Nawton School Description

Nawton School Staff have high expectations for achievement setting annual targets in Literacy and Numeracy. Our School Values- PRIDE: Perseverance, Respect, Integrity, Detachment and Excellence are taught, reinforced and expected behaviours within our school learning environment. Independence in living these values is actively worked towards and opportunities for leadership given through roles such as peer mediators, school councillors, librarians, road patrollers and sports monitors. Extension is provided for in classrooms and a withdrawal Science Club. Further extra learning opportunities are provided by teaching staff in Environmental education – ‘The Green Team’ and writing – ‘The School Newspaper’.

At Nawton School we believe in educating the whole child and this year the school has secured funding for trained private sports instructors to teach curriculum PE school wide. Nawton School is also working with WINTEC to provide further weekly lunchtime sports games, and a wide variety of sports gear: moon hoppers, rip sticks, scooters, balls and more supervised by staff. For outdoor play and education the children have access to a junior playground, two sandpits, two areas covered by shade cloth, a fitness trail, two sports fields, 3 courts and other paved areas. There are a number of large trees around the school boundary which provide sheltered areas for play during hot weather. Community support enables the school to provide a range of sporting experiences to enhance children’s skills and develop new interests such as Netball, Rugby, Touch, Mini-ball, Hockey, Soccer, T-ball and Softball.

The key foci of the school are literacy and numeracy. This year there are literacy and numeracy targets for mainstream and bilingual classes. Rumaki/immersion classes have set targets in literacy Maori. The literacy goal is enhanced by Peer Support Reading: Pause, Prompt, Praise, extra Teacher led reading enrichment classes the school being part of the Books in Homes programme and the ‘Lexia’- a web based targeted and personalised reading software programme.. This year Mainstream teachers and Reorua (Bilingual) staff are participating in professional development with University of Waikato staff for Maths. Rumaki staff are participating in professional development for Literacy Maori trialling draft Nation Standards for Immersion education. Every opportunity is taken to raise children’s awareness of the importance of literacy and numeracy.

The Arts, in particular Performing Arts are a strength of our staff, students and community. Our choir boasts over a hundred students. We have a well resourced and talented school band called ‘The Somebodies.’ There is opportunity for children to join before school, weekly violin, guitar and drum classes. Our school employs a staff member to teach music during classroom release periods four half days per term in which children sing, and learn to play ukulele, recorders, drums, and other percussion instruments. One area of the school has an annual production or show. There is a highly successful, competitive Kapa Haka group open to all students.

The school is well resourced with quality facilities including; twenty two classrooms a hall, resource room, multipurpose room, two covered courts, a pool, a dental clinic and a library with an attached computer suite (20 computers), as well as a learning hub with 12 laptops.. Over the last 2 years new decks, interior water fountains and sliding doors were added to rooms 1-10 and 21 air conditioning units. The pool changing rooms and fencing, as well as 6 classrooms lighting were upgraded. A heat pump was installed to our pool.

Eight classrooms have interactive whiteboards to support the delivery of curriculum. Both the library and computer suite are open during the sports break for children to use. A further class with 12 laptops supports targeted learning enrichment for maths and reading. These opportunities are supervised. The school is networked with all children having weekly lessons in the computer suite and access to classroom computers.

Nawton School has a special character as it delivers the New Zealand Curriculum in English for 12 classrooms, in English and Maori for 2 classrooms (Bilingual/Reorua) and in Maori (Immersion/Rumaki) for 6 classrooms.

The Ministry of Education verifier found that there was high quality Te Reo being used in the relevant classrooms. Reorua/Bilingual and Rumaki/Immersion Maori classes meet collaboratively for daily karakia/prayer as well as topic studies and Education Outside the Classroom experiences. English literacy programme provided to all Year 6 children in the Rumaki/Immersion, in line with their philosophy of producing bilingual, bi-literate students.

Nawton is a contributing school: teaching Year 0-6 students; situated in the North West of Hamilton City

Nawton School also provides ‘English as a Second Language’ support to families from immigrant backgrounds. The school employs a tutor to assist the children in attaining English. There are over 50 children, the majority of whom are Ministry of Education funded. The local Punjabi Community fund a teacher to offer Punjabi language classes on site for Indian students during school hours.

The school provides a study centre where children in the senior and middle school area can do homework and have access to the computers and the internet from 3.00 to 5.00pm Monday to Thursday. An ‘After School Care’ programme (run by the Western Districts Community Centre) operates from 3.00 to 5.30 pm daily. Kids Club operates on Wednesdays 3pm-4.30pm at the Nawton Community Church opposite the school on Livingstone Ave.

Nawton School provides inclusive education. The Board employs a number of teacher aides to support learning needs and to provide specific support of children with special needs. Our teacher aides receive regular professional development to meet current student needs. The school also works with external specialists where required. to meet individual needs.

Nawton School has a well resourced administration team with a full time financial administrator, school secretary and library and computer suite manager to operate efficiently and effectively to achieve our vision statement.

Community Goals

• To provide Taha Maori/Tikanga programmes for all children.
• Ensure that all children develop some knowledge and understanding of Te Reo.
• Continue to provide Total Immersion and bilingual learning for children whose parents request it.
• Develop opportunities for bilingual education for children whose parents request it.
• To continue to emphasise literacy and numeracy programmes throughout the school.
• Provide opportunities for all children to develop skills to extend their learning through ICT.
• Provide quality ESOL programmes to meet children's needs.
• Continue to meet children's needs and abilities through appropriate support programmes.

Beliefs

• Children are the focus of our school.
• Children will respect themselves, staff, peers and property.
• Education is a partnership between home and school.
• The school aims to provide quality teaching with staff who are positive role models providing fairness and support.
• The school will develop a behaviour plan that is fair/consistent.
• Learning should be appropriate, challenging and planned to meet the needs of children.
• Children are valued at Nawton School and children will develop a wide appreciation of the differences and similarities
• leading to a respect for each other.
• Children will learn the basics well and will leave our school with an awareness of how to use technology to continue to learn.
• Maori will be recognised as an important part of the make up of Nawton School and ultimately the Nawton community.