Building Exceptional Minds

“The beautiful thing about learning is that nobody can take it away from you.”

– B.B. King

An integrated Curriculum

Hobsonville School is committed to offering its students rich, relevant and insightful learning experiences. The aim is that they develop a deep-rooted understanding of both context and curriculum, we achieve this by maximising their potential learning experiences and integrating learning context. This contributes to our vision for Hobsonville students to be the BEST that they can be; and become confident, connected and actively involved, life-long learners.

As well as providing students with the ‘foundation skills’ of literacy and numeracy, we hope they obtain a range of future-orientated skills that will assist them to become successful in life after school. Our approach to academic teaching involves our students developing good learning habits from the get-go. These habits are embedded through the careful design of learning experiences by the teachers. This design includes the introduction to new knowledge and concepts, influenced by the New Zealand curriculum.

 

We want our students to confidently say:
– We are RESEARCHERS
– We are THINKERS
– We are COLLABORATORS
– We are MANAGERS
– We are COMMUNICATORS

 

Primary (Yrs 0–6)

Years 0 to 6 are the important foundation years for curriculum-based learning, supported by the ‘inquiry’ method. This means that literacy, math and inquiry will be taught from a position where students are: inquirers, designers, problem solvers and problem finders. Students are introduced to and then encouraged to improve upon their skills as learners. With this approach, ‘student agency’ is nurtured.

 

Students transitioning to intermediate, are well on their way to:
– Knowing how to THINK
– Knowing how to LEARN
– Knowing how to COLLABORATE
– Knowing how to MANAGE
– Knowing how to USE LANGUAGE
– Knowing how to MAKE CONNECTIONS

Intermediate (Yrs 7–8)

We build on the formative primary years by further developing ‘student agency’. Students continue to develop their repertoire of learning skills to enable more independent learning. Our goal is to set up our senior students with a strong knowledge base and skill set so they can tackle the next part of their learning journey at secondary school with confidence.

Core Curriculum Subjects (Yrs 0–8)

Literacy

At Hobsonville School, students learn and use the English language through listening, reading, writing and oral language.

 

We believe that: 

  • Success in literacy is fundamental to success across other curriculum areas,
  • All students can be readers, writers and communicators,
  • Literacy is best learned when reading, writing and oral language is integrated and is connected to the students world.

Numeracy

Maths at Hobsonville School is EXCITING, ENGAGING and COLLABORATIVE. Our students work in small, collaborative, problem-solving groups of three to unpack a maths problem and find clues to support shared thinking to solve these problems. Our teachers carefully plan workshops in the days leading up to each collaborative session, to ensure that each child is equipped with the necessary mathematical tools.

We believe that ALL students can be mathematicians.

Our aim is to produce students who have a well-developed number sense and who are able to solve the mathematical problems required of them in their daily lives. Research indicates that mathematics, or the ability to be a good mathematician is not genetic, but rather a way of belief and attitude. Renowned mathematical researchers Jo Boaler and Carol Dweck firmly believe that mathematical success is developed by experiencing failure, while having a positive attitude to not give up.

Digital Technology

Our students work with a range of devices and exciting tools to engage, enhance and deepen their learning. They’re a way for students to show and explain their understanding and learning, so these tools are integrated with our curriculum (e.g. Seesaw and Google Classroom). We’ve been working hard over the past four years to develop our digital readiness as the Ministry of Education implements new digital curriculum content. As such, our students are currently having many opportunities to code, work with robots and innovate digital outcomes to develop their computational thinking.

 

We view digital tools as a way for students to:

  • Show and explain their understanding and learning, and so these tools are integrated with our curriculum,
  • Be creators of digital solutions – designed for purpose; moving beyond being only consumers and users of digital technologies,
  • Develop an understanding of computer science principles and core programming concepts.

Inquiry, Science & STEAM

Inquiry is a process that allows students to explore and investigate. We have a strong focus on developing knowledge and skills with learning experiences developed around promoting critical thinking, problem solving and collaborative practice. This means that students can get ‘hands on’, creating and experimenting, as well planning and taking action, to make a difference to real-life problems.

We value science and guide our students to see the world through a science lens. This thinking will always be integrated into the student’s inquiry learning program. Student inquiries can involve Social Sciences and Technology, basic Engineering and the Arts. Usually an inquiry will involve more than one area, thus the acronym STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Maths).

 

At Hobsonville School, we believe that our students must:

  • Have an understanding about the role of scientists,
  • Be able to carry out more complex investigations,
  • Communicate in science, using a range of science vocabulary, symbols and conventions,
  • Develop and understanding of socio-scientific issues so that they can contribute to society and take action when required.
Our Intermediate Campus (Yrs 7–8)

WE ARE FAMILY

The continuity of remaining with us can provide a more settled, stable start for our Year 7 students moving into Year 8, the true leaders of our school. Our students have been able to form strong learning relationships with their peers, teachers and school leaders as they’ve moved through the junior and middle school. This allows them to interact and collaborate with certainty and confidence right from the start of their intermediate years.

 

ADVANTAGES OF A FULL PRIMARY

The advantage of a combined primary and intermediate school is that there is a continuation of expectations and teaching practices that students are familiar with – in an environment they know and love. Research shows that many children experience a drop-off in their learning of anywhere between 6 to 18 months when transitioning from one school to the next. What’s more, because students have seen the role modeling of those that have come before them, they tend to transition easily into the senior campus. Our students willingly take on Year 7 and 8 responsibilities, such as leadership roles in academic, cultural and sporting groups and teams.

 

CELEBRATING OUR SENIORS

Hobsonville School has a tradition of celebrating our Year 7 and 8 students. We offer a range of unique experiences as well as the annual Year 8 Graduation dinner and our end of year Intermediate Disco.

Year 7 & 8 Opportunities

Numerous opportunities are available for our intermediate students to explore and develop skills. We actively encourage them to make the most of these experiences. Our intermediate students learn in collaborative learning environments, supported by their teachers, to develop positive learning habits and behaviours that equip them for high school. Everything we do contributes to the healthy growth and development of these young citizens. Students leave Hobsonville School as well-rounded individuals ready for the challenges of college.

 

Extension Groups

  • Technology Club
  • Writers Club
  • Sports Leadership

Extra-curricular Opportunities

  • Sports (Norwest, AIMS – Basketball & Netball, Mud Run)
  • Senior Kapa Haka
  • Performing Arts (Choir, Band, Marimba, Marzipan Drama, Lewis Eddy Music, Indian & Pasifika Dance)
  • Chess

Leadership Roles

  • Librarians
  • Wet-day Monitors
  • Assembly MCs
  • Road Patrollers
  • PE Monitors
  • Whare (House) Group Leaders
  • Flag Monitors
  • Eco Warriors
  • Chicken Coop Monitors

Technology

Ngā Hangarau a Onekiritea 2022
Technology is an important learning area in the New Zealand curriculum and provides opportunities for students to develop and extend their ideas to explore creative solutions to practical problems.  Innovation is at the heart of technological practice and this subject provides students with the opportunity to develop products that address needs. Students are challenged to explore and trial new ideas and concepts.  They work creatively, solve problems and take risks. 

Our Y7 & 8 students will take part in a termly rotation (of two technology options each term) to allow them to experience all eight technology options available to students at Hobsonville School. The purpose of this rotation is to teach students the basic skills required to achieve success in these areas, and also ensure students experience a variety of Technology learning opportunities at Hobsonville School.

During these rotations we have a focus on developing students’ ability to follow a design process, meeting brief and specification requirements, to safely design and create a range of potential outcomes. Students are encouraged to address situations in innovative and original ways, making a wide range of functional outcomes.

We have also committed within this rotation to ensuring all students are experiencing direct teaching linked to the digital technologies curriculum. At Hobsonville School we have a head start in this new area of the NZ curriculum, exhibited through the teaching of digital technologies, coding, robotics and digital based design for the past 4 years alongside Ms Pacheco. Within the Y7 & 8 rotation, students will learn about computer systems, coding languages, and design functional digital outcomes.

Our wish is that each student can find joy while learning through the hands-on practical approach that technology-based subjects allow.

In Y7 & 8 students will get to experience the below rotations:

Food Technology – Rachael Blair:
Kia Ora! Hobsonville Whanau, I am excited and honoured to be teaching ‘Food Technology’ to our Y7/8 tamariki this year. Gardening and cooking have been a lifelong passion of mine and as a child I would often cook for my family and refine and improve my culinary creations and garden yields. Being involved with Garden To Table and Sustainability Programme at school has enabled me to share my passion and enthusiasm in this area in the hope our students become lifelong gardeners and cooks with a respect for sustainable practices. 

In Food Technology I am excited to be teaching a variety of cooking skills along with sustainable practices that interweave with their Inquiry topics. Towards the end of the rotation, students will have the opportunity to plan/refine a menu and cook for a group of special quests. I look forward to working alongside our creative Y7/8s and making lifelong memories with them.

Sports Science – Dylan Williams:
My name is Dylan Williams and I will be teaching Sports Science.

I have a background in sports and a Bachelor of Sport majoring in Physical Education. Growing up, I was able to participate in a range of sports from rugby, to basketball, to boxing, to jiu jitsu, and everything in between. Sports make up a large part of my life, and I have transitioned into coaching in recent years, although you will still catch me on the Touch Rugby field every summer.

Through my studies and my participation in sport as a player and a coach, I have developed a greater interest in learning about how the body works in different athletic movements. I am now keen to share that knowledge with our students in our Sports Science class every friday. We will be learning about muscles, bones, ligaments and tendons through movement along with developing a range of base skills that the students can use both in sports, and other everyday movements.

Visual Arts – Stacey Osborne:
My name is Stacey Osborne and I will be your child’s Visual Arts teacher this year. I am passionate about creating and teaching Visual Art. I studied art at Whitecliffe School of Art and Design before becoming a teacher. I love combining my passion for all things creative with teaching as I get to expand my own passion through them. Art is about communicating ideas and I believe everyone has  a story to tell, I am here to help bring that idea to life in a visual way. Students will learn about colour theory, the elements of Art, different artists and inspirations, how to interpret art as well as spend lots of time exploring techniques to create a final piece. 

Dance/Drama – Lauren Ambags:
Dance and drama provide opportunities to investigate, value, and share our own ideas, feelings, and experiences, as well as those of others. Personally, I spent such a large and very happy portion of my formative years in the studio and on the stage, bringing a vast range of characters and stories to life – from a toadstool to a seagull, a boxer to a bus conductor in love with a road worker, I’ve portrayed them all and more! I trained for over 12 years at SABA Young Ballet (where I completed NZAMD examinations in Jazz and Contemporary, and RAD examinations in Ballet), competed at a national level, and gained NCEA Levels 1-3 Dance qualifications. Dance provided me with tools to express myself, connected me to people, works of art, and the world, and helped me develop resilience, confidence, and creativity. I am very passionate about creating opportunities for our students to have these same learning experiences. In 2021, I launched Hobsonville School’s Senior Dance Group and now I am ecstatic to be championing the dance and drama option in 2022. Our Year 7/8 students will learn about dance and drama, and through dance and drama; exploring the forms, purposes and significance of these arts, as well developing dance and drama production and performance skills. 

Music – Mary Laing:
Kia Ora, my name is Mary Laing and I am thrilled to be taking over the Year 7 and 8 Music Tech rotation for 2024. Having graduated from University of Waikato in 2020 with a Bachelor of Music (Hon), majoring in Vocal Performance, I have been fostering a love and passion for music within primary schools around the North Waikato/South Auckland area before making the leap into a Teaching Diploma and moving out West. My main instrument is vocals, however ,I also specialise in Piano and Ukulele.

I am extremely passionate about music and I strive to have this passion rub off on the students I teach and for them to learn how to express themselves through music as well as understand the complexities and beauty. I am excited to bring this passion to Hobsonville School and to help develop, guide and inspire the next generation of musicians.

Science – Sujatha Mahalingam:
Through the science programme in Hobsonville School, students will get a better understanding of the scientific method and how science concepts can be applied to their daily lives. The knowledge of the scientific method is not only limited to gathering data, forming a hypothesis and conducting experiments. It involves analyzing the presented data and drawing a conclusion based on that data. Learning science will help students develop an understanding of the world around them. This understanding will be built on current scientific theories. In time to come, the students will be able to use their current scientific knowledge and skills for problem solving, developing further knowledge and making informed decisions about information they receive from the media and various other sources. A solid foundation in science will also enable students to apply their knowledge to their own lives and cultures, and to the sustainability of the environment.

As an overseas-trained teacher, I have 12 years of experience teaching science and biology to students aged 13 to 17 years old. I am biology-trained and am passionate about teaching science to young people. My personal belief is that everyone needs to have a strong background in science and the best time to cultivate that interest would be in schools. I believe in the hands-on approach to learning science and making it practical and useful to the students. 

Multi Materials – Dewald Immink:

Welcome to the Design Technology programme at Hobsonville School, where innovation meets craftsmanship in a purpose-built environment. Led by experienced educator Dewald Immink, our programme offers a dynamic, multi-materials approach to honing workshop skills, knowledge, and understanding.

Through hands-on, experiential learning, students delve into the characteristics of various hard materials, fostering a keen focus on producing quality outcomes. Emphasising the importance of health and safety practices, responsible workshop conduct, and individual problem-solving skills, students engage in a spectrum of activities—from measuring and marking out to shaping, forming, and assembling, all executed with precision using appropriate tools and techniques.

Dewald Immink brings 19 years of teaching expertise across diverse year levels, recognizing each student’s unique learning strengths, needs, and interests. With a commitment to providing engaging activities tailored to each learner’s level, Dewald Immink cultivates an environment where students thrive academically and develop confidence in their abilities. As students progress on their learning journey, they are encouraged to reflect on their growth, discuss next steps, and take pride in their achievements. Enjoy multi materials at Hobsonville School, where practical competence meets personal empowerment.

 

Creative Technology – Kayla Kenmuir:
I am Kayla Kenmuir, the Creative Technology teacher who hopes to spark innovation and curiosity in the minds of students. With a blend of technical expertise and creative flair, I aim to inspire the next generation of innovators to explore the endless possibilities of technology. Through hands-on projects, engaging lessons, and a passion for learning, we will maintain a classroom environment where imagination knows no bounds. In Creative Technology we also see the collaboration of other learning areas, for example, the use of Maths, Dance and Drama, and even Writing! I look forward to new learning alongside the students in 2024!