Directions for learning

Curriculum Design Statement

The Albany Primary Curriculum answers the crucial questions about:

What students are learning, why they are learning it, how well they are doing and what they need to learn next. Using a ‘long view’ approach across all years they will spend at Albany Primary School helps learners engage with the knowledge, values and competencies they require so they can go on to be confident, connected and agentic lifelong learners, and productive citizens of Aotearoa, New Zealand.

Underpinning this document is the vision of the New Zealand Curriculum:

To develop young people who are confident, connected, actively involved, lifelong learners. This is a living document; as the pages of text are brought to life in the practice of our teachers and the culture of our school, we will continue to review its effectiveness and value.

We recognise the importance of the Principles from the New Zealand Curriculum and have interpreted them through our planning and delivery of teaching and learning programmes. The Albany Primary Curriculum encompasses putting students at the centre of teaching and learning where the focus of the school curriculum is participation, positive relationships, engagement and pathway towards becoming an Albany Graduate. Our school learner competencies are woven throughout teaching and learning programmes and include:

• High Expectations: Empowers everyone to achieve personal excellence.

• Learning to Learn: Learners who are curious, supported and encouraged to question and reflect on their own learning processes and to understand how, why and what to learn.

• Coherence: Learners are supported to ask questions and make connections within and across the curriculum enabling coherent transitions and opening pathways for future learning

• Future Focus: Learners explore important global, authentic concepts. Through a problem solving approach, they are encouraged to look at issues surrounding sustainability, citizenship, enterprise and globalization, in order to be informed and active citizens who are able to transfer learning across contexts

• Inclusion: All learners’ identities, languages, abilities and talents are respected. We are responsive to their individual learning needs and through effective partnerships aim to fulfil our communities aspirations for all learners.

• Cultural Capability: Teachers enable all learners to feel a sense of belonging, where all cultures are recognised and valued in our classrooms, school and community; as we are all in this together - ‘he waka eke noa.’

• Te Tiriti o Waitangi: At APS there is a spirit of partnership, participation and protection in all we do to ensure that all students are achieving educational success, while maintaining and enhancing their identity, language, and culture. APS is our home and place, we strive to create a sense of belonging and identity across all cultures, through the lens of Te Tiriti o Waitangi

• Community Engagement: Engagement with the community is encouraged and promoted through meaningful interactions across a range of contexts. Our community plays an important role as primary resources to enrich all learning opportunities.

• Wellbeing: Learners understand that their physical and emotional wellbeing are paramount to success in their academic performance. They are nurtured and supported as part of our wider programmes.