a future-focused curriculum framework

A Future-focused Curriculum Framework

Contents Page

P2. Introduction, Motto and Vision

P3. Values

P4. Principles

P6. Graduate Profile

P7. Key Competencies: How they relate to our values and graduate profile

P9. Personalised Learning

P11. Planning, Assessment, Reporting and Self-Review

P14. Learning Areas: Essence Statements

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Introduction

The Wilford School Curriculum has been developed to express our school community’s particular

approach to learning and teaching. This shared document expresses our directions for learning,

including our vision, values and principles; how we approach planning for the incorporation of the key

competencies; and how the learning areas and their relevant achievement objectives from the

gazetted national curricula are delivered.

We believe our particular approach to learning and teaching will realise our vision of growing

exceptional learners, people and citizens who can confidently contribute to local, national and global

communities. To achieve this our learners will be involved in personalised programmes to develop

their unique abilities, skills and character.

The Wilford School Curriculum clarifies the personalisation of learning and identifies what constitutes

effective pedagogy within each curriculum area in our school. It documents how we conduct

self-review, as well as how we plan, assess and report.

This future focused learning will occur in innovative learning spaces in school, ubiquitous online

spaces as well as learning in and from our community.

Motto

Ako Tahi Tatou: Learning, Together, as One

Our motto embodies two key ideas, shown by research, to underpin successful education for all:

· we are a learning community of young people and their partners in learning – their parents

and whānau, and the teachers and other school staff;

· we are all learners, and seek to learn from each other and support each other’s development.

Vision

Our Vision is to grow exceptional learners, people, citizens.

We aim to develop personality, talents and abilities to fullest potential, and active citizenship in local,

national and global communities.

We are committed to fulfilling the right of every young person to a quality education, whatever their

background.

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Values

The Wilford School values of respect, whanaungatanga, aroha, manaakitanga, responsibility, excellence and resilience support and confirm our school vision. They are evident in the way we all work with and relate to others. These key values were determined through consultation with our learning community and represent the deeply held beliefs of how we expect all people to think and act at Wilford School.

Respect is

● listening to others ● taking care of property ● treating others as you want to be

treated ● taking turns ● using manners ● valuing other people’s opinions ● recognising the rights of others

Responsibility is:

● making good choices ● being accountable for actions ● knowing that what you do impacts on

others ● being reliable and conscientious ● looking after equipment

Whanaungatanga is:

● a sense of belonging ● positive relationships ● parents and whanau being involved in

children’s learning ● tuakana-teina relationships

Excellence is:

● doing our best ● striving to achieve goals ● being aspirational ● encouraging and modeling high

standards

Aroha is:

● thinking of others ● having a caring attitude ● showing empathy and compassion ● self respect ● service to others

Resilience is:

● Persevering ● Taking risks ● Bouncing back from setbacks ● Being willing and able to change

Manaakitanga is:

● supporting and helping others ● being inclusive ● showing kindness ● making visitors feel welcome ● sharing food at gatherings

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Principles

High expectations

The curriculum supports and empowers all students to learn and achieve personal excellence,

regardless of their individual circumstances.

At Wilford School this means:

● Staff valuing and modelling excellence

● High quality teaching and rich learning programmes

● Students understanding and striving for their best

Treaty of Waitangi

The curriculum acknowledges the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi and the bicultural foundations

of Aotearoa New Zealand. All students have the opportunity to acquire knowledge of te reo Māori me

ona tikanga.


● Understanding, knowledge and use of te reo Māori me ona tikanga across the school

● Māori students learning as Māori

● Opportunity for immersion in te reo Māori me ona tikanga through our Nga Puawai unit

● Building partnerships with whanau, hapu and iwi

Cultural diversity

The curriculum reflects New Zealand’s cultural diversity and values the histories and traditions of all

its people.


● Embracing our multicultural community through classroom programmes, inquiry,

performance and cultural celebrations

● Building partnerships with parents and extended family

● Consideration of learning styles that affirm cultural identity

Inclusion

The curriculum is non-sexist, non-racist, and non-discriminatory; it ensures that students’ identities,

languages, abilities, and talents are recognised and affirmed and that their learning needs are

addressed.


● No child should miss out because of their individual or personal circumstances

● Diversity is acknowledged and any equity barriers are identified and overcome

● Curriculum is adapted as required to ensure all students are able to participate in learning

opportunities

Learning to learn

The curriculum encourages all students to reflect on their own learning processes and to learn

how to learn.


● Students’ are able to articulate their strengths, interests and weaknesses

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● Students’ curiosity can drive a passion for learning or understanding

● Students understanding of success criteria

● Students receiving constructive feedback and identifying next steps

Community engagement

The curriculum has meaning for students, connects with their wider lives, and engages the support of

their families, whānau, and communities.


● Engaging with and utilising local (Petone) and wider community (Hutt, Wellington and

beyond) resources and local services to enhance learning experiences

● Understanding of local history and our place in the community

● Invitations to parents and whānau to participate in and experience special events

Coherence

The curriculum offers all students a broad education that makes links within and across learning

areas, provides for coherent transitions, and opens up pathways to further learning.


● Students participating in a variety of experiences

● Students leaving Wilford with skills and attributes that mean they are well prepared for future

learning

● Having strong connections with Early Childhood providers and secondary schools to ensure

smooth transitions

Future focus

The curriculum encourages students to look to the future by exploring such significant future-focused

issues as sustainability, citizenship, enterprise, and globalisation.


● Students learning to work independently, cooperatively and collaboratively to problem solve

and find creative solutions

● Community contextual learning and students taking social action to influence their world now

and in the future

● Understanding of global issues

● Students using a variety of digital tools to support their learning

● Creating entrepreneurial opportunities

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Graduate Profile

At Wilford School we want a Year 8 graduate to:

● be strong in their own identity

● have achieved to the best of their academic ability

● be able to work well independently and cooperatively with others

● communicate and express themselves confidently and effectively

● be a curious, creative and critical thinker

● be an active participant in their school, local and wider community

● be compassionate, caring, empathetic and accepting of diversity

● be digitally competent

● be prepared to take risks, face challenges and effectively solve problems

● make healthy lifestyle choices

● be confident in their use of te reo Māori and have an understanding of tikanga Maori

● be an ethical decision maker and guardian/kaitiaki of the world of the future

● be confident, happy and have a sense of fun

● be exposed to another language in addition to te reo Māori and English

At Wilford School we want a graduate of Nga Puawai to also:

● be a fluent speaker of te reo Māori

● demonstrate confident use of tikanga Māori

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Key Competencies at Wilford School

To enable every young person to develop each of the agreed capabilities for living in our fast-changing

and diverse society and world (“key competencies”) – thinking, using language and symbols, managing

self, relating to others, and participating and contributing – we give particular emphasis to building

powerful learning, self-management, and relationship skills in a warm, nurturing and lively learning

community.

What do key competencies look like in relation to “Exceptional Learners, People, Citizens”?

Thinking at Wilford School: ● Learning to use a range of thinking skills/tools

● Being interested in the world around them now and in the future

● Asking effective questions

● Using metacognitive strategies

● Having an opinion and knowing this has value

● Sharing thinking with others

● Planning their own learning through questioning and research

● Making decisions based on considering other perspectives

● Utilising higher-order thinking

● Reflecting in order to identify next learning steps and set new goals

● Using critical thinking

Using Language, Symbols and Texts at Wilford School: ● Developing awareness of audience and responding appropriately

● Being encouraged to use more than one language

● Using feedback and feed-forward to improve

● Using peer and self assessment

● Being able to speak clearly to express opinions and ideas

● Becoming a competent writer in a variety of genre

● Being a fluent and purposeful reader

● Understanding rules of spelling, grammar and structure.

● Able to locate and extract relevant data from text

● Learning to understand and produce visual text

● Able to interpret and create diagrams, graphs and tables

● Solving mathematical problems using a variety of strategies

● Able to use and identify meanings of local and global symbols

● Being digitally literate

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Managing Self: ● Completing tasks on time ● Knowing where to go to find answers ● Using equipment appropriately ● Being ready to learn ● Striving to achieve the best result ● Working well with others ● Having self-respect ● Having an “I can” attitude ● Having good manners ● Carrying out responsibilities reliably ● Upholding Wilford School values and tikanga ● Realising that decisions made now impact on the future ● Resisting distractions ● Able to work in MLE with the ability to pace themselves

Relating to others:

● Being respectful and mindful of other cultures e.g. Powhiri, Tikanga ● Being a good listener ● Communicating with respect and humility ● Standing up for themselves without putting others down ● Being kind, honest, trustworthy and loyal ● Being collaborative ● Supporting others in their learning eg: buddy reading; tuakana/teina ● Engaging in positive interactions with others ● Able to resolve conflicts ● Taking turns in discussion ● Being friendly and helpful ● Understanding the tikanga of Wilford School

Participating and contributing:

● Taking parts in groups/clubs of their own choice ● Participating confidently in a range of activities ● Giving things a go ● Including others ● Taking on responsibilities that help with the running of the school ● Being in a team ● Contributing to and engaging with the wider community ● Having a sense of belonging ● Treating others as you would like to be treated ● Becoming involved in social action ● Working with the others to look after the environment ● Participating respectfully in cultural activities eg: Poly Club ● Giving support to others and take support from them ● Being aware of New Zealand’s place in the world

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Personalised Learning

Student Agency

At Wilford School we believe in student agency. This means that students learn best when:

● they know the learning intention and success criteria

● they are given time to reflect on learning and set goals

● learning is relevant to student needs and interests

● they are engaged and motivated

● they have opportunities to learn in a variety of ways through a range of activities

● they know why they are given a task

● they have opportunities to work independently and in a variety of groups

● there are close links and relationships between school, home and the community

● planning is detailed and sets them up for success

● they feel valued and confident to take risks

● they have choice in what they learn

● they have opportunities to assume leadership roles

● learning is not restricted to the classroom

Identifying Individual Learning Needs Teachers will use qualitative and quantitative data to identify students’ needs, including those with special abilities and special needs. How these children are catered for in the classroom should be evident in planning. Planning and programmes should reflect appropriate next learning steps for these students and any required support through targeted learning groups. Literacy: Reading Recovery is provided for 6 year old students who need further support with reading. Specialist Literacy groups are established where appropriate or possible to support students with specific needs. Teacher Aides are used within classes to provide support in both Reading and Writing. Phonics programmes are also run in the Junior School by Teacher Aides. Parents/adults used to support students with reading.

ESOL: For students with English as a second language, teachers should refer to the ELLP (English Language Learning Progressions) for further support. Teacher Aide Groups are set up to help with language development. Gifted and Talented Gifted and Talented students are identified and recorded in the Gifted and Talented Register (within eTap). Classroom programmes are differentiated to meet their learning needs and a GEP (gifted education plan) may be in place. Extra programmes may be made available for these students where possible including nominations to attend Mindplus.

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Special needs: Students with special learning needs are identified and recorded in the Special Needs Register (within eTap). Classroom programmes are differentiated to meet their learning needs. An IEP (individual learning plan) is written for students with specific diagnosed learning needs. Sport & PE: A wide range of sporting activities and skills development are part of our programme. Some athletes will have opportunities to compete in interschool and interzone events. The Arts: A number of experiences are offered in The Arts to students in order to develop and support special abilities and interests in visual arts, music dance and drama.

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Planning, Assessment, Reporting and Self-Review

Planning

At Wilford School the class programme will include daily reading, writing and maths. These may be

integrated within other curriculum areas.

Planning is done collaboratively and individually by teachers, and is monitored by senior teachers.

Teacher planning will include:

● Long-term plans for the term

● Unit Plans for all curriculum areas

● Weekly Plans would include: Individual, group and whole class differentiation

● Learning Intentions and success criteria

● Appropriate learning experiences, activities, lessons

● Resources

● Links to assessment

● Formative notes

Assessment

National Standards and Ngā Whanaketanga can provide useful information for parents, caregivers, teachers and students about a child's progress in relation to the curriculum levels of The New Zealand curriculum and Te Marautanga o Aotearoa. National Standards and Ngā Whanaketanga measure progress in reading/pānui, writing/tuhituhi, and mathematics/pāngarau, and Ngā Whanaketanga also measures progress in kōrero. Competency in these learning areas enhances access to all other areas of learning. Overall Teacher Judgements Teachers make OTJs based on the following:

● observations ● work samples ● classroom assessment tasks ● knowledge of the whole child ● standardised tests ● Informed intuition ● Professional conversations

Standardised Assessments There are a number of standardised assessments available for teachers. A separate assessment folder

has more detailed information about assessments, how and when they are conducted.

Other School-wide Assessment Tools

Tests are only a "slice of the assessment pie." Other sound assessment tools are used for assessing

progress and achievement. These are designed for use in Te Reo and English, and are administered in

all strands. In school and between schools moderation of assessment is used as much as possible.

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On-going classroom assessment

For all other learning areas, there are also a range of classroom formative and summative assessment

tasks that have been developed, and continue to be developed, in relation to the learning outcomes.

Reporting

Term 1 - Goal-setting interviews

June/July - mid-year written report and parent/teacher interviews

End Term 4 - final written report

Parents are provided with a report about progress in relation to The National Standards/Ngā Whanaketanga at Mid Year. Achievement in relation to the National Standards is reported on as part of the full end of year report.

Self Review

Board of Trustees

The Board of Trustees’ strategy is our linked set of priorities concerning the key investments and

activities the school’s trustees believe we need to achieve our educational aims for our students,

whānau, and the wider community.

We review our school strategy every year - looking three years ahead – drawing on the following

information and sources:

School Charter

The Wilford School Charter will include strategic planning, annual goals and an action plan to achieve

these. This will be reviewed annually and submitted to the Ministry of Education.

Curriculum Review

Review of the Wilford School curriculum, by the curriculum review team, will be informed by annual

surveys and other consultation with community, staff and students. Current Ministry of Education

initiatives and priorities as well as the Wilford School Charter will be considered.

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Teacher appraisal

Goals are set at the end of a year for the following year, discussed and confirmed with a senior staff

member. There will also be a mid-year progress meeting and an end of year meeting to evaluate

evidence. Teaching as Inquiry is part of this process.

Teacher self review

Teaching as Inquiry is used to identify areas of desired improvement in teacher practice based on the

needs of students in the teacher’s class.

Professional Learning Groups meet regularly to discuss target students, strategies to use when

teaching those students and discussion of teacher inquiries.

Review of individual teacher planning, units and classroom programmes happens both individually

and in teams. Resource allocation takes this review into account.

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Learning Areas: Essence Statements

Inquiry Learning Our Learners will: Our Teachers will:

*pose questions based on their interests and prior learning *independently or cooperatively inquire into these questions *be empowered to use inquiry learning for social action *use resources from outside the classroom and in the community

Inquiry based learning is a dynamic approach to learning that involves exploring the world through authentic contexts, asking questions, making discoveries, rigorously testing those discoveries in the search for new understanding and using the new understanding to make a difference to the wider world.

*use the school Inquiry model *plan for student inquiry using big ideas/universal themes which integrate curriculum areas * teach relevant thinking skills and research skills to support inquiry learning approach *motivate and support students to investigate questions they are interested in *facilitate differentiation of content, process and product

Reading

Our Learners will: Our Teachers will:

*Learn to read *Read to learn *Read for enjoyment *Comprehend what they read *Make use of the library *Learn to decode and think critically

Learners will understand, appreciate and enjoy written, visual or oral/aural ideas/information in a range of texts of increasing complexity. These texts will reflect the past, present and future social, cultural, political and economic life of NZ and the wider world. Texts will often be chosen that reflect the concerns of the school’s future focussed curriculum.

*Encourage students to read for pleasure, incorporating time for this in the school day. *Confer with individual students *Provide independent guided, shared, teacher reading *Choose books to match student interests * Teach ability groups *Provide language experiences

Writing Our Learners will: Our Teachers will:

*develop phonological awareness *develop alphabet skills *spell familiar/high-frequency words *develop and use punctuation appropriately *write to form and express their ideas *increase their vocabulary *learn to use specific tools to support their writing e.g honeycombs and targets

Learners will create and use visual and written texts of increasing complexity. Critical and creative thinking will be evident in these texts. Learners will make appropriate language choices and apply them in a range of authentic contexts derived from the future-focused curriculum. These contexts will lead to an understanding of the power of language in enriching and shaping their own and others’ lives.

*model writing in all its forms *use exemplars to illustrate progressions and next steps *plan and deliver specific instruction in surface and deeper features *give quality feedback and feed-forward

Oral Language Our Learners will: Our Teachers will:

*speak clearly and with confidence *be able to present what they have learned orally to others

Learners will understand, create and use oral language of increasing complexity. Learners will make appropriate language choices and

*provide opportunities for students to develop oral skills and present to others.

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apply them in a range of authentic contexts. These contexts will lead to an understanding of the power of oral language in enriching and shaping their own and others’ lives now and in the future.

*use specific criteria to assess students’ presentations.e.g clarity speed and volume etc.

The Arts Our Learners will: Our Teachers will:

*learn techniques in visual art in a variety of media *experience the performing arts *participate in school productions *have the opportunity to participate in community cultural experiences *experience performances through in-school performances or attending concerts and exhibitions *have the opportunity to be involved in kapahaka

Through movement, sound and image learners work independently and collaboratively to construct meaning and view their world from new perspectives. Arts education explores, challenges, affirms and celebrates imaginative expressions of self, community and culture. The arts can be integrated with many curriculum areas.

*provide a variety of artistic experiences through visual arts, musical and drama activities *use the arts to explore other curriculum areas *plan for a school-wide production every second year

Health Our Learners will: Our Teachers will:

*learn about Keeping Ourselves Safe *cover Sexuality Education and Choice (Police Ed) in Year 7/8 *experience Life Education every two years *learn about nutrition and personal hygiene *take part in Girls’ Self-Defence (Y7&8 girls) *wear hats outside in terms 1&4

Learners will understand the importance of the wellbeing of themselves, others, society and the environment for now and the future. The curriculum will provide multiple opportunities to view and understand the interdependence of individuals, groups of people and the natural world.

*plan for and provide a programme that enables students to make healthy lifestyle choices *provide up-to-date resources and opportunities for students to learn about healthy practices *deliberately explore, model and teach values and behaviours that lead to healthy lifestyle choices

Sport and PE


*increase their fitness and skills through participation of regular PE programme *improve water confidence and swimming ability *participate in school sports events (athletics, swimming, cross country) *have opportunity to participate in Southern Zone sports events *have opportunity to be involved in schools’ sports competitions (touch, netball, miniball / basketball, flippaball / waterpolo)

Learners will understand the importance of participating in individual and team sports and physical activities now and throughout their life. Fitness and movement are developed and explored in a variety of indoor and outdoor settings.

*provide regular opportunities for physical exercise, fitness and skill development *provide a weekly aquatic lesson in the school pool (Years 1-6) *provide a full swimming and aquatics programme for Years 7&8 at McKenzie Pool *source opportunities for outside providers to provide quality programmes (e.g. golf, football, tae kwon do) *provide a varied sports programme including opportunities to compete against other schools

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EOTC Our Learners will: Our Teachers will:

*participate in different outdoor educational experiences *have opportunity to explore local and extended area *have experiences that they may not get through their family *attend week-long camps every two years in Years 7-8 *experience a two-year EOTC programme in Years 5-6 including overnight opportunities

The curriculum will provide multiple opportunities for EOTC as learners explore and understand their local community and other communities nationally and internationally.

*provide a range of EOTC opportunities that allows students to experience a variety of outdoor activities *ensure the safety of the EOTC programme, by following the school’s EOTC guidelines *communicate EOTC planning, programme and guidelines with students, parents and colleagues

Tikanga and Te Reo Māori


*have the opportunity to be part of Nga Puawai *learn te reo Māori e.g waiata, karakia, himene and basic tikanga *experience Matauranga Māori (traditional Māori knowledge)

Learning Te Reo Māori and tikanga extends learners’ understanding of New Zealand’s bicultural heritage, pan and iwi culture and history. Learners will define and express their role as kaitiaki in the community, nationally and globally.

*communicate with whanau provide opportunities for acquisition of te reo Māori *provide opportunities for understanding of tikanga Māori *provide opportunities for students to experience important Māori concepts and customs

Other Languages


*strive for and affirm correct pronunciation *be accepting of customs inherent in the cultures of other languages *have the opportunity to learn other languages currently French and Sign in Years 7-8

Learning a new language will extend students’ linguistic and cultural understanding and introduce 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.

*model correct pronunciation *encourage students to attempt customs inherent in the cultures of other languages

Maths Our Learners will: Our Teachers will:

*know basic facts as instant recall *develop a range of strategies for solving a variety of mathematical problems *develop their knowledge of mathematical language *use equipment effectively to learn new mathematical concepts

Creative, critical, strategic and logical thinking will be developed and expressed through the study of mathematics and statistics, measurement, algebra, geometry, The hypothetical and practical application of all aspects of mathematics will be explored

*identify next learning steps in knowledge and teach to these be confident in the teaching of mathematical concepts *use equipment effectively to teach new mathematical concepts *use mathematical vocabulary in their conversations

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*understand mathematical concepts using equipment and real life experiences

within the future focussed curriculum.

*make connections between prior maths learning and new maths ideas *provide digital resources to enrich mathematical learning.

Science Our Learners will: Our Teachers will:

*develop the skills, attitudes and values to build a foundation for understanding the world *learn to make links between science concepts and the world around them *relate modern science concepts to Maori world views *share their learning at the Science Fair every two years

Learners explore how the natural and physical world work and the importance of science in their daily lives now and in the future. The local community provides a rich context for much of this exploration.

*recognise and create science opportunities for children to engage in within other curriculum areas *provide interesting, hands on experiences to explore science concepts *highlight the importance of science to the future

Social Sciences Our Learners will: Our Teachers will:

*explore their own cultural identity *learn about other communities and cultures throughout the world *learn how to shape and make informed opinions about social events *model the qualities of a responsible citizen

Learners explore how local, national and global communities are shaped by different perspectives, values and viewpoints. Their growing identity as critical, active, informed and responsible citizens is clarified and strengthened as they participate in Careers education and social action prompted by environmental and societal issues.

*provide resources and opportunities to learn about and celebrate diversity and different cultures *model and discuss the Wilford School values so they become an intrinsic part of students’ characters

Technology


*understand and use the technology design cycle to develop solutions to a design brief *attend Hutt Intermediate for IT, soft, hard and food technology in Year 7&8

Intervention by design. Products and systems are investigated and developed within an increasing awareness of the influences of culture, ethics, environment, politics and economy on technology in the past, present and future.

*facilitate technological design thinking through creative problem solving *identify areas to integrate technology throughout the curriculum *model the use of digital technologies and provide opportunities for students to use these for learning

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a future-focused curriculum framework

Documents