20 November 2020

Post date: Nov 19, 2020 10:18:43 PM

Recently, we have redeveloped our Strategic Plan. After months of thought, staff and Board conversation.... we think we have nailed it! It's uplifting to have this new focus and energy in this interesting year and we look forward to starting to embed the work in 2021. The front piece is a visual which I have hand drawn with a sharpie pen. I will keep it under cover until it's had a rework from someone more talented than myself! (The intent is great though!) In the meantime, before it is let into the light, I thought I would share the new front piece on the website as it has been tweaked to better align with the new 3 year plan. Please find it below:

Nau mai haere mai, a big welcome to Worser Bay School - Te Kura o Whetūkairangi

Our school has sat proudly on the Miramar Peninsula on what was once Whetūkairangi pā since 1897. Whetūkairangi, meaning ‘stargazers’ or those who consume the stars’, provides us with the context for our big overall purpose, “To achieve excellence in learning”, which is our overarching goal, the brightest star!

We are not just ‘any old school’. We have many unique qualities that guide the way when your whānau joins us. “Encouraging a community to flourish” is what we live, learn and teach here. Our strong, embedded Positive Education/ Wellbeing philosophy is internationally acknowledged and provides a very strong foundation from which all members of the community can gain so much from - children, staff, parents and wider whānau.

This strengths based approach is very much aligned with our collaborative model of teaching and learning. This isn’t anything new and has been embraced at Worser Bay for over 40 years. Research indicates that there are recognised learning gains for learners and also many professional benefits for teachers. When teachers share responsibility for learning, children have improved access to their diverse strengths. Here, they benefit every day from the talents of the team of teachers who support them. No teacher is an island and can do it all!

Collaborative team teaching, strengthens student learning as teachers get creative, learn from each other more readily and take greater collective responsibility for all students. There is a certain energy that is created, and when you are here you can certainly feel it! We totally celebrate the balance and quality that team teaching provides and we all reap the rewards!.

Dedication to a strong foundation in Reading, Writing and Maths, high standards and plenty of ‘grit’ is a key for unlocking our rich and varied curriculum. Our children have fun in their learning and experience a vast array of opportunities. This doesn’t happen by chance - our staff are a passionate and clever bunch!

Located where we are, on one of the most outstanding natural school sites in Aotearoa/New Zealand, our curriculum takes heed of place, culture and people. The short walk down the hill to the beach or up the road to the bush provides an authentic context for great learning, and on bad weather days our outdoor classroom really comes into its own. (It’s new and exciting plus our new school buildings will be ready at the start of 2021.)

The cultural significance of our site combined with our strong focus on Te Ao Māori has supported us to bring the concept of ‘Mana’ to the forefront. We uphold the mana, the building up of all learners (big, small, young, older) in our community. All are accepted and respected for who they are and what they bring. And our community is diverse - with 26 cultures and families with many different strengths and life experiences.

Our school is vibrant and dynamic. Big enough to offer a lot, small enough to ensure all children are well known, well taught and have a strong sense of place and belonging, of feeling safe and cared for whilst being supported and expected to achieve their excellence in learning.

We look forward to you belonging to our school community.