Years 1 and 2

Play-based learning sounds like fun and it is, but oh so much more! Children are offered a wide variety of activities inside and outside, so our educators can discover their natural interests. Educators then provoke deeper and wider learning using the power of children’s own imaginations and motivation in areas they already find engaging. This is the most powerful way to introduce the NZ Curriculum and the Brilliant Curriculum.

A vital part of the Brilliant Curriculum centres on emotional development, and our children learn to identify their different feelings and work positively through personal challenges that arise from interactions with others. Each day, we support them in reflecting on their experiences  and provide them with strategies to help them grow.

We offer a ‘soft start’ to reading, writing and numbers for most students, and an accelerated program for those who are independently motivated to learn at a faster pace to keep them interested and engaged. Afternoons provide an opportunity to mix with other children in the school to learn music, sport and other activities that change each term.

Practical life skills are learned through activities like caring for the school’s chickens and sharing their bounty. Students have their own garden in which they grow vegetables. Morning tea is prepared in class, so students learn where their food comes from and how it gets to the table. They learn about nutrition and how their body responds to the fuel it is provided with. Regular trips to Halswell Quarry extend their connection with nature’s offerings.