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