Our Classes

 

Pākuratahi

Our New Entrant/Year 1 class is situated in Room 4, right next to the admin area, behind the pink door. As education in New Zealand has shifted to a more structured style of learning, so too has our youngest class. Although there are plenty of opportunities for play, as students adjust to being at school, the timetable and learning are structured so that the tamariki know how the day will run, and what to expect in each session. We have found that this predictability helps students adapt to school life quickly, and to thrive.

Outside the classroom is a small covered space that allows students to get outside, even in the rain, if they need some space from the business of the classroom. As the area immediately outside our junior classes is surrounded by its own fence, there is freedom for smaller students to be outside in a protected environment, if they find the size of the school playground too overwhelming.

 

Mangaroa

Our Year 2/3 class can be found in Room 5, behind the blue door, just through the double doors in the corridor beside the admin area. Literacy and Maths are at the forefront of learning in Mangaroa, as these important foundational skills are developed through the Better Start Literacy Programme and PR1ME Maths, underpinned by the expectations found in the updated New Zealand Curriculum. 

Students in Mangaroa are taking their first steps towards being independent learners, so their learning includes individual and group activities that has been planned and prepared for them to work on alone. At the beginning of the year, time is put into learning routines and how to use independent activities effectively, which means their teacher can work with small groups while the rest of the class is actively engaged in relevant learning. Lots of artwork and other displays can also be seen around the classroom walls.

 

Te Awa Kairangi

Our year 4/5 class is found in Room 8, behind the green door, in the far end of the school, near the Kohanga Reo. Literacy (reading and writing) and Maths remain a significant focus at this level, taught through the same structured programmes as the junior school - Better Start Literacy and PR1ME Maths. At this level, the complexity of learning increases, while the structured approach ensures learning aligns with the New Zealand Curriculum and sets students up for success.

In the senior school increasing elements of student-led inquiry compliment these core learning areas, as students learn other important life skills across learning areas such as Science, Social Science, Technology and Health. Art, song and karakia, PE and games further enhance the positive atmosphere in this vibrant and busy classroom full of learning, friendship and fun!

 

Te Whanganui-a-Tara

Room 7, behind the orange door, is home to our senior students (Year 5/6). The students in Te-Whanganui-a-Tara take on leadership roles and learn about citizenship alongside the learning areas in our curriculum. Student leaders are elected by their peers to lead our four Ngā Manu (house) groups and our Kapa Haka. These positions are held in high esteem by the students across the school. The rest of the class supports our leaders, as they take on various other responsibilities around the school.

Literacy and Maths continue to be taught through the structured approaches of Better Start Literacy and PR1ME, and students further develop as independent learners through various student-led inquiries. Cultures are celebrated through greetings in different languages and wall displays that reflect the diversity of the students at Pōmare School. Collaboration and mutual support is an important element of learning for these students, as they prepare for the next step in their education journey.