GROWING ACTIVE LEARNERS
Charter 2020
Our charter outlines our ambitions over the coming years. It contains information about our school context, and an analysis and commentary about our National Standard results.
INTRODUCTION
“He waotu tahi na rakau.” Tall bush that stands alone.
When Taupo erupted in 186 AD a hill prevented the ash cloud from destroying an area of bush and it is from this that our area got its name.
Rongowhitiao Arekatera Te Wera a Te Puni, a Waotu Maori chief, wanted the children in the district to have access to education so he applied to the Inspector General of Schools to open a native school at Te Waotu. After site visits, the present location was chosen because of its centrality and also because it had the largest Maori population due to the milling of timber. In November 1886 Te Waotu Native School opened with a roll of 31 children with all but one being of Maori decent. Clara Haszard was the first teacher of the school. The house system we have recognises our past links with Rongowhitiao, Haszard, Barnett, and Simmonds.
Te Waotu is a school that prides itself on it’s long history. Our school is an important part of our rural community and as such we are well supported. The surrounding area offers plenty-the local agricultural scene is complemented by natural and recreational features such as native bush, the Waikato River trails, Lake Arapuni, Waikato River and Maungatautari.
We cater for students up to Year 8 and over recent years have had a school roll that lies somewhere between 120-130 students, and employing 6 teachers. Our school roll includes students of NZ European, Maori, British/Irish, Cook Island Maori, Filipino and Indian ethnicities. We have a skilled and stable Board of Trustees who take a very proactive role in the governance of our school.
VISION “What we aspire to”
To be a confident and resilient lifelong learner.
MISSION “How will we achieve this?”
- Teachers will empower students to be active learners who work in partnership with the teacher.
- Teachers will ensure students know what they are learning, when they have been successful and where they are going to next.
- Self and peer assessment is a routine step in the learning process.
- Success criteria are most effective when great examples of work are used to show what quality looks like.
- Teachers will use the learning progressions in the curriculum in order to confidently work with a diverse range of students.
The school recognises the influence of the home and will endeavour to build and nurture learning focussed partnerships with parents and whanau.
VALUES “We believe in”
Respect, responsibility, honesty, kindness, courage
