Learning

Year 4-8 students at Puketapu School may bring their own device (Chromebook, iPad, laptop) to school, if they have permission from home to do so. There are minimum requirements for the device and some conditions for parents to be aware of.

Please remember that all Year 4 – 8 classrooms will still have a minimum of one Chromebook for every three students and a selection of iPads, so there is no reason to feel that your child needs to provide their own device. It is our strong belief that we have sufficient devices to allow students in every class to have access to devices when and if they are required for their learning. Please don’t feel pressured to buy a device.

If you would like your child to bring a device from home, there is an electronic form to sign – please contact the office for this.

At Puketapu School we do not set formal home learning. 

We encourage our students to be active outside school hours and our parents/caregivers to assist their children by:

• Encouraging reading for pleasure and information
• Listening and talking to them about things of interest
• Providing them with opportunities to help at home
• Encouraging and supporting them in their interests

We are very fortunate to be one of only a very small number of schools in the region to be full primary, meaning our Year 7 and Year 8 stay with us right through from the age of five through to the end of Year 8.

Students who remain at our school for Year 7 and 8 benefit from a seamless education and do not experience a plateau in achievement as they adjust to a change in learning environment at the end of Year 6.

Our Year 7 and 8 students provide positive leadership within the school, becoming role models for younger children in academic, sporting and cultural fields, and giving back to the school community.

Highlights of our school year at Year 7 and 8 level include:

• Design Technology programme: On site, small group learning about  hard and soft materials, cooking, digital technology, financial literacy and more.
• Electives: Passion projects and extending learning in areas of personal interest to students
• Leadership Opportunities: Multiple leadership opportunities to represent the school internally and externally, for example, the National Young Leaders Conference or showing visitors around our school
• Personal Sporting Opportunities – Summer and winter sports, swimming, cross country, athletics
• Year 8 Camp: As well as going on camp, the opportunity to be involved in fundraising initiatives and planning Camp
• Input into the end of year Graduation Celebration
• Opportunity to be a role model for younger students, organising  Whānau Group events, fundraising days and activities.
• Tuakana-Teina relationship building: Opportunities to work with junior classes and as a buddy with pre-schoolers at kindergarten before they start at our school.

Our staff enjoy reflecting upon the results of their collective efforts as students complete their final year with us and celebrating their time at our Year 8 Graduation Celebration.