Social Sciences @ Pt England School
Learn Create Share
Participation Protection Partnership
"The social sciences learning area is about how societies work and how people can participate as critical, active, informed, and responsible citizens. Contexts are drawn from the past, present, and future and from places within and beyond New Zealand."
NZ Curriculum
Every new year starts with a Social Science Inquiry especially designed to meet the specific needs of the school and the students. It is called 'The Pt England Way' and it focuses on setting the scene for the rest of the year through Values, Key Competencies, Maori Ti Kanga and getting to know each other better and has proved to be a very successful initiative. It is an integrated study with English, Maori and Art woven into the plan. Over the 8 years children attend Pt England School, a thorough and balanced coverage of the Social Science Curriculum occurs. Authentic contexts are used, utilising the local community, school/local and major events.
Because of the students access to the internet and other relevant technologies the children are able to research the wider and global community to supplement their hands on practical experiences. The Pt England Learning Model is an Inquiry based model used throughout the school along with Learn Create Share.
Many Pt England students have English as a second language so a strong emphasis is put on developing and using appropriate vocabulary along with the content knowledge. This is essential in order to promote understanding. Social Science studies provide many opportunities to acknowledge the Tangata whenua and celebrate our diverse ethnic mix drawing on the whanau and local community members to enrich the study with their support and contribution.
Students communicate their learning using a Digital Learning Object which is shared on their blogs.