Our Vision, Mission, and Values
Our Vision
Ako ngātahi kia tupu tātou – Together we learn – Together we grow
Our Mission
Ākonga will be actively involved learners who are confident, creative, and connected.
Nā te whaitake ka tū māia, auaha, tauhere hoki te ākonga
Our Values
Respect Manaaki
Responsibility Takohanga
Resilience Manawaroa
Relationships Piringa
Our vision, mission, and values are reflected in everything we do across the school.
SCS Curriculum
SCS students are:
Empowered by Waka Hoe
Guided by the Whetū Ako
as they
Explore 5 unique Awa
and strengthen literacy and mathematics
We have developed our SCS Curriculum over the last two years. Our curriculum incorporates:
- Waka Hoe – our values
- Whetū Akō – is our SCS Project-based Inquiry Approach. Learning is guided by our stars is linked across all curriculum areas, providing children with a model to approach any questions or learning they are working on.
- Ngā Awa – are the Science, Social Science, Health, Technology & the Arts Concepts that our students explore & develop deep understanding of, as they move through our kura. Key Awa contexts are: Cause & Effect, Aotearoa, Design & Creativity, Hauora and Te Ao.
- Strengethened by Literacy & Mathematics
Our Learning Benefits
Teachers work together planning and teaching collaboratively to meet the students’ needs and we actively utilise the strengths of our teaching staff. We also use the decks, grassed areas, and trees to work on and around, particularly in the summer months when the weather is warmer.
Our Classrooms
Awhi – New Entrant – Year 1-2
Awhi means to care for, nurture, embrace and cherish. The Awhi classroom is situated in the Studio Hub. We run a hands-on programme that supports a seamless transition to school.
We provide a variety of exciting learning experiences with a focus on literacy, numeracy, and play-based learning. The children are actively encouraged to explore materials and experiment by looking at patterns, reactions, and focus on communicating with each other.
Ngā Whetū – Year 3 to 6
Our learning space is the modern learning block, consisting of Ruma Kotahi, Ruma Rua, including break out spaces and a large shared wet area. Our inside learning spaces are across the spaces in the new modern learning block. We start the day in our whanau areas and then use the space flexibly to best meet the needs for the learners. The classroom has a variety of seating, tables, and small and open spaces for children to work in, on, and around. Groupings in the classroom are usually based on needs and change according to the focus or learning needs of the children. The children have opportunities to work with increasing levels of independence and flexibility. Learners are encouraged to be self-managing and develop more independent learning strategies. The children are given greater responsibility and increasing leadership opportunities as appropriate.
Tuakana-Teina relationships
Children are encouraged to work together within their own class and between the classrooms reflecting the special Tuakana-Teina relationship between an older person (tuakana) and a younger person (teina). Opportunities to work together are evident in all we do, reflecting our school values and the family feel of the school.
Waka Hoe
Ako ngātahi kia tupu tātou
Together we learn – Together we grow
At SCS we all work together to create a positive place for students, staff, whānau, and the community. We do this through our Waka Hoe, which reflects the Positive Behaviour for Learning School-Wide vision (PB4L-SW).
PB4L–SW is an evidence-based framework for implementation that looks at behaviour and learning from a whole-of-school as well as an individual student perspective. It provides schools with a process for teaching social and behavioural skills and helps them to develop a positive, proactive, and systematic approach based on school data. It takes the approach that opportunities for learning and achievement increase if:
• the school environment is positive and supportive
• expectations are consistently clear
• students are consistently taught expected behaviours
• expected behaviours are consistently acknowledged
• inappropriate behaviours are consistently responded to fairly and equitably.
Positive Behaviour for Learning is a prerequisite to improving the engagement and achievement of our children and young people. By strengthening relationships and creating a more positive home and school environment, we remove barriers to engagement and improve students’ chances to achieve at school and beyond.
The SCS Waka Hoe (PB4L-SW) programme encourages and celebrates positive behaviour with an immediate acknowledgment of the positive choices students make, reflecting our 4 school values of Respect, Responsibility, Resilience, and Relationships. These positive choices are again acknowledged at our Whole School Hui each fortnight.
Literacy
We believe that literate children are skilled and strategic speakers, listeners, writers, and readers who see the relevance in literacy. We want all children at Spring Creek School to have the ability to apply literacy to future learning and everyday life.
Mathematics
We believe that mathematically and statistically confident children can think creatively, critically, strategically, and logically. We want all children at Spring Creek School to have the ability to apply mathematics and statistics in future learning and everyday life.
Health & Physical Education
We provide quality teaching and learning through the Spring Creek School Health and PE Curriculum. This includes fitness and physical education programmes, in-class health focuses, events and celebrations, playing games and having fun, values, and utilising outside agencies (e.g. Life Education, Fundamental Skills, etc). Perceptual Motor Programme is sometimes available in our junior room, depending on whānau support.
Sport & PE
Spring Creek School has a variety of sports available for our students to participate in at different times of the year. We encourage our students to take a risk by trying new forms of Physical Activity and sports outside of school. Spring Creek School is very lucky in that our extensive grounds and tiger turf court area, which enables us to run a variety of practices during lunchtimes and after school.
Swimming
Students have a separate swimming program at Stadium 2000 once a year with an intensive week-long program. Fundamental Skills is also run each year and has a large swimming component.
eLearning
A variety of devices including laptops, tablets, iPads, Chromebooks, data projectors, interactive screens, etc feature in our day-to-day classroom activities. e-learning is an important tool and part of our learning and is integrated across the curriculum to enhance teaching and learning.
- Maths & Literacy Hubs These are a New Zealand learning resource for Maths and Literacy (Reading and Writing). All children across the school have access to this, and it can also be accessed from home via students’ school email account.
- Seesaw for Schools We are all using Seesaw in class, an app that allows families to have access to their child’s learning. Seesaw is a student-driven digital portfolio. It empowers students of any age to create, reflect, collaborate, and share. Seesaw helps keep families in the loop about their child’s learning and is an easy communication tool, between school and home. Check out the access details with your child’s class teacher.
- Own Devices Students are welcome to bring their own devices from home. An agreement will need to be signed. Equity issues are addressed by devices being provided by the school.
Other learning areas
Spring Creek School embraces the new modern learning environment and classrooms regularly work together for Inquiry, Science, Te Reo, and Tikanga Maori as well as learning in our Edible Gardens.
Kiwi Can
Kiwi Can is a values and life skills programme designed for primary and intermediate school students. It delivers a range of awesome physical, mental and creative challenges – plus high-energy, fun, safe, and interactive lessons that reinforce the schools’ goals and curriculum. Kiwi Can is our energy-packed primary school programme. Children participate in weekly sessions on key themes on Friday. Classes have a 30-40 minute session lead by two trained facilitators.
Discovery time
This programme runs on a Friday for the whole school. Discovery Time provides a creative, activity-based learning environment for children helping them develop key competencies through activity-based, child-directed learning.
