board of Trustees
Our dedicated and dynamic staff work tirelessly to meet the needs of each child, supported by our Board of Trustees (BOT) who partially funds an additional teacher. This initiative ensures that we can maintain small class sizes and a quality educational experience.
Learning through Inquiry and Play
In our curriculum, we employ dramatic inquiry with a focus on local knowledge and stories. This approach helps build background knowledge, which is crucial for literacy progress. We also have a knowledge spine which teachers use to guide teaching, this knowledge allows children to build rich understandings and vocabulary. We offer structured literacy and numeracy programmes, ensuring children develop a strong foundation in these key areas. Our junior rooms incorporate play-based learning, respecting developmental stages and fostering individual growth. Teachers have an understanding of the principles of learning and teaching and use these to create effective classroom programmes.
Junior class rooms Year 1 - 3 are device free. Year 4 - 6 use devices as relevant to the focus of the class learning.
Citizenship and Emotional Learning
Citizenship education is a priority at Kaurihohore, equipping children with the skills necessary for future success. We teach respect, empathy, and kindness, emphasising emotional learning through frameworks like Pause Breathe Smile, Little Spot of Feelings, and Zones of Regulation. Our goal is to help students self-manage and regulate their emotions.
Environmental Responsibility and Wellbeing
As a zero waste school, we instil environmental stewardship in our students, empowering them to protect and preserve their surroundings. Our approach to wellbeing includes active bullying prevention and teaching key ideas for healthy life skills.
Physical Education and Sports Opportunities
We value Physical Education and provide numerous sports opportunities. Our facilities include a bike track, swimming pool, and a small turf. We run a sports academy for Year 5-6 students, offering diverse sports experiences delivered by external coaches. Our school supports netball, hockey, basketball teams, and encourages participation in local soccer clubs.
Playground and Restorative Practices
Our playground approach fosters inter-age play without strict rules, encouraging problem-solving through school values. As a restorative practice school, we provide children with opportunities to own, fix, and learn from their mistakes. We integrate emotional regulation strategies to help students develop self-management skills.
Student Voice and Whānau Engagement
We believe in the importance of student voice and actively incorporate it into our classrooms. We recognise the vital role whānau play in a child's education and strive to engage, involve, and communicate with families in various ways.
Pillars of Learning and School Motto
Our educational framework is built on the pillars of learning: Learning to do, Learning to learn, Learning to live together, and Learning to be. Our school motto, "Enthusiasm and Values for Life Through Learning," encapsulates our commitment to nurturing students with values and dispositions for success. Our guiding principle, "Mā te huruhuru ka rere te manu" ("Adorn this bird with feathers that enable it to fly"), reflects our goal to equip children with the values necessary for their success.
Commitment to Individualised Education
We believe all schools should be trauma-aware, neurodiverse affirming, and developmentally responsive. Our philosophy is that children do well if they can, and we reject the one-size-fits-all approach, instead embracing the concept that "one size fits one."
No comments:
Post a Comment