We place a strong focus on supporting tamariki as they transition from early childhood learning into ‘big school’, where learning takes on new challenges and opportunities. We understand this is a big step not only for your child, but also for you as whānau, and we are here to walk alongside you on that journey.

What will you see in our classes?

A vibrant, print-rich environment that celebrates children’s mahi; engaging activities and equipment that encourage creativity, expression, and hands-on learning; a strong foundation in Structured Literacy and Maths; and passionate kaiāko and kaiāwhina who show up each day to nurture your child’s social, emotional, and academic growth.

What will you hear in our classes?

Laughter, learning conversations, singing, music and waiata, curiosity and questioning, and the joy of connections being made — between child and adult, and child to child.

What will you feel in our classes?

A deep sense of support, connection, and belonging. You and your tamaiti will feel valued, heard, liked, loved, and celebrated as part of our kura whānau.

When our akongā reach around Years 3-4 there is a real special sense of belonging established, where our tamariki are supported to help develop them into independent confident learners.  Our Year 3 and 4 akongā are encouraged to work alongside others, show intergrity and treat others with kindness and respect through a strong focus on our Waiū values.

We welcome whānau involvement and there are many opportunities for whānau to get involved in different ways including sports events, education outside the classroom and supporting learning in the classroom.  

Our main focus and theme for the tuakana of our kura is HONONGA – CONNECTIONS. We explore the ways we are connected to our wider community and local area, while weaving our inquiry focus into classroom learning.

Our kaiako are enthusiastic, supportive, and dedicated to providing knowledge, empathy, and meaningful learning for your tamaiti. Alongside classroom programmes, we offer additional support to promote success across all learning areas.

An important part of our mahi is preparing our tamariki for the next stage of their learning journey. We place strong emphasis on supporting a smooth transition to intermediate and high school, building the skills, confidence, and resilience they need to thrive in new environments.

We look forward to building strong partnerships with our tamariki and their whānau. With our open-door policy, we welcome questions, concerns, or even just a friendly catch-up.

You are always welcome to pop in anytime.

In 2022 the Māori Enrichment Unit was given the name ‘Opunoke’ which is the puke behind our kura, by our kaumatua. Many pūrākau have derived from Te taumata o Opunoke of which all tamariki at KSS are immersed as an integral part of our teaching and learning through our Localised Curriculum.  Opunoke is a Years 1-6, where 51-80% of Te Reo Māori is taught in our Year 5-6 spaces and Total Immersion in our Year 1-4 spaces.   

Our aspirations and visions for the future of Te Roopu Opunoke is to be total immersion by 2027.  Together guided by our Opunoke whānau, tauira, ngā kaiako kātoa, our localised curriculum, hāpori and Tuwharetoatanga.  Opunoke is an open space for whānau to visit, kōrero, waiata, karakia, observe and share.  Nau mai!

We envisage a prosperous future for our tamarirki to excel and successfully realise their cultural distinctiveness and potential and to participate and contribute to Te Ao Māori, Aotearoa and the World.

Tū toa ki te Ao!

‘Takiwātanga’ is a derivation of the phrase for autism coined by Keri Opa: “tōku/tōna anō takiwā” – “my/his/her own time and space”. Within our ‘Takiwātanga’ unit we refer to this phrase often to create a positive hive of learning for our tamariki. We have been complimented often by Whānau members who have said that they ‘love’ the way their tamaiti are more confident and comfortable in their learning space and kōrero often about the growth they have made.

What makes our unit ‘Unique’? We focus on what our tamariki ‘can’ do, we know and understand that they are naturally creative and it is our job as Kaiako and Kaiāwhina to give them the materials and space to let them blossom to their full potential. We will continue to work closely with parents, caregivers, whānau and education staff to manage Takiwātanga in a way that is best suited to their tamaiti and their individual needs.