Keeping our Focus

“For the focus to be kept on learning and the ownership of the learning with the child, then the best person to talk about the learning is the learner”

– Michael Absolum, “Clarity in the Classroom” (2006)

Student-led Learning Conferences

The conferences are held once a year for all students with a focus on their learning. They are led by the student for their parent / caregiver (rather than by the teacher or parent / caregiver). We encourage all parents to make the time to attend, to celebrate their child’s learning and praise them for leading the conference.

 

Some important things to remember:

  • JUNIOR SCHOOL (Yrs 0–3)
    Parents will be invited by their child’s teacher to this conference. It coincides with your child’s report against national standards,
  • MIDDLE & SENIOR SCHOOL (Yrs 4–8)
    Parents are sent an email invitation to book a convenient time to attend the conference. It coincides with your child’s mid-year report,
  • Your child will run their conference – not you, nor the teacher. Your child DOES need to attend,
  • As part of their learning, students put considerable time and energy into conference preparation. If you can’t be there, please arrange for another significant adult in your child’s life to attend,
  • It’s easier to focus on the learner if there are no distractions from preschoolers or siblings present.
Reporting & Assessment

Every child is unique and learns differently to their peers. Student reporting is an opportunity to gauge how your child’s learning is progressing using their year level and the the New Zealand Curriculum as a guide.

 

YOUR CHILD’S LEARNING PROGRESS:

Years 0–3

  • AFTER 4 WEEKS AT SCHOOL
    You’ll be invited to a parent conference with the teacher. This is an opportunity to discuss your child’s learning, review how well they have settled into school and receive a brief ‘Initial Report’.
  • AFTER 20 WEEKS AT SCHOOL
    You’ll receive a more comprehensive school report detailing your child’s progress and their next learning steps. It also indicates how your child is tracking in order to meet the expected New Zealand Curriculum level in reading, writing and mathematics.
  • AFTER 40 WEEKS AT SCHOOL
    You’ll receive another school report detailing your child’s progress and next learning steps. This report will also indicate if your child is working at the expected curriculum level in reading, writing and mathematics.

Years 4–8

  • CURRICULUM PROGRESS REPORTS (two per year)
    During Years 4 to 8, your child will receive two curriculum progress reports, mid-year and end of year. These two reports will document the progress and the curriculum level your child is working at in reading, writing and mathematics for each year level.

Reporting your Child's Progress

At Hobsonville School, we aim to put the child at the heart of the learning process in everything we do. A significant number of research studies highlight the beneficial effects of having students involved in the learning process and in how their learning is reported. We continue to have expectations of where your child should be with their learning. This is based on their year level and using the New Zealand Curriculum as a guide. We report on you child’s learning progress in a number of ways throughout the school year.

 

  • ‘MEET THE TEACHER’ SESSIONS
    Held at the beginning of term 1 of a new school year, to ascertain important details about your child to help facilitate a successful year of learning. These meetings also give parents and students information about the year ahead and the expectations in the learning area.
  • CURRICULUM PROGRESS REPORTS (two per year)
    Both these reports document the progress and the curriculum level your child is working at in reading, writing and mathematics for each year level.
  • STUDENT-LED LEARNING CONFERENCES (one per year)
    Conversations around learning, which are led by your child in their learning space.
  • CONVERSATIONS WITH PARENTS (as and when required)

 

YEAR LEVEL CURRICULUM LEVEL EXPECTATION
END OF YEAR 1 EARLY LEVEL 1
END OF YEAR 2 AT LEVEL 1
END OF YEAR 3 EARLY LEVEL 2
END OF YEAR 4 AT LEVEL 2
END OF YEAR 5 EARLY LEVEL 3
END OF YEAR 6 AT LEVEL3
END OF YEAR 7 EARLY LEVEL 4
END OF YEAR 8 AT LEVEL4

 

Home Learning

Home learning is an extension of what your child is learning at school. We have a number of online resources that can also assist your child, equally your child’s teacher can help with suggestions of ways you could support learning at home.

 

Home learning expectation:

JUNIOR SCHOOL (Yrs 0–3)
Students have daily reading books sourced from their learning space. The teachers in the junior learning area can help you with ideas of how to help your child at home.

 

MIDDLE SCHOOL (Yrs 4–6)
Students may come home with extra home learning in reading, math or writing, which will be an extension or completion of learning space tasks. Students are expected to be reading daily at home – a novel appropriate for their reading age – for at least 15 minutes each night and practising their basic facts for 10 minutes.

 

SENIOR SCHOOL (Yrs 7–8)
Our intermediate students are expected to act as responsible learners. Through

Seesaw, students can access their school work from home, if required. This is an extension of their class-learning. Daily reading is promoted and students are able to choose their own reading material for this, unless a set novel is being explored. Maths is practiced online through: e-ako.nzmaths.co.nz

Useful Links