Preparatory School Annual Report 2022

The end-of-year 2022 Preparatory School Annual Report aims to inform the

2022 was a Year of High-level Academic Achievement

Advancement in Literacy and Numeracy continued during the year, as did the children’s ongoing development of strategies and tools for learning. The children performed well against national benchmarks.

The Preparatory School is committed to enhancing strategies and skills for learning. The children need to be able to make meaningful connections, and to apply knowledge to a range of situations and contexts.

The Preparatory School continues to be acknowledged and recognised as a showcase and working example of what a 21st century learning environment looks like.

Enjoyment, engagement, personalised learning, and achievement is readily seen at any time during the day.

Academic Achievements in 2022

READING

Children at or above national averages

93.8%

MATHEMATICS

Children at or above national averages

92.8%

WRITING

Children at or above national averages 93.1%

KEY COMPETENCIES

Children within or above their year

The school’s learning environment caters for all learning styles and abilities, and offers a level of diversity, which nurtures and expands all children’s development. The children’s learning is personalised through differentiation; the focus becomes each child’s genuine next steps. This allows each child to work at their appropriate level, irrespective of year level. Working with small groups, the teacher can scaffold, mentor, and guide the learning. The teacher can also stimulate deeper thinking and understanding through quality questioning.

Differentiation also caters for the learning needs of able children. It allows them to work at an extended level, but remain in their learning environment with their peer group. This approach also assists the development of their Key Competencies (KCs) or Emotional Intelligence (EQ).

The KCs are considered integral to being a well-rounded and successful learner. A person’s EQ is expected to be a significant factor in securing employment in the future. The primary years are the foundation years for the development of this skill set.

In the Preparatory School we are fortunate to have:

• the ability to implement the New Zealand Curriculum as intended;

• clarity within the school around effective pedagogy;

• strong curriculum leadership;

• competent teachers;

• enrichment experiences taken by specialist staff;

• a rigorous yet supportive teacher performance review process;

• a physical environment which supports the school’s approach to learning;

• the flexibility of large shared areas as well as smaller (class) rooms. Either or both can be used depending on the learning environment required at the time;

• one teacher with one class of children. This ensures that the crucial connections made between the teacher and child (and family) can be maintained, and there is no loss of learning flow;

• indoor/outdoor flow and connectivity;

• availability of a range of learning technologies;

• opportunities for innovation and creativity;

• forward looking and timely future planning.

During the year, the children enjoyed high levels of success – there were many outstanding academic, sporting, and cultural achievements.

Some of the highlights were:

• several students won competitions –Writing, Poetry, Speech and Drama, Future Problem Solving (individual category), and in teams – Future Problem Solving;

• most children played and enjoyed more than one sport, and many achieved regional and national success;

• there was ongoing development of coding and robotics, and the opportunity to work in the world of virtual reality;

• the gender balance continues to be evenly balanced;

• we continued to be a school in demand for places.

The Preparatory School’s all-round quality is consistently acknowledged by parents, staff, and students in ongoing surveys. The high level of support for the Preparatory School in all key areas is very pleasing and affirming.

As we look towards 2023, we will have a targeted Annual Plan which will continue to support the ongoing development of the school’s Student-centred Learning Approach (page 4). This model incorporates the intention and emphasis of the New Zealand Curriculum. All staff professional learning next year will link to the Annual Plan targets and expected outcomes.

The 2023 school year is set to be an exciting and productive year for students and staff.

Jonathan Bierwirth Principal of Preparatory School Deputy for Rector

Student-centred Learning Approach

STUDENT-CENTERED LEARNING

ENVIRONMENT

AND PA S S I O NATE TEACHERS

Competencies

A VISIBLE LEARNER A

LearningProcesses

Curriculum / Teaching and Learning

The Preparatory School Curriculum is developed under the guidelines and philosophy of the New Zealand Curriculum and takes into consideration the special nature of St Andrew’s College. It takes, as its starting point, a vision of our young people as lifelong learners who are confident and creative, connected, and actively involved. It includes a clear set of principles on which to base curriculum decision making. It sets out values that are to be encouraged, modelled, and explored. It defines five Key Competencies that are critical to sustained learning and effective participation in society, and that underline the emphasis on lifelong learning.

Literacy remains the largest and most important learning area (includes Reading, Writing, Spelling, Visual and Oral Language). Literacy accounts for 60–65 per cent of the weekly timetable. Numeracy (Mathematics), Enrichment (specialist areas), and Units of Inquiry make up most of the remaining time in the timetable.

The school is committed to enhancing strategies and skills for learning and high levels of understanding. A quality learning environment encourages discussion and questioning, and for the student is engaging, differentiated, and meaningful. It also develops interpersonal skills.

A significant development in 2022 was staff beginning the journey to modifying their approach to the teaching of Literacy. The change is from a whole language approach to a Structured Literacy one.

Structured Literacy is a highly explicit and systematic way of teaching all important components of literacy. These components include both foundational skills (e.g. decoding, spelling, handwriting and letter formation) and higher-level literacy skills (e.g. reading comprehension, written expression). It has gained considerable traction in New Zealand Education circles in recent years, particularly as an approach for our youngest learners and those with learning differences. At the start of Term 3, all staff completed a full day of professional development on Structured Literacy. Several teachers have trialled aspects of this approach across 2022 and all staff took part in further PD in December. The staff are looking forward to incorporating Structured Literacy as a key aspect of class programmes in 2023.

A Student-centred Learning Approach where learning is visible, has continued to underpin and drive teaching in the Preparatory School. In 2022, the focus has continued to be on teacher clarity, which according to Professor John Hattie, is one of the most important learning interventions available. Specifically, the following areas were a focus:

• learning intentions and success criteria are visible to students. Students know what they are learning and what success looks like;

• students have opportunities to self-assess their work;

• formative feedback is given to students;

• feedback is related to the learning intentions;

• Next step: feedback incorporates listening to the children explain their thinking.

The introduction of Aotearoa New Zealand Histories into our curriculum as part of the Social Sciences learning area was a significant development in 2022. Through the Social Sciences, students explore “how societies work and how they themselves can participate and take action as critical, informed, and responsible citizens” (the New Zealand Curriculum, page 17). Aotearoa New Zealand’s histories curriculum content supports this focus on critical citizenship – understanding the past to make sense of the present and to inform future decisions and actions. It focuses on stories of interactions across time that connect us to one another and to place. There are three elements to the histories curriculum content: understand, know, and do. Teachers design learning experiences that weave these elements together so that student learning is deep and meaningful.

In 2022 the Preparatory School was fortunate to have the knowledge and expertise of teacher Mary Leota working part-time implementing the ANZH curriculum in Years 3–8 classrooms. Mary taught a lesson once a fortnight to classes, and teachers participated as learners for these classes. Lessons covered a mix of learning and inquiry into our local history as well as basic Te Reo development.

Over the course of the next three to five years the entire New Zealand Curriculum is going through a refresh process. Key changes signalled include:

• a greater emphasis and recognition of the intent of Te Tiriti. This will include designing local curriculum that includes content about Te Tiriti covering local and national contexts;

• broadening our view of what success looks like. In practice this means creating inclusive environments that value every student;

• setting high expectations for all.

As each Learning Area is rewritten it will follow the Understand, Know, and Do format of the Histories Curriculum. As a Preparatory School and College, we are well placed to adapt to the changes. Many of the key changes reflect our current student-focussed philosophy and mirrors the College values of inclusivity and excellence.

In 2022, there continued to be a focus on the use of Te Reo Māori in classrooms. Te Reo Māori is one of New Zealand’s three official languages and providing our students with a basic understanding of Te Reo Māori and Tikanga has had many benefits for them. All teachers attended short professional development sessions run by a specialist teacher and implemented this learning in their classrooms. These sessions had a dual focus of actively encouraging staff to develop confidence in their own speaking, while providing practical activities for use in the classroom. Staff briefings now begin with a karakia and waiata which are then taught to classes across the Preparatory School. Part of the teacher’s role this year has involved the teaching of Te Reo to Years 3–8. Teachers also take part in these lessons as learners alongside their students. Students have displayed an increasing sense of pride in the New Zealand Māori culture, as well as an understanding of how languages work and how these skills can be transferred to other areas of learning.

Over recent years there has been a growing understanding of, and recognition for neuro-diverse students in mainstream Education. Neurodiversity is a broad term used to encompass a wide range of diagnoses that includes Learning or Developmental Disability; Communication Disorders (CD), Autism or Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Specific Learning Disorders (SLD). As a school that values inclusivity, St Andrew’s welcomes students with diverse needs and has a wealth of resources to assist in their education. An important part of this package is continuing to upskill classroom teachers in this area. During the earlier part of the year all staff attended Professional Development on what to expect when teaching neuro-diverse students and how to cater for them in the classroom.

The Preparatory staff’s ability to deliver learning during the stresses of the COVID-19 pandemic was again put to the test, as it was across the College and wider community. During Term 1 the Preparatory School had its share of staff and student absences. Heading into this time the decision was made to employ a full-time reliever for the duration of the Term 1 and part-way through Term 2. Other part-time specialists were also re-deployed to assist with preparing learning for students isolating at home during the pandemic. It was a testament to the skill of our teachers that the learning for our students remained seamless and of excellent quality. 2022 results in Reading, Writing, and Mathematics indicate that there was no dip in achievement for our students and the school was able to remain open for instruction throughout this challenging time.

Assessment and Reporting

Assessment

Assessment is described as the process of gathering, analysing, interpreting, and using information about students’ progress and achievement to improve teaching and learning. Assessment plays a significant part in our education system and should strive to involve all children in knowing how successful they have been in their learning. This is an integral part of developing lifelong learning skills.

Teaching and learning in the Preparatory School continues to show many strengths. A considerable part of this is the ability to reflect modern learning pedagogy in teaching as well as through our approach to assessment. As this shift in education continues, so has our view of assessment. Visible Learning assessment practices continue to be a focus in the Preparatory School. This is where assessed information is used by teachers to adjust their teaching strategies, and by students to adjust their learning strategies. Assessment, teaching, and learning are inextricably linked, as each informs the other. Students feel involved in the process and can describe where they are at with their learning and what their next steps are.

Quality and timely feedback from teacher to student, student to teacher, and student to student are an important part of this. Teacher clarity formed part of the appraisal process for classroom teachers in 2022 and will continue to be an area of focus in 2023. Teacher clarity is about helping students gauge their own progress using success criteria and intentional and deliberate feedback.

There are five essential practices for teacher clarity that over time will result in a greater ability for students to manage their own learning. These are:

• crafting learning intentions and success criteria;

• co-constructing learning intentions and success criteria with learners;

• creating opportunities for students to respond (i.e. formative assessment);

• providing effective feedback on and for learning;

• sharing learning and progress between students and teachers.

Informal assessment opportunities such as peer and self-assessment, when added to learning conversations and more formal assessment tools allow both teacher and student to better understanding what learning has been achieved and to then set realistic goals for where to next.

Formal Assessment Tools and Online Testing

e-asTTle continued to be our main tool for assessing Year 4–8 students in Reading and Writing. As well as being used for whole school cohort testing, individual teachers also used the shorter tests with small groups to inform next steps in the learning process. e-asTTle provided information to teachers, students, and parents about levels of achievement relative to the Curriculum achievement outcomes for Levels 2–6. Staff found e-asTTle to be a great tool for helping students understand their progress, and a useful way to involve parents in discussions about their children’s progress. Classes also used the e-asTTle writing rubric

to self-assess their writing as part of class work. Running Records were used as one of the primary assessment tools across all levels. During Terms 3 and 4 staff learnt about and trialled use of The Code – Structured Literacy approach to teaching spelling. It includes the Phonological Assessment Screening Tool, a Scope and Sequence, Word Checks to place students on appropriate year levels, Progressions for each year level with lists that have an explanation/definition to support Explicit Teaching, a Lesson Sequence, and supporting activities. This programme gives highly detailed assessment information and forms part of a wider change to the teaching of Literacy, particularly in the early years.

Reporting to Parents

The use of the Community Portal as the means to view reports was continued in 2022 and is now the accepted means for viewing and comparing student reports over time. Students received reports comprising of:

• a summary of initial testing and Curriculum Level placement (Term 1);

• individual next learning steps for key subject areas (Term 1);

• individual Key Competency related goals (Term 1);

• specialist staff assessment of skills, knowledge, and behaviour during specialist lessons (Terms 2 and 4);

• teacher comment around Key Competencies (Terms 2 and 4);

• a summary of student progress towards goals and further testing results (Terms 2 and 4).

Parents were able to access results and comments in a timely manner and discuss with teachers and students at learning conferences. Learning conferences continued to provide another forum for teachers, students, and parents to discuss learning and set goals for the future. The Preparatory School has an open-door policy and has continued to encourage parents to contact staff whenever they feel a need. Minor changes to the timing of reports for our new entrants occurred to align with changes to legislation which has meant children can only start school after their fifth birthday.

The changes to a structured Literacy approach in 2023 will necessitate a change in how we report student progress, initially in reading and spelling in the year ahead.

Student Portfolios and E–Portfolios

Student portfolios are a valued and integral part of the children’s learning and achievement, they provide a format for students to record their work, goals, and achievements, reflect on their learning, and share their learning with a wider audience.

For students in the Junior and Middle Syndicates of the Preparatory School the portfolio continued to be digital in 2022 using the online platform Seesaw. Students in Year 7 also began using this online tool to share learning with parents. Seesaw allows teachers and students to upload current examples of work, and for parents and family to view and comment.

Well-being and Pastoral Care

Looking after the well-being of our students is a vital part of the school day. The Preparatory School has made a deliberate decision to continue to offer one teacher to one class of children. This is counter to the current trend in New Zealand state schools whereby two or more classes and teachers are together in one large teaching space. It is this conscious decision which allows our classroom teachers to develop an in-depth understanding and empathy for the small group of students in their care.

Well-being in the Preparatory encompasses the following key aspects:

• Bounce Back: An evidence-informed programme that provides teachers with practical strategies to teach well-being, resilience, and socialemotional skills;

• StAC-UP: Explicit expectations for students underpinned by the College Values of Truth, Excellence, Faith, Creativity and Inclusivity;

• House Token Rewards: Student recognition for following StAC-UP values and expectations.

• Restorative Practice and StAC-UP Steps: Provides clear pathways and protocols for any behavioural issues that occur;

• Survey Tools and Referral Systems: provide a communication link between students and staff and assist students to access support when needed;

• Pastoral Support and counselling: counselling is available as needs arise.

During Term 2, four classes trialled the use of Komodo, an online well-being

survey tool for schools. Komodo is designed to help students understand their own well-being and provide a bridge between staff and students. The tool consists of a short survey that students fill in on a weekly or fortnightly basis. The questions are chosen by staff and cover topics such as device use and bullying, as well as social and emotional well-being. Student responses are tracked and consistently low scores across several surveys flags a student for a ‘check in’. Students can, at any time, also request a ‘check-in’ with a staff member. In Term 3 the survey was released to all Year 4–8 classes. The survey has proved invaluable to staff, particularly in giving a voice to our more reserved students who at times are reluctant to approach a staff member in person for support or in times of difficulty.

The Pastoral team again facilitated and added to an extensive Clubs Programme

in the Preparatory School. This year the following clubs were offered: Minecraft, Robotics, Chess, Book Club, Crafts, Games and LEGO. Clubs provided students with a more diverse range of options for break-times. As we recognise and welcome a range of students in our school, it has been important to provide a place where all feel welcome and able to connect with students across the school with similar interests.

During 2022 we enjoyed our first full year of having a 24/7 Youth worker dedicated to the Preparatory School. Katrina Setacci was a valuable addition to the pastoral team. In Term 1, much of her time was spent working with small groups of Year 7 students, building relationships and resilience in the year group that has a large intake of 50 new students. Throughout the rest of 2022 Katrina continued to work with small groups

at a variety of year levels and mentored individuals needing one-to-one support.

A group of nine staff took part in four days of professional development across the year. The series was titled: Investing in our Psychological Capital – Unlocking the Key to Workplace Well-being. Run by Tony Burkin from Interlead, the series provided teachers with several tools and skills. Topics included the opportunity to measure workplace stress and anxiety levels, identify when they are in dangerous zones, self-monitor, and change how they work without impacting adversely on learning outcomes or the quality of their work. Highly successful and engaging PD that has allowed staff involved to achieve or maintain a professional approach to their work while gaining greater work/life balance.

Gifted and Talented

The purpose of defining and identifying giftedness is to recognise individual and group abilities, qualities, and interests. Gifted education is about ensuring gifted potential is realised, gifted learners discover their strengths and follow their passions, and barriers to success are minimised. Students in the Preparatory School who have been identified as Gifted and Talented are monitored and placed on the Learner Needs Register on the school’s student management system, Synergetic.

Definition and Identification

In the Preparatory School staff provide responsive learning environments in which students are encouraged to become adaptive, creative, and resilient.

Curriculum differentiation is a strategy used by staff to cater for the wide range of abilities in classrooms. Differentiation greatly enhances the educational experiences of gifted and talented

students. When gifted learners are active participants in their learning and experience appropriately differentiated teaching and learning, well-being is promoted, and achievement and progress is accelerated.

The underlying principles guiding differentiation for gifted and talented students are to:

• present content that is related to broad based issues, themes, or problems;

• integrate multiple disciplines;

• present comprehensive, related, and mutually reinforcing experiences;

• develop independent or self-directed study skills;

• develop productive, complex, abstract and/or higher order thinking skills;

• focus on open ended tasks;

• develop research skills and methods;

• evaluate student outcomes by using appropriate and specific criteria through self-appraisal.

Curriculum enrichment is also used widely across all year levels of the Preparatory School. Curriculum enrichment refers to ‘learning activities providing depth and breadth to regular teaching according to the child’s abilities and needs’ (Townsend, 1996). Curriculum enrichment is taught by specialist teachers and includes Physical Education, Religious Education, Spanish (Years 1–7), French (Year 8), Music, Dance and Drama, Art, Food, and Materials Technology (Years 7–8).

The provision of appropriate opportunities for all students is at the heart of learning in the Preparatory School.

In 2022, COVID-19 continued to impact directly on several enrichment activities in the Preparatory School. Many competitions were postponed or changed to virtual or online events. However, even despite this, many opportunities for enrichment still went ahead and excellent results were achieved.

In 2022 the following areas were provided:

Writing Enrichment

Kerrin Davidson worked in the Preparatory School as part of a Writing Enrichment programme. Kerrin is a published author and was Victoria University’s Creative Writing Teacher of the Year 2008. 2022 saw the Writers’ Enrichment programme in the Preparatory School continue to grow from strength to strength, with an increase in classes and two writers’ master classes running for Years 3–7. The purpose of these classes was not only for the students who require extension in literacy, but also for those students who have a passion for writing. Kerrin’s classes provided an open-ended platform for students to

write creatively with no barriers. She encouraged all students and guided them positively in their learning.

Sessions were run on a Monday and Thursday afternoon, as well as Wednesday lunchtime, with a variety of competitions entered including New Zealand Poetry Box, Sea week Competition, Royal Commonwealth Queen’s Essay Competition, New Zealand Poetry Society International Competition, Vancouver International Competition, Gifted Association Competition, and the Otago Daily Times competition.

The following students have had their writing published in 2022.

• Emma Geddes – Winner Elsie Lock Prize, also published in Toi Toi;

• Ben Edward – Published in Toi Toi;

• Isabelle Harrison – Third place NZ Poetry Society, also published in British Anthology, illustrated by Quentin Blake;

• Radha Gamble Committees Choice Waitaha NZ English Teachers Association Flash Fiction;

• Anel Bartlett – Bronze Medal – Queens Essay Competition (international).

The year concluded with a Creative Writing Competition held in the Preparatory School for Years 3–5 (Anel Bartlett) and Years 6–8 (Emma Geddes). Winners received a cup at the End-of-Year Assembly.

Future Problem Solving (FPS)

Future Problem Solving: To dream and to plan, to be curious about the future, and to wonder how much it can be influenced by our efforts are important aspects of being human.

– Dr E Paul Torrance, founder of FPSNZ

This year 42 students from Years 5–8 engaged with the internationally renowned Future Problem-Solving Programme (FPS) twice a week. The programme is designed to provide intellectually gifted students with a problem-solving model to think critically and analytically about significant global issues. Further, it enables these students to develop creativity and vision to explore scenarios with originality and flexibility and the ability to work as a team to achieve goals. Throughout the year, students have wrestled with issues surrounding Water Supply, Building Green, Insects and Mining. During Terms 1 and 2 the students learned and applied the highlevel skills and competencies of creative, critical, and ethical thinking within a well-researched framework of the current topic.

In Term 3 the challenge increased as students prepared for the ‘Qualifying Problem’ which included responding to an unseen futuristic scenario about Insects and applying the 6-step problem solving model within a two hour 15 minute time limit. This phenomenal effort resulted in four teams and 2 individuals qualifying for the National Finals on Friday 4 November.

The National Final preparation began with two ‘Focus Days’ during the holidays, 13–14 October. Researching a new topic, Mining, while honing FPS skills in just three weeks, provided these elite students with further intense fun and challenge.

The ‘Focus Days’ where intellectually comparable students investigated elements on the periodic table and researched global mineral deposits with excitement, was an unparalleled learning environment. Industry experts from across Australasia provided valuable insight and knowledge about the topic. My sincere thanks to: Dr Darlene Heuff, computer modelling consultant – Australian Mines, Mr Ray Mudgway, Managing Director of Westland Mineral Sands, Mr Craig McGregor, Canterbury geologist, and Mr Roger Dennis, Futurist and St Andrew’s College parent. The FPS year was celebrated with impressive National Final Results:

National Champions:

• Year 8 Individual: Lauren Li;

• Year 5–6 Team: Ben Edward, Louis Hyland-Cook, Emmett Lawler, Rhys Lawler;

• Runner Up – Year 9 Individual: Hannah Withers;

• Third Place: Year 5–6 Team –Presentation of Action Plan;

• Top 10 Placement: Year 7, Year 8, and Year 9 Teams.

I wish to acknowledge the mentoring from Julie Rogers, and support from UC expert speakers, classroom teachers and the parents who all contribute to the stimulating learning FPS offers these leaders of tomorrow.

Other enrichment opportunities offered in 2022:

• Rotary Speech Competition;

• Kids Lit Quiz;

• Extension Mathematics class Years 7–8;

• Otago Problem Solving Years 7–8;

• Code Club;

• 3D Design and Printing Club;

• Chess Club Terms;

• D-Squared Drama Group;

• VEX IQ Robotics Club (Year 7);

• ICAS Examinations;

• Speech and Drama.

New Enrichment Programmes introduced in 2022:

Philosophy:

Ten Year 4 students were introduced to the greatest philosophical thinkers of the Western World: Socrates, Plato and Aristotle. Learning about and from these philosophers

began a journey into the Socratic method of inquiry where types of questions were analysed for depth and complexity.

Debating:

Despite being a lunchtime option, 10–20, mainly Year 8 students, gathered to enjoy and learn about the intricacies of presenting a well-reasoned opinion and a valid rebuttal. The contributions of Meg Longley (Old Collegian) and Ethan Adams (Head of Debating) were central to the success of this intellectually interesting club.

Junior Department

Another exciting year with our department functioning at full capacity, ensured opportunities for children to fully explore the Key Competencies by: working in teams across the department, engaging in activities that acknowledged their thinking and the ideas of others, prioritising communication skills through professional learning and explicit teaching of self-management skills using programmes such as the Mindful Movers.

Appraisal Connector

An ongoing indicator of the dedication and commitment to self-improvement of the teaching team, was evident throughout the year as teaching inquiries were recorded and shared with peers using the Appraisal Connector platform. Our shared theme this year was a focus on Structured Literacy. All Junior Department staff introduced an aspect of this programme to their practice and the New Entrant classes were fully engaged with the Little Learners’ Love Literacy resources. New learning and student success has been shared and discussed across the team using Appraisal Connector.

Embedding our Learning Culture

A common theme across the Preparatory School is the StAC-UP programme. The Junior team have been creative in linking StAC-UP to class programmes and inquiries. The language of StAC-UP was shared through acts of explicit teaching to ensure our young students developed successful learning and behaviour strategies. Students have been reflecting on their actions around three key areas: Be Ready, Be Safe, and Be Respectful. This cycle of reflecting and linking actions to StAC-UP through guided conversation and implementing change has become part of our daily practice.

The highly successful Restorative Practice approach to conflict resolution supported our StAC-UP programme. Restorative Practice conversations in the classroom and the playground ensured the children were supported in developing the necessary language skills to reflect on and resolve the issues at hand. Links were always made to the key elements of StAC-UP: Be Ready, Be Safe, and Be Respectful.

Te Reo Māori

The Junior Department attended professional learning on the Aotearoa New Zealand Histories curriculum which prompted team discussions and inclusion of the Level 1 focus on Myths in our annual Matariki celebrations. The Te Reo Māori teacher has had a very successful year teaching the Year 3 classes and supporting ongoing staff development with the use of te reo in everyday conversation. Her availability and resourcefulness have benefited us all.

Literacy

Reading, Writing and Phonics were timetabled with priority across the Junior Department. Daily Reading and Writing lessons guaranteed explicit teaching of scope and sequence relating to each subject. A structured phonics programme provided a beneficial link across the curriculum. Children who required extra help to get underway were given one-to-one support with a skilled teacher. A strong foundation in Literacy across its disciplines was a priority in our department, with high levels of achievement reflecting our commitment to this goal.

The New Entrant teachers introduced the Structured Literacy approach to their teaching programme. This started in Term 1 with Greta Henley and was picked up in Term 2 by Heather Orman. This scientific and extremely precise programme has strong merits which we have seen the benefits of in our classrooms. The Junior Department team welcomed this approach and are participating in considerable ongoing professional learning to ensure the deepest understanding and therefore the best results for our young learners.

Mathematics

Prime Mathematics was the core of our teaching and learning programmes and will remain so in 2023. Our Prime programmes ensured a balanced exposure to the three dimensions of Mathematics: Procedural and Computational Skills, Conceptual Understanding, and Problem Solving. Our team of passionate teachers willingly shared their knowledge with others.

This is also evident during Mathematics interchanges undertaken across some year levels providing an opportunity for in depth, targeted teaching, meeting the learning needs of small groups of children. The Prime Mathematics review chapters have provided evidence of progress and next learning steps.

Transition to School Programme

Full New Entrant classrooms with happy and settled children reflected the successful Transition to School programme operating in 2022. Strong connections and an inclusive relationship between the Pre-school and our Junior Department ensured the childrens’ needs were the first consideration in all planning. Children who came in from other pre-schools benefited from this wealth of knowledge, crucial for a student arriving without a network of friends. We continue to be proud of the programme and its positive results.

Digital Technology

Digital Technology presented some exciting learning opportunities under the expertise of specialist teacher Anneke Kamo. The students in Years 1–2 have become very confident in coding our BeeBot robots. BlueBots were also introduced, a step up from the Beebots. The BlueBots allowed the students to write code on the iPads and transfer this code and control them through Bluetooth. During this unit the children learnt to use their decomposition skills to break down simple tasks into stepby-step instructions, whilst also working co-operatively.

The Year 3 students began with lessons centred around digital literacy and cybersafety. As they began using laptops for the first time in Year 3, it was important to teach the children the skills they will need to be safe and responsible online. Later in the year, the Year 3 students learnt how to code using the online program `Scratch’, and created a range of projects that they were very proud of. They also made PowerPoint presentations to support their Inquiry about the estuary, which they shared with their parents at a celebration afternoon.

Inquiry

The Year 3 students completed an Inquiry unit around the theme of ‘Protecting our Estuaries’ in Term 2 and 3. The stunning Avon-Heathcote/Ihutai Estuary provided a real-life context for the students learning. A variety of engaging activities were planned which followed the four stages of the St Andrew’s College Inquiry Pathway. The activities were designed to develop the children’s knowledge and

understanding of New Zealand’s estuaries, the plants and animals found there, and ways to help protect them. A visit to the Canterbury Museum to learn more about some of the birds found in our local estuary was a highlight in Term 2. Some literacy activities related to the Inquiry were also integrated into the classroom programme. For example, the students enjoyed researching an animal found in the Avon-Heathcote/Ihutai Estuary and they wrote and published an Informative Report on devices and shared these with families via Seesaw

Raising awareness of the current situation for our local estuary and marine environment, meeting people involved in estuaries, and contributing to a positive future for our waterways were major areas of focus during the Inquiry learning in Term 3. The students had a wonderful field trip to the Charlesworth Wetland Reserve in Ferrymead at the end of Term 3. Tanya Jenkins, the Education Officer for the Avon-Heathcote Estuary Ihutai Trust, led the students on a fun trail quiz around the Reserve. The children noticed many of the New Zealand plants and animals they had learnt about earlier in the unit. A highlight from the outing was when the students got to put on their gardening gloves and they assisted Tanya with the pulling out of stubborn weeds, and picked up litter from around the native trees, shrubs, and saltmarsh plants at the Reserve. The small actions of the students in targeting the environmental issues of pollution during the field trip, helped to contribute to a positive future for our local Avon-Heathcote Estuary/Ihutai, and it was a wonderful way to finish their Inquiry learning.

Discovery Time

Each Friday the students in Years 1–2 have traditionally participated in Tūhura Time, Discovery Time, which encourages active engagement from students, promotes motivation, autonomy, responsibility, independence and develops creativity and problem-solving skills. For many students it has been a highlight of the week and they are sorry to leave it behind as they move to Year 3. During 2022 we decided to offer an extension to our traditional Tūhura Time and ran a programme that would meet the needs of Year 3 students. They have been able to join in all the stimulating activities with the rest of the Junior Department and have also had the opportunity to extend their learning with activities designed especially for them, based on their own interests and ideas they generated themselves.

Helen King was excited by this challenge and ensured the options offered were challenging and included the students’

interests. They started by looking at the early development of cartoons and movies; this soon transferred into stop motion and the students all created their own stop motion films including title, background, and credits.

In Year 3 the students were writing narratives and they decided it would be fun to make their own puppets and create a story around them. They looked at a range of different puppets and went through a design process to create their own before finally beginning the long process of making them. A variety of stick, hand sewn, and marionettes were created, and the students enjoyed acting out their narrative scripts using their own puppets at the Year 3 Celebration of Learning.

Heather Orman Years

1–3

Team Leader

Middle Syndicate

During 2022, the Middle Syndicate focused on embedding the elements of StAC-UP: Be Safe – inside, outside, and online; Be Ready – to learn in all situations; and Be Respectful – towards others and yourself.

Manaakitanga

Manaakitanga was a highly valued aspect of our team. We set the expectations for the development of this in our students from our Year 3 transition meetings during Term 4 and continued to strongly encourage, model and make this a nonnegotiable in our interactions, within our team and our wider school community. At the beginning of the year, we welcomed nineteen new students to our team. Due to COVID-19 we had restrictions during Term 1 and were only able to interact at each year level. This did impact our ability to develop our Years 4–6 team identity. Term 2 came with less restrictions in place and enabled us to come together for our weekly assemblies, fitness, kapa haka, Aotearoa studies interchange and singing, to work on developing a shared understanding of what Manaakitanga means for us.

StAC-UP

2022 has been the second year of StAC-UP. StAC-UP was explicitly taught each week and promoted, fostered, and facilitated daily in our classrooms and team. We used a range of resources for our lessons to meet the particularly needs of our students. Students were invested in the StAC-UP tokens they could earn for demonstrating StAC-UP in and out of

the classroom. The token canisters were watched closely twice a term to see which house would win a casual wear day.

Appraisal Connector

Teachers used Appraisal Connector to record and share their professional learning and appraisals throughout the year. Images, documents, and reflections were uploaded for Class Descriptions, self-appraisal, leadership appraisal, and student voice.

Mathematics

All Years 4–6 teachers used the Prime resource, Maths Buddy (online) and work books. Mathematics classes were ability grouped at each year level with Mathematics being taught every day. Groupings were fluid and reviewed regularly to ensure individual needs were attended to throughout the year. Shared assessment practices enabled teachers to communicate progress for all students for the purpose of parent interviews and reporting. Maths Buddy was used for diagnostic tests, weekly revision tasks, individualised lessons, and extension. This learning supported whole class and group lessons and paper-based tasks in work books.

Reading: Core 5 (Years 4–5) and Reading Plus (Year 6)

Integration of Core 5 (Years 4–5) and Reading Plus (Year 6) into the classroom reading programme contributed to excellent progress in vocabulary, fluency, and comprehension for Years 4–6 students. Integrating Core 5 and Reading Plus into our Reading lessons has supported student progress with

students making up to 24 months progress. ‘Catching on to Comprehension’ textbooks were used in Years 4 and 6 classrooms. This resource provided a broad and varied range of text types to engage students, facilitate reading skills and strategies, and targeted comprehension at the each student’s level.

Structured Literacy

Year 4–6 teachers attended the mid-year Teacher Only Day professional learning with Liz Kane, with a focus on Structured Literacy. Professional learning opportunities will continue to be essential to develop expertise in

the planning, teaching and assessment of this approach. Year 4 assessed and implemented a high-needs group spelling programme. Year 5 have used the elements of this in their spelling and reading lessons. The teachers are looking forward to continuing to build their knowledge in this area in 2023.

Spelling, Grammar, and Punctuation

SSpA and Peters Spelling gave us valuable data and next steps at the beginning of this year. We introduced ‘The Code’ to further identify gaps in spelling at the end of Term 2. The inclusion of this resource will continue in 2023.

Te Reo Māori

We were very fortunate to have a specialist teacher in Aotearoa Studies this year. She taught fortnightly lessons in every classroom. This was an opportunity to educate the students and upskill classroom teachers. Teachers were provided with ideas, PowerPoints and online tools to use in their daily classroom programmes. Years 4–6 Kapa Haka with Matua Steve every Wednesday afternoon was adapted to include Aotearoa Studies lessons. One Year 4, 5 and 6 class attended Kapa Haka each week, with the other three classes involved in lessons with a focus on Matariki, Maramataka and Myths and Legends. This was on a fortnightly rotation and has broadened student understanding of Kapa Haka, Te Reo and Aotearoa Studies in our team. Matua Steve and Mary Leota expertly taught Kapa Haka. A performance group of seventy students attended Tūhono 2022 in the Christchurch Town Hall at the end

of the year. It was a wonderful opportunity for our students to perform on stage and share their knowledge and skill with friends and family.

Seesaw

With the COVID-19 restriction there were no parents in our buildings for much of the year, Seesaw was an invaluable tool for communicating, sharing learning and showing what our classrooms looked like. The flexibility of using Seesaw to send messages, share photos and video, give feedback, assign lessons, and assess student work was well utilised during any home learning and will continue to enhance what is happening in our classrooms in future years.

Megan Feller

Years 4–6 Team Leader

Year

7 Team

In 2022, the Year 7 Syndicate welcomed Annabelle Kerr. Annabelle was in her first year of teaching and taught a variety of subject areas across Years 6, 7 and 8, as well as coach several sports teams. She went from strength to strength in all areas of her teaching and was a collaborative member of the team. We look forward to having Annabelle working as part of the Year 7 team for 2023.

With COVID-19 affecting us from the beginning of the year the staff did a great job of welcoming 50 new students to the College this year. Luckily, we were able to complete the transition programme and it worked effectively to integrate the year group. In the first few weeks there were a range of activities planned to help students get to know each other and to settle in. Students were involved in a learn to surf day at Sumner, a day at Adrenalin Forest and a problem-solving morning with Sport Canterbury.

In Year 7 we continued to build on the Preparatory School pastoral care and values system. In Term 3 we added an online tool called Komodo for our Year 4–8 students. Komodo is a well-being platform for students where they complete a survey once a week on specific areas of well-being. Through carefully developed questions we are then able to identify individuals or groups who may require pastoral support. Komodo also helps us to identify year group, or school wide trends that we can address with wider strategies. We also continued to work with students around engaging core values of being safe, being respectful and being ready. StAC-UP, combined with the

St Andrew’s College school wide values of Truth, Excellence, Faith, Creativity, and Inclusivity which helped to ensure positive relationships amongst students.

In 2022 Seesaw became an integral part of the connection with our families in Year 7. It was used as a platform to share learning, experiences, and to give feedback at a class, group, and individual level. It was also used extensively to share photos of various events with parents. During this time, students uploaded and completed learning tasks in Seesaw and received timely feedback. The app was used widely by our Year 7 parents.

Alongside literacy and numeracy, integrated inquiry was a major focus in the Year 7 programme. With a very busy curriculum, integration is a valuable tool to ensure that all learning areas are covered. Integrated inquiry also incorporates a variety of thinking skills, information literacy skills and integrates well with information technology. The Year 7 staff have worked collaboratively with specialist teachers to include a variety of skills and knowledge across numerous subject areas. Some of the topics covered in 2022 have been St Andrew’s College Histories, Aotearoa New Zealand histories – Something Happened Here, Jean Batten – Flight, and in Term 4 students completed a Genius Hour inquiry.

Te Reo has been another focus in the Year 7 team. In previous years students have learnt Spanish for the whole year. In 2022 a change was made, and students learnt Spanish for one semester and Te Reo for the other. Te Reo was taken by the specialist teacher who delivered engaging lessons to the students weekly.

In 2022 the Year 7 students participated in a number of education outside the classroom activities. During Term 2, students attended six weeks of gymnastics sessions at the QE2 School of Gymnastics. In Term 3, the Year 7 students attended weekly swimming lessons at the Wharenui Pool. The aim was to increase swimming levels in preparation for summer. We saw a huge improvement in the children’s skills during this time.

In Term 4 we returned to Castle Hill for the Year 7 camps. The purpose of the camps was to develop whanaungatanga, build relationships, establish a positive group culture, experience challenge, encourage resilience, build empathy, provide opportunities for students to participate and contribute, identify leadership skills, and learn to interact with their peers and teachers in a different context.

Kelly McBride Year 7 Team Leader

Year 8 Team

The Year 8 syndicate began the year with action-packed camps to Castle Hill. Students enjoyed outdoor activities such as abseiling, raft-building and the ever-popular outdoor tramps. The days were hot, the activities were challenging, and the children certainly stepped a long way from their comfort zones. Some particularly divergent weather forced some of us indoors and we were grateful to have a roof over our heads as it rained non-stop for 24 hours. Castle Hill Outdoor Education Centre Operations Manager Jo Parsons and her team were unrelenting in their positivity and kindness and an enjoyable time was had by all. This was a great way to begin the year and an opportunity for teachers and students to get to know one another.

Beginning the year with COVID-19 compulsory face masks certainly presented many challenges for students and teachers. It was surprising how important facial expressions are within a learning environment and a period of adjustment was necessary. Mask-breaks soon became the norm, and everyone appreciated a few moments of fresh air between periods. Year 8 students coped with masks very well and eventually school life returned to normal. We all rejoiced when masks were no longer compulsory and the fact the school was never forced to shut down is a direct result of the discipline shown through these months.

The Senior Literacy programme continued to go from strength to strength in 2022. The consistent and sustained use of the online Reading Plus program, together with groupbased instructional Reading programmes in each class, resulted in improved Reading outcomes across the syndicate and end of

year testing results were pleasing. Regular novel study learning units also helped to maintain good independent reading habits among Year 8 students, and the use of Education Perfect assisted teachers to target specific areas of earning. Continued assistance from our outstanding Learning Support team also helped raise achievement and regular benchmark testing enabled teachers to target areas of need effectively and quickly. Regular Writing moderation meetings allowed the Year 8 Syndicate to achieve more consistency across the year group. The use of devices, Microsoft OneNote and Microsoft Teams, allowed for more collaboration between teachers and students.

Year 8 Mathematics interchange was very successful in 2022, and we were again lucky to have the services of Head of Education Vicki Pettit as an additional teacher. Smaller class sizes and targeted group teaching greatly improved student outcomes and the regularity of Mathematics lessons also helped to raise achievement and student confidence. The use of Maths Buddy and Education Perfect continued to be an excellent way for students to reinforce the learning presented to them by their teachers, and a strong focus on problem- solving throughout the year saw students frequently collaborate to achieve shared outcomes. Regular practice and testing of multiplication and division basic facts within Mathematics classes also had a positive impact across the year group.

The ICT Department and specialist teacher Anneke Kamo are to be commended for their ongoing commitment to assisting Year 8 teachers to implement elements of the Digital Technologies curriculum. Microsoft Teams and OneNote were used successfully across the syndicate and will continue to be used to enhance the learning experience of students as they transition into Year 9.

The Travellers programme ran successfully between Terms 2 and 4 and was a great way to assist the well-being of several Year 8 students. Continued promotion of growth mindsets across classrooms encouraged positive attitudes to learning across the syndicate and helped students recover quickly from setbacks. StAC-UP was again successful as a way of managing behaviour and using restorative practice to solve problems and/or disagreements was successful for the Year 8 Syndicate.

There were many leadership opportunities for Year 8 students, with close to 60 per cent of the year group holding leadership roles. Prefects and sacristans led by example and the continuation of our peer mediation system provided opportunities for some Year 8 students to practice skills in real-life situations, albeit later in the year when COVID-19 restrictions were no longer applicable. House and Sport Captains fulfilled several duties throughout the year and their enthusiasm and commitment to their roles was hugely commendable.

Many Year 8 students were lucky to attend the AIMs Games in Tauranga in Term 3 and St Andrew’s teams performed well, often competing against schools with much larger rolls and resources. The AIMs Games also represented a return to pre-COVID-19 normality, and it was a privilege for me to attend this event with such a committed and focused group of people.

The Year 8 Transition to Year 9 programme was effective and well-run this year.

Communication between the Preparatory School and Middle School was excellent, and the process will ensure a smooth transition for Year 8 students into the Secondary School in 2023.

Term 4 was very busy with successful Science trips to Orana Park and the Science Roadshow. We also made a long-awaited return to the New Zealand Agriculture Show and our students represented our school beautifully and had a lot of fun. These experiences again highlighted the need for education outside the classroom opportunities. Students were able to make connections between the classroom and the ‘real world’ and it was nice to see the understanding and knowledge of every student enhanced.

The dedication and support provided by the specialist teacher to the implementation of Aotearoa Histories / Te Reo Māori curriculum within the Year 8 group was outstanding. The teacher’s knowledge and skill at providing a range of learning experiences for our Year 8 ākonga was second to none and we look forward to her continued support next year.

The Year 8 classes of 2022 were excellent. They met challenges with great enthusiasm and maintained their good humour, and importantly, their kindness and respect throughout the year. Year 8 teachers were tireless in their commitment to student achievement and attentive in their maintenance of student well-being.

I wish each child all the very best for the future and congratulate them for the completion of Preparatory School.

Morgan Sheppard Year 8 Team Leader

Sport

The Preparatory School provides a wide range of sporting opportunities for our students. The emphasis is on opportunity, giving our students the opportunity to participate and the opportunity to compete. Sport is a very important co-curricular area as in many cases it allows students to be part of a team and develop several important skills that may be transferred into other areas of their lives. The Preparatory School sports programme aims to provide:

Physical Benefits

• improved fitness, strength, flexibility and co-ordination;

• increased range of motor skills.

Social Benefits

• improved communication and interpersonal skills;

• improved leadership and co-operation skills;

• opportunity for lasting friendships;

• increased interest in accepting responsibility;

• ability to assume responsible risk-taking.

Personal Benefits

• enjoyment;

• increased self-esteem, selfconfidence, and general well-being;

• improved ability to concentrate;

• self-discipline, commitment, and responsibility;

• organisational skills.

There were strong participation numbers in Years 4–8 and students embraced the sports options on offer. In Term 4, a new sport was introduced for Year 7 students, Badminton. This was well received and will continue in 2023.

Forty-one students were appreciative that the AIMS Games returned in 2022. Football, hockey, and netball teams travelled to Tauranga for this tournament. The tour aims to not only provide high level competition in sport, but also to help develop skills in independence for our students and provide the opportunity to represent the school. The tour was very successful, and hockey and netball will look to return in 2023. Also in 2023, football and rugby will return to Queensland, Australia, for the Australian Tour. This has been on hold for three years as COVID-19 gripped the nation and made international travel impossible. In 2023, Basketball will have the opportunity to be part of the tour.

Several school Exchanges (games in basketball, rugby, football, netball, cricket, tennis and hockey) were played during the year. In addition to the schools that we regularly play, Huntley School and Saint Kentigern were also part of the school exchange programme. The Preparatory School was delighted to play St Margaret’s College in a first Summer Sport exchange, with the opportunity for girls’ cricket which was played on the Number 1 cricket field at St Andrew’s.

Many of our students represented their region in a variety of sports and were successful in the ISSA and CPSSA competitions in triathlon, cross country, swimming, and athletics. The school won a number of Canterbury Primary Schools titles including boys’ basketball, mixed hockey, boys’ and girls’ tennis, and skiing. Leadership opportunities continued to be very important for our Year 8 students. Sport Captains applied for positions and were interviewed for the role. It is a great opportunity for students to become familiar with an interview process. The role as a Sport Captain is important as they report

back to the community, make speeches, support the sport co-ordinators, and fulfil other tasks. The students embraced the opportunities and provided coaching to junior students from Years 1–3. The House Captains not only supported their houses and developed House spirit within their respective teams, but they successfully ran the sports shed and ensured plenty of lunchtime sports equipment for the Year 4–8 students. All Sport and House Captains, alongside other Cultural Captains attended the first leadership workshop at St Andrew’s College. The students took part in leadership development activities and listened to and questioned Crusaders coach, Scott Robertson, Tactix Head Coach, Marianne Delaney, and our Rector, Christine Leighton. It was a successful day and an opportunity to continue and extend in 2023.

StAC-UP values and the House token system were used in the co-curricular programme in 2022. In addition to Player of the Day, a StAC-UP trophy was provided to award to students displaying StAC-UP values either at practice or on the sports field. Those receiving the StAC-UP trophy also received a House token. This was successful and highlighted the StAC-UP values in a sporting and cultural context. This will continue in 2023.

Coaching is an area that is essential to a successful sporting programme at St Andrew’s. As in the past, I met with Year 13 students regarding the opportunity to coach Preparatory School teams in 2023. Several students, who will study in Canterbury, expressed an interest in coaching which will bring considerable skill-based expertise to the coaching team. Sport coaching Professional Development opportunities will be made available to staff in 2023. We are fortunate to have several

very able teacher coaches at the school. Coaching Solutions, Motivationz and Epic Sports Project will again provide quality coaching support.

Core Sports continued to go from strength to strength. Once again, the Core sports programme was used in Term 1 for winter team selections, and this gave the students a more substantial opportunity to impress. More professional coaches were used to support better student/ coach ratios, and this also provided more effective quality coaching. In Term 1, students selected their winter sports and had a variety of high-performance coaches in their field. This year the core sport programme was extended to Year 5–6 students. Again in 2023, Core Sports will begin at the start of Term 1. This will allow the preparation for winter sports to start early in the year. Trials will be replaced with four or five weeks of player identification sessions to select teams during the school day, with no disruption to Summer sports.

Badminton was added to summer sport options in 2022. We currently have 14 summer sports and six winter sports on offer, including an extended Snow Sport programme.

Due to the reduced level of swimming ability identified in the preliminary swim timing and school championships at the beginning of the year, the Leadership Team determined there was a need to reintroduce Years 4–7 swimming lessons. Team Leaders organised the timing of the programme and each student received five to six lessons. Years 1–3 completed a two-week block in Term 4. In 2023, Year 8 students will also take part in this programme.

Sports uniforms are currently in good condition and the strong St Andrew’s brand is represented proudly through the uniforms that students wear.

The completion of the turf canopy over the cricket nets and basketball turf in Term 4 was a fantastic addition to the facilities and will have a huge benefit for our students, both for co-curricular and physical education activities.

Communication in the Preparatory School for sport is very good. Through Synergetic, the newsletter, and the StAC App, the community is kept well informed of upcoming events and student achievement.

An online Coach Induction began in 2021, with consultation between Director of Sports and Co-curricular Mark Lane, myself, and Chief Information Officier Dave Hart. I provided a current system used at The Southport School on the Gold Coast and it was determined that this could be adapted for use at St Andrew’s College. This has started to gain traction and it will be ready to administer for Winter sports in Term 1, 2023. Upon appointment, HR will be able to send online induction and contracts to new contractors. Relevant school policies and information will be available for coaches to read to confirm their understanding alongside any relevant information. A part of this process will ensure all coaches, managers and volunteers are Police vetted.

Alex Kelley Head of Preparatory

School Sport

Learning Support

Learning Support Programmes

The Learning Support Department had a very successful year. Over 75 students benefited from support in a variety of individual and class-based support programmes with a team of professionals supporting the programmes. The specialist services were beneficial to the students, and their input very much valued. Communication between Learning Support staff, private tutors, specialists, and parents was well co-ordinated enabling the effective delivery of all programmes.

The team worked closely with class teachers to ensure all students in the programmes obtained the necessary skills and knowledge to close deficits and to reach their potential. Intervention programmes were implemented to meet the specific needs of students on the register and address: academic remediation, self-management, social skills, and strategies to cope with anxiety and stress.

Diverse Learner Programmes

Students with dyslexia, dyspraxia, dyscalculia, neuro diversity, ADHD, behavioural needs, and emotional and social communication difficulties deserve to be understood and have their needs catered for. Students were placed in programmes to support their specific needs. Programmes selected are researched evidence based and were selected because of their success in engaging students.

Learning Support worked collaboratively during the year with Educational Psychologists, Special Education Services, Department of Health, Hearing Impaired Association, Speech Language Therapists, Specific Learning Difference Teachers, Ferndale Outreach Team, Van Ash, parents, and the College psychologists to identify individual student needs to ensure learning goals and outcomes were the most appropriate. We valued working closely together and appreciated the professional support provided to our staff and students.

The services of Socially Speaking and specialist, Dawn Wilson, and Head of Learning Support provided support programmes for students with social communication requirements and students were assisted in developing self-regulation and self-management skills. These life skills are increasingly in demand.

Individual Education Programmes

IEPs were developed and implemented in conjunction with class teachers and professionals for students unable to work within the scope of the class programme. Seven students had IEPs to enable them to successfully access the curriculum.

Spelling and Structured Literacy Resources

The Department introduced ‘the code’ by Liz Kane to add to existing resources and further support the Structured Literacy approach that has been used for many years. Students in the programme made exceptional progress, some advancing their skills and understanding by three years.

Te Reo Māori

Te Reo Māori was promoted through displays, and the correct pronunciation of English and Te Reo vowels were taught where there was confusion.

Year 8 Travellers and Well-being Creative Stitch Group

2022 was a challenging year. The summary comments from students regarding the value of the support and the sharing of life’s challenges, continued to support Travellers as a worthwhile and valued programme.

Particularly pleasing was the lunch time Creative Stitch group of 16 students who meet twice a week, developed friendships and had successful and meaningful interactions.

Head of Learning Support regularly attended the Pastoral Care meetings with the aim of strengthening and promoting the emotional well-being of the students. Observations of students were carried out and resulting interventions put in place where applicable.

StAC-UP

Learning Support Department embraced the StAC-UP values by displaying posters and speaking with students about the values. The team also assisted in building the children’s self-esteem and confidence through positive relationships and a caring environment.

ICT

The Learning Support Department valued the sessions provided by specialist teacher Anneke Kamo. This helped to upskill the staff on the Seesaw program, to enable sharing of students learning with families, and to revise online learning tools. We look forward to further exploring technology to assist our students learning in 2023.

Visual Arts

2022 began with Art Specialist Pip Dinsenbacher delivering her varied and comprehensive Visual Arts programme to all year groups. During Term 2, Kathryn Meyers was appointed ahead of Pip Dinsenbacher’s retirement from the position at the end of the term. To help with a seamless transition for the students, Pip worked with Kathryn and completed a thorough handover including, kiln operation, ordering of supplies, and Art room routines.

Term 3 started with the key focus of maintaining the smooth delivery of Visual Art with the least disruption possible. Timetables remained unchanged, routines continued and art-smock-wearing, smiling students continued to file into their Art room as before.

In 2022 the StAC-UP programme for all Preparatory School students was easily applied in the Art room. Specific ways to Be Ready, Be Safe, and Be Respectful were readily identified and accepted by the students.

This year, key resources were again more readily available (after the lull of supply during the pandemic). Key materials such as pottery clay, underglaze, water-based ink for printmaking, etching plates, paint and wet strength cartridges were easily sourced.

A wide offering of media and materials allowed students to experience many different means of expressing themselves visually. All year levels completed printmaking and ceramics and Years 1–6 enjoyed a drawing unit. At the end of the

Term 4, seniors tried outdoor photography and stop motion production.

Visual Arts linked to school wide themes and celebrations during the year, such as Book Week, which further connected the art programme to class learning. An assortment of the students completed artworks were displayed throughout the Preparatory School.

In August, the senior classes maximised their double period lessons by entering the renowned Re:Activate Aspiring Artist SCAPE Public Artwork Competition. This year’s theme was ‘Sweat Equity’. Learners also had the freedom to design either a mural or a sculpture. Their ideas were fresh, clever, and innovative.

In mid-September the school was advised that Year 8 student Adele Sherborne had been selected for her mural ‘Ccino & Ash’ (out of over 150 quality mural entries). Adele reproduced her mural to billboard size and was officially opened and installed on 5 November at the Armagh Street entrance to Hagley Park for the summer period.

Four other students were also shortlisted for their designs – Carrie O’Donnell (Year 8), Lucy Pugh (Year 7), Tianna Chen (Year 7) and Sophie Schouten (Year 7). These students were offered the opportunity to complete a fully funded 3D printing workshop. Unfortunately, this clashed with our Grandparents Day celebrations, but Lucy Pugh represented St Andrew’s Preparatory School at this event and created a 3D printed version of her design which was exhibited at Auahatanga South – Creative Space.

Music

The continuation of COVID-19 restrictions meant that 2022 was another year without many of the regular performance opportunities for the students. Sadly, in Term 1 the performance by Opera New Zealand was cancelled; likewise weekly services in the Centennial Chapel and all choir and orchestra rehearsals were put on pause. Half of 2022 involved adapting performance groups and the classroom music programmes to fit within the COVID-19 restrictions. Classroom programmes could not involve singing. However, recorder playing was allowed but had to be outside and children socially distanced. When the weather was fine, this was doable, but had to compete in the same outdoor space with other outside the classroom activities, roadworks on Normans Road, and cold easterly winds. There was a much bigger focus on rhythm activities and music reading during this time of restrictions. During Term 1, a Year 5 marimba group was set up to make use of the rehearsal time while choirs were not able to rehearse. This was very much appreciated by both students and teachers, and gave us a tangible performance goal to work towards. At the end of the first term the marimba group performed three ensemble pieces in the learning hallway to Year 5 classes.

Modified singing activities and groups resumed halfway through Term 2 but involved masking and distancing. It was a relief to start up the Years 6–8 Cantare Choir and the Junior Years 3–5 Choir. By this stage the students had adapted to the ‘new normal’ of COVID-19 restrictions, which meant singing inside was permitted

but still required a mask to be worn and social distancing was implemented.

Once underway, the Cantare Choir was a strong and capable group with the addition of a very musical group of new Year 7 students joining the choir. The Cantare Choir worked on learning Joseph and The Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat songs which were performed later in Term 3 at a Tuesday morning chapel service. Likewise, the Preparatory School Orchestra was able to start rehearsing, while the woodwind and brass instruments joined the group a little later.

Once the COVID-19 restrictions eased, the Preparatory School orchestra was invited to perform at the St Andrew’s College Classical Concert in our school Centennial Chapel. This year the orchestra was assisted by the three Year 7 music scholars, which greatly enhanced the group. A musical strength of our school is to provide more capable musicians the opportunity to perform in the College Orchestra and Jazz band. Eight Year 7–8 students played in the Secondary School Orchestra. This orchestra is conducted by Mark Hodgkinson. Mark also tutored two chamber groups in the Preparatory School. These two groups performed in the Grandparents’ Day concert at the start of the fourth term. Mark is an outstanding orchestral conductor, tutor and musician who produces musical performances of a very high standard. I am most grateful to Mark for providing quality extension musical opportunities for our more musically capable students.

Once singing could again take place inside, I transitioned back to teaching a Kodaly pedagogical based curriculum for all classes from New Entrant to Year 6. The Kodaly pedagogy is a Hungarian music

education method of teaching that focuses on teaching musicianship skills and musical concepts using singing based activities. This approach provides the framework through which recorder and mallet instruments (marimba, xylophone, glockenspiel, and resonator bells) are also learnt.

A highlight for me this year was gaining my Australian Kodaly Certificate in Music Education from the Kodaly Music Education Institute of Australia. This has been the culmination of five years of part-time study. This programme of study is aligned and recognised internationally. The teacher training is challenging, liberating, musical and transformative. Teachers trained in the Kodaly approach are challenged to continually improve their own musicianship and teaching practise. This reinvigorated my teaching and refreshed my class music programmes.

In August the two Year 6 classes participated in the Strum Strike Blow Festival in the Christchurch Arena, alongside over 1000 children from other Christchurch schools. This is an annual one-day festival with rehearsals during the day and culminating in an evening concert. Children were taught pieces on either the ukulele, recorder, or a mallet instrument. The classes learnt five recorder pieces for the event, including a massed item piece In Colour by the band Shapeshifter that combined the three instruments. A feature of the repertoire chosen for the festival was the provision of multi-level music parts, thus catering to the range of music abilities and extending children who are more musically able. This is always a popular event, and a positive way for children to perform to a live audience.

The Seesaw program continued to provide a very useful and valuable way of recording the children’s learning in music and sharing this with the parent community. The video recordings are not necessarily a polished musical performance, but rather show learning in progress. The children were very interested to view the recordings and found this useful in reflecting and evaluating their learning.

A musical highlight of the year was the opportunity for the Cantare Choir (Years 6– 8) to participate in the Christchurch Schools’ Music Festival. This had been cancelled for the two previous years due to COVID-19 restrictions. The children worked hard learning the challenging choral repertoire. Early in November the Cantare Choir performed in the Christchurch Town Hall in a massed choir of 500 school children from schools throughout Christchurch. This was a great thrill to be part of live music making at a very high level of performance. The Christchurch Schools’ Music Festival is of an outstanding level of performance and provided our children with the opportunity to sing accompanied by a symphony orchestra, a concert band, and work with a team of highly skilled conductors. Seven of our students were selected to play in the Symphony Orchestra in the Music Festival, one in the Concert Band and one in the Senior Representative Choir. Year 8 music scholar Lucas Zhang was the Concert Master for the Symphony Orchestra in the Music Festival.

I am hopeful that in 2023 we will be able to welcome back New Zealand Opera to perform to our Preparatory School students, re-establish the afternoon performance concerts, and reinstate our annual Preparatory School Music Concert.

Dance and Drama

The Preparatory School provided the opportunity for students to develop literacies in Dance and Drama during 2022. Students in Years 1–6 attended sessions once a week for two terms. Students in Years 7–8 had a double period for eight weeks.

Dance

The focus of dance education is for students to use dance as a creative form of expression. Student-led choreography is the primary focus of the programme at St Andrew’s College.

Students in Years 1–6 continued to develop their skill in dance with a focus on the elements of movement. They shared their in-class work informally with each other and used the language of dance to reflect on the work of others. In the primary years, the Dance curriculum is deeply rooted in dance literacies and creative processes rather than technique-based dance. This allowed for a wider range of creativity as students developed their own ideas.

Students in Years 7–8 focused on the Charleston and used this as the basis for developing further work strongly focused on the communicating and interpreting strand of the curriculum.

Drama

All students from Years 1–8 experienced learning in and about drama this year. The focus was developing literacy in the Arts through practical application, reflection and building understanding.

Junior students created imagined worlds and worked in a range of roles using picture books as a springboard to develop character, plot and narrative. Students worked in role outside the confines of a book and applied thinking skills to solve problems rather than rely on being told what to do. This challenged them, but most relished the chance to develop their own ideas.

Middle and senior students used a variety of stimulus to create drama including set, short stories, costume, props and common experiences. Year 7 and 8 students participated in double period classes which benefitted the learning and allowed deeper understanding and exploration.

D-Squared (Drama Group)

A strong committed core group attended this lunchtime activity again this year. This group caters for students who have a strong interest in drama. Students worked with scripts in the early part of the year. In Term 3 the group explored how to make and use masks and created vignettes which led to time in the Junior Department interacting with the children.

During Term 4 we were delighted to have two secondary students introduce Theatresports. This was a great opportunity to develop some techniques to use in improvisation and there was much laughter in the room as this area of drama was explored.

Antoinette’s Showstoppers

This year there was the opportunity for Preparatory School students to be included in the Years 9–10 annual

production of Antoinette’s Showstoppers, which was held at the Ngaio Marsh theatre. Students auditioned and fourteen students from Years 4–8 were selected in the cast. The students worked on Sundays and in the school holidays. They gained a lot of skill and confidence. The group were well supported by a team of parents. The show was seen by the Year 7–8 students which provided an opportunity to see live musical theatre.

Recommendations for 2023

• continue to have the double period for Years 7–8 students to deepen understanding, confidence, and skill;

• D-squared returns to being during the school day to avoid lunchtime clashes;

• classroom teachers take greater advantage of the way in which drama and dance can enhance classroom inquiry;

• more consideration is given to the performance opportunities for the Year 7 and 8 students;

• explore possibility of performance opportunities for Year 4–6 students.

Physical Education

In the Preparatory School, students received an inclusive and dynamic Physical Education Programme. This programme involved using a variety of contexts as a platform and catered for all needs and abilities whilst making links to general classroom content, world sporting events, and school-wide sport.

A dynamic Physical Education Programme provided the students with a safe but challenging environment to practice, develop and demonstrate a range of skills, techniques, and cognitive thinking processes.

Physical Education is learning in, through, and about movement. The core of a successful Physical Education Programme is to nurture and build the self-worth of our tamariki. Through learning, students build resilience and self-belief in themselves.

The aim of the programme is to inspire, motivate, and educate students in the physical environment to be healthy in all aspects of hauora. Positive feedback from students emphasises the power of providing positive role models for our students and acknowledges that students are reflecting on what they are learning in Physical Education lessons. Through educating our students to learn new skills and sports, we implicitly develop their confidence and enhance their well-being.

June this year marked the working transition between PE Specialists

Kate Taylor and Aimee Phillips. Kate’s systems and willingness to share what

has occurred previously provided a solid foundation towards the continuation of the Physical Education Programme and the running of school-wide sports events.

In past years the difficulties of finding a Physical Education space involved negotiating with the Secondary School PE staff. This was sometimes difficult. Fortunately, the situation has improved dramatically with the new Preparatory School canopy. There is now an excellent option for PE when the weather is unsafe due to sun or rain.

Physical Education lessons consisted of a warm-up, skill practice/development and games where students used skills they had developed. This scaffold builds the students’ confidence, provides effective and clear visible learning and builds understanding before the children are placed in game situations where skill understanding is needed to participate effectively.

The use of technology was embedded into the Physical Education Programme. This mode of learning was used to inspire students and provide an emphasis on professional athletes who excel in their fields. It was also used to complement the use of visible learning and core skill development. Such as, how to throw a rugby ball with a spin pass. These videos broke down the skill and modelled the correct technique.

The Physical Education Notice Board was used during the year to inspire students and to keep them up to date with planned learning throughout the year. Posted results of how students performed acknowledged their efforts. Physical Education can hook in all students, especially those with behavioural needs.

PE can sometime be their only platform for success. It is also used as a form of communication and to double check event confirmations, and what is planned for the week.

Literacy was integrated into the Physical Education Programme. A collection of sports books in all contexts was added to the PE Room and was often used to calm groups through transition.

The Junior Department focus was to discover movement through non-sport specific activities. Activities for this stage enabled the children to explore and discover for themselves what is involved in performing a movement or skill. Students also developed the skills to work successfully in a small group or team.

Towards the end of the year, students worked on striking the ball and big ball skills. The main component of this learning was to use eyes to track the movement of the ball.

The Perceptual Motor Programme (PMP) continued to successfully transition New Entrant to Year 1 students. A small ball aspect was added to the rotation this year. This included jumping to improve hand-to eye co-ordination. This is a school wide focus.

A development phase was used for the Middle Syndicate team (Years 4–6). The students became more efficient and refined in movement through repetition in a variety of contexts. Students started to develop an awareness of team strategies and game tactics.

In the Senior Syndicate (Years 7–8), the students consolidated the skills developed in earlier years. They applied

movement skills in a variety of ways and combined other movements in more complex games and activities. Skills became more automatic, and the focus was on being able to naturally transfer skills from one context to another. There was also a greater focus on tactical and strategic game play. Students were confident in taking on the role as a leader and have the respect of their peers to do this.

Physical Education does not only focus on movement, it also focuses on interpersonal skills such as teamwork, co-operation, listening, managing self, and relating to others. These are the skills that have been identified in the New Zealand Curriculum as Key Competencies. The Physical Education programme gives students the opportunity to learn, develop, and fine-tune these skills in an energetic and motivating environment which they can then apply to all facets of life.

There are small groups within each class in the Preparatory who are still developing the sense of fairness and inclusivity in their teams. Constant modelling of being a ‘fair team player’ and emphasising desired behaviours is praised. Clear communication has been provided through feedback to classroom teachers regarding students who are struggling to be a fair team player in Physical Education.

Recommendations for 2023

• students need more time on their Athletics Component, especially at the Year 4–5 level. One session on throwing and catching a discus does not suffice. Year 4 students are unable to hold the discus correctly and with the correct technique. We need to start athletics early in Term 3 and provide teachers with a rotation to use all the equipment effectively. Effectively transition the Junior school into more throwing and jumping activities which mimic shotput, discus, and long jump;

• some basic skill development and tactical awareness of certain modes of sport through to Year 8 is variable, e.g. touch rugby. Many students were unable to catch a rugby ball in a game setting. Continue to expose all students to a range of contexts and modes. Include nukenball, volleyball, and make links to cultural games and what is integrated from Team Leaders at the start of the year. Use these sports as a rotation in a two-year cycle;

• add new artwork to the Physical Education Department to fill the walls with art displays to connect students with learning in and out of the classroom;

• connect the Women’s World Cup to the Long-Term Plan next year;

• observe outside providers such as Canterbury cricket and football and their programmes.

Religious Education

Kia mau ki te tūmanako te whakapono me te aroha

Hold fast to hope, faith and love

Our School Values of Truth, Excellence, Faith, Creativity and Inclusivity, were supported by the Preparatory School staff throughout the year. The StAC-UP Weekly Focus gave students specific goals and expectations to follow.

The Pastoral Team met weekly to ensure students, who were identified as requiring pastoral support, were given the care needed for their ongoing well-being.

Throughout 2022, due to the ongoing COVID-19 restrictions, chapel services were often live streamed to individual classrooms. The Chapel team consisted of Rev. Paul Morrow, Jillian Fenton, Ben Hughes and Bridget Roth, who shared messages of Positivity and Hope throughout the year. In Term 3, the Preparatory School was able to meet again as a community with the welcomed return to the Tuesday Services in the Centennial Chapel. In Term 4, The Advent Chapel Sunday Service, led by Preparatory School Chaplain Jillian Fenton, was very well attended by students and their families. Generosity was shown by the giving of many gifts for the Christchurch City Mission.

I thank the Year 8 Sacristan Team who gave loyal Service to the school on Tuesday mornings during Term 3–4.

Increasingly, Tē Reo Māori was incorporated into chapel services. This together with Tikanagna Māori being used in everyday teaching and learning, continues to develop with the support of the specialist teacher (Te Reo Lead Teacher) who guided the staff and students during 2022.

Religious Education is taught to all year levels in the Preparatory School and the Learning Intentions are specific to the various year groups. Students are encouraged to make relevant links with the Religious Education Curriculum, the School Values, and their own life experiences. They are given opportunities to be reflective learners. The Religious Education Curriculum is moving into a more succinct digital format. The use of Seesaw, to record and share student learning with their families, was used throughout the year across the Year 1–7 levels. The Religious Educator used Appraisal Connector to continue to be a reflective practitioner.

Library

Library Collection and Circulation

The Preparatory School Library began 2022 with the launch of a newly created Aotearoa New Zealand Collection. The library was redecorated, reorganised, and students returned to a new, prominently located collection dedicated exclusively to Aotearoa New Zealand resources, including non-fiction books and Te Reo Māori resources.

As the year progressed the library continued to invest in this collection, purchasing many new resources which were immediately used to support and enhance the teaching of Aotearoa Studies across the Preparatory School. The development of this collection is expected to continue to be a focus into 2023 and beyond.

In 2022, over 700 new books were added to the Preparatory School Library collection, including the latest releases from popular series, and plenty of new and exciting books from both local and international authors.

This investment in our collection ensures elevated levels of reading engagement among students:

• total circulation figures remain high at over 25,500 items, although this figure is slightly lower than that observed in 2021. The slight decrease in circulation is most evident in the general fiction collection, particularly among junior chapter books. This drop has been noted and measures are already in place to ensure this trend is reversed going forward;

• the number of graphic novels borrowed doubled compared to the previous year, with over 2,000 issues. This reflects the level of investment made in this area and the popularity of the format;

• picture books continued to be popular with all readers, including staff. Just over 7,800 were issued in 2022;

• over 3,600 non-fiction books were issued during this period, almost the same figure as that observed in 2021.

Readership of eBooks and audiobooks through the school’s digital library facility SORA remained similar to that observed in 2021.

Library Instruction Programme

Throughout 2022 the Preparatory Library continued to deliver a varied programme of Reading Engagement and Information Literacy instruction and activities including book talks, book tastings, story times, book clubs and a structured programme of instructional sessions for accessing, evaluating, and using non-fiction resources.

Pastoral Care

The library continued to be a vibrant hub for the school during timetabled library sessions, before school and during the lunch break.

The number of students who regularly choose to visit the Preparatory Library at lunchtime is evidence of how much the facility is valued, especially by those who can find the playground a little overwhelming. As many as 50 students used the library regularly during the lunch break, with numbers sometimes reaching 70. Art activities, board and card games ensure the library is a lively space at lunchtime, with many opportunities for socialising.

Additional Programmes

• Wide Reading: The Wide Reading programme continued to be popular. Nearly 40 students gained their Gold Wide Reading Award in 2022, with a further 20 students achieving Silver and Bronze Awards;

• Kids’ Lit Quiz: During the September school holidays St Andrew’s College Preparatory School gained first place in the Canterbury Kids’ Lit Quiz. The competition was tough with over 30 teams taking part, and although results were very close, St Andrew’s were victorious, winning by one point;

• Te Wiki o Ngā Pukapuka/Book Week: During September staff and students spent a week of learning and fun celebrating the very best of children’s literature. This year’s theme was tīpuna, kuia and kaumatua, the older characters that provide guidance, kindness, and wisdom for the young heroes in our stories. Library sessions were filled with competitions and creative activities, including the fiercely

competitive Battle of the Books inter-class quiz. Year 8 students were treated to a Book Talk by Secondary School Librarian, Sarah Ballantyne, and the Rector, Christine Leighton, visited the Junior Department to read stories. The highlight of the week, however, was the spectacular Book Parade, the sun shone as staff and students paraded across the campus dressed as favourite book characters;

• Author Visit: As part of Te Wiki o ngā Pukapuka, we were lucky to be visited by award winning New Zealand author Gavin Bishop. Gavin read stories and talked about his books and his creative process to captivated audiences;

• Book Fair: Our Annual Scholastic Book Fair was successful selling over $5,500 worth of books and stationery; this provided our school with over $1,900 worth of credit with Scholastic New Zealand. These funds will be used to support the Wide Reading programme in 2023.

eLearning

This year the Preparatory School combined Digital Literacy and Digital Technology lessons under one learning area, which was renamed eLearning. Anneke Kamo worked alongside the Preparatory School teachers to teach weekly lessons for a semester per year group, incorporating a range of digital learning experiences.

As we began 2022, the possibility of remote learning due to COVID-19 was still looming over us. Therefore, in Term 1 there was an emphasis on learning and consolidating the skills the students would need, should they be learning from home. Microsoft Teams was a key area of focus for the students, ensuring they were confident in making Teams calls to communicate with their teachers. The Junior Department students prepared for home learning by practicing using Seesaw to complete activities that could be uploaded for their teachers to see.

eLearning in the Junior Department this year began with coding and robotics for the Year 1–2 students. They learnt unplugged coding skills before putting these skills into practice with the use of the Beebot and BlueBot robots. The students also became confident in using QR codes to source information and to create stop motion projects using the iPads. In 2023, the Junior Department iPads will all be replaced to gain improved security features.

Robotics in the Middle Syndicate remains a highlight of the eLearning programme. Years 4–6 completed a term each of Robotics lessons using the LEGO EV3’s.

This year the classes competed in the ‘EV3 Games’ which was a robotic version of the Commonwealth Games. The games were a huge success and the students thoroughly enjoyed coding their robots to verse each other in different events.

As the EV3 robots have now been retired, and the corresponding app which we use will be discontinued, it is now a priority for St Andrew’s College to update these robots. After researching and trialling both LEGO Spike Prime and VEX Go robots, it was decided that we would like to continue using LEGO. We will be purchasing eight new robots for 2023, with the hope of adding the extra four needed for a class set throughout the year.

The Years 7–8 programme included Digital Literacy lessons with a focus on cyber safety. In 2023, the eSafetyHQ online program will be incorporated into eLearning lessons at every level.

In Term 4, the Year 8 students were able to experience using virtual reality goggles to support their lessons around environmental sustainability of the oceans. They concluded the year with a 3D printing unit.

Throughout the year, Minecraft Education was used to enhance our lessons. The Year 8 students used the Minecraft Ngā Motu world to present their pepeha. The Year 6 students created eBooks which were then presented to children in the Junior Department.

The wide range of skills the students have developed during their eLearning lessons in 2022 have enabled them to be confident learners in all digital settings.

TOGETHER, BUILDING BETTER PEOPLE, FOR LIFE

Papanui Road, Christchurch 8052, New Zealand