About Us

THINK, DO, DISCOVER

These three key words underpin all aspects of Riverhead School. They are the focus for Riverhead School’s Vision, Bump@r Expectations, Inquiry Learning and Riverhead School Curriculum Guidelines.

They provide coherence for all documentation, focus and direction for our school. These three words are displayed in classrooms to remind students of the reason they are learning at Riverhead School. They are the basis for our expectations of their behaviour management.

We want our students to; THINK about, DO something about it, and DISCOVER something new.

The Way We Work

Riverhead School is a collaborative environment for all learners, adults and children alike. We have purpose built learning environments housing our Yr 0-8 learners. For further information regarding our teaching and learning please click here

Bump@r

Please see our Bump@r pages for more information

Our Bump@r

Bump@r Expectations

Bump@r As a Learner

Learners are provided with a wide range of opportunities at Riverhead School. Learners from Yrs 5-8 can participate in a variety of Northwest sports tournaments competing against other local schools, including Swimming, Cross Country and Athletics. Our Yr 0-4 also participate in Swimming, Cross Country and Athletics in the school environment. Currently learners at Riverhead School learn Mandarin from Years 5-8, under the guidance of a specialist Language teacher.

We have a number of opportunities in the Arts, including speech competitions, both in school and in a competition with local schools. Our Yr 7-8 Learners are given the opportunity to audition for the school band, run by our specialist music teacher. Learners in the senior school (Yrs 5-8) have the opportunity to participate in various choirs.

Across a three year cycle, we hold "The Year of the Performing Arts", "The Year of the Visual Arts" and "The Year of Education Outside the Classroom. Each year one of these things is the main focus. All learners are given the opportunity to participate in all events each year, with various roles depending on what the focus is.

We have 2 Kapa Haka groups (Junior and Senior). Learners are invited to join our school Kapa Haka group run by one of our amazing teachers. The group performs regularly at school assemblies, powhiris and sometimes they visit our local daycare centres or rest homes to perform for them.

Every year our Year 8 learners attend a celebratory end of year graduation expedition in Dunedin. They travel to Dunedin for a week, accompanied by staff members and have a great time to celebrate the end of their time at primary school.

All year 8 learners also have a special graduation celebration attended by the intermediate learners.

The Intermediate Years

Our intermediate area is called the Rangitopuni Team. Our Year 7 & 8 learners collaborate across two main learning areas. The Year 7 & 8's are our senior leaders of the school and are treated as such. These learners have the opportunity to take on many leadership roles throughout the school.

Part of the leadership opportunities for Yr 7-8 learners include becoming School Captains. Thesea are decided upon by their peers, Rangitopuni teachers and the Senior Leadership team. The captains take control of hosting many of our school wide events, including our annual School Prizegiving. They are the face of the school and greet any important visitors that come to Riverhead School.

Our Year 7 & 8 learners attend technology classes at a local school every Monday. Each year group attends for 2 terms and learn hard and soft material technology and food technology.

The Rangitopuni team learn through digital means with learners bringing their own devices to work on.

History

Riverhead School is situated in Riverhead Village, just off State Highway 28. Although basically a country school with a rural outlook it is situated close to the Metropolitan centre of Auckland, 26 km away.

Riverhead is a full primary with a roll of approximately 470 learners and caters for children from a cross-section of society. We have an increasingly multicultural community with learners of Māori and Pacific Island descent and learners from other ethnic groups such as Korean, Indian, South African and Chinese.

History abounds in Riverhead. The area was once a major gum-digging site settled by Dalmatians, and this can be seen in the names of some of the old established families who are still part of this community. From the early days of pioneering, gum-digging and timber trade, Riverhead was a stopover for travellers and gradually developed into milling, market gardening, fruit growing and vineyards, and more recently heavy industry in nearby Kumeu. Much of the land on the southern boundary of the village is used for horticultural purposes, whilst a variety of small farming predominates to the north.

The character of the village is always changing, since the timber mills which provided employment in the area have closed, and surrounding properties have been subdivided into lifestyle blocks. The proximity of Auckland means that people can live in the country and commute to the city for work. Over the past four years Riverhead has seen huge growth with hundreds of new houses built in three new subdivisions.

Records show the School was established on the present site in 1872. One of the original classrooms, dating back to 1900 now resides at our local community tennis courts. Most of the school was built in 1960.

Our latest development included the completion of a new 2 story building housing our youngest learners and the development of our back bank (previously unused) into an amazing play space.

International Students

Riverhead School hosts international students annually. We host individuals and groups from Japan, China, Switzerland among other countries.

For more information please click here

Report abuse