What's On Offer At Our School?
Learning Support and Extension
We are committed to meeting the needs of every learner. Our dedicated team provides a range of support and extension opportunities to ensure every student is challenged and supported. We offer targeted assistance for students who need additional help in core subjects, alongside enrichment programmes that encourage critical thinking and deeper learning for those ready for an extra challenge.
Reo Haumako / ESOL – English for Speakers of other Languages Programme
The MRPS Community is one of rich cultural and linguistic diversity. The majority of our students are on the bilingual continuum having some level of proficiency in two or more languages. Our ESOL team provides a range of differing supports with the aim to accelerate English language learning so all children can access and engage in the curriculum, while maintaining and promoting the linguistic talent of our emergent bilinguals. They work closely with the Learning Support Coordinator to identify the most appropriate support to meet the needs of the student.
One support is for our newly Emergent English language learners. This group is a linked skill literacy and language acquisition programme aimed at equipping students with foundation level English language.
A second group (Progressing Bilinguals) is a linked skill literacy and language acquisition programme which targets language learning intentions of the classroom. Where possible the ESOL teacher identifies language learning needs of the current classroom curriculum and frontloads vocabulary and language structures to enable students to access classroom programmes.
Learning Assistant Support
Our Learning Assistants are also deployed to support students in a range of ways either in class or in a small group withdrawal situation. The students selected to work with our Learning Assistants are based on learning needs and evaluated often so that children are receiving the targeted support required.
Some other core programmes utilised by both Reo Haumako teachers and Learning Assistants are Quick60 or StepsWeb for literacy.
Quick60
The Quick60 is a prevention/intervention structured literacy program designed to bring groups of students to expected levels in reading and spelling quickly. The resources are tightly levelled nonfiction texts designed for students requiring an accelerative literacy programme.
Steps Web
Steps web is a combination literacy programme – it utilises a web based platform, workbooks and games to provide a structured literacy support which is responsive and individually paced. It allows for massive amounts of repetition and reinforcement for those students who struggle with acquiring literacy or fit a dyslexic profile. It is structured to develop the five big ideas in beginning reading. For students in steps web there will be an expectation of some class/homework time being spent on the programme in order to increase time on task.
Extension
Year 3 – 6 children are selected for this programme based on their end of year results from the previous year and teacher recommendations. Each child is then interviewed and asked questions about how they learn, whether they feel they are being challenged and what they would like to learn about. Children who can critically reflect and articulate themselves as learners and show lateral thinking, are selected. The programme reflects some of the interests of the children, while building on skills and knowledge from previous learning. A key focus at the start of the year is critical and creative thinking linked to current events and this is then followed with extension learning in the context of science, literacy, and technology. The aim of the programme is to give children the opportunity to be challenged in a supportive environment where they are interacting with other students.
Maths Extension
Children are selected for the Maths Extension programme based on the academic results from the previous year and recommendations from their classroom teacher. The Year 3-6 programme does not replace the regular class teaching but provides an opportunity for more able mathematicians to work together, once a week for 45-60 minutes, to broaden, challenge and extend their mathematical thinking and skills.
Robotics Year 6
Robotics is a separate extension programme for interested Year 6 students who are committed to working during their lunchtime once a week and into block 4. This group collaborates to create robots that they can enter into robotics competitions called scrimmages. These are once a fortnight, on a Saturday, during terms 2,3,4.
Roskill News
Roskill News is a digital/drama extra curricular group for Year 5 and 6 students. Students apply at the start of the year and are selected based on their digital skills and drama/oral language skills. They create fortnightly episodes where they interview people around the school, take photos and videos or a range of events and edit these clips into short 5-10 minute videos. The students that are selected to be part of this group are committed for the whole year and work together to produce high quality episodes for our community to enjoy.
Leadership Opportunities
Pupil Management
Our Pupil Management group is made up of one student per class from Years 4 – 6. This group of students plan events throughout the school year and fundraise for a range of charities. Some of our previous events have been Wheels Day, Around the World Day and Market Day. The students create posters, take meeting minutes, talk in assemblies and are their class liaison to discuss upcoming events and make sure the students’ voices in our school are heard.
Pasifika Young Leaders (PYLs)
The Pasifika Young Leaders are a leadership group made of Year 6 Pasifika students. These are Pasifika students in our school that enter Year 6 showing leadership qualities and go through an application and interview process before being selected. Throughout the year the Pasifika Young Leaders continue to work together to develop and grow their leadership by hosting assemblies for many of the Pasifika Language Weeks, running lunchtime activities for other students at school and being positive role models for the wider school. The Pasifika Young Leaders also have the opportunity to attend events outside of school where they can connect with other Pasifika Young Leaders from other schools.
Mana Rangatahi
Our Year 5 & 6 Mana Rangatahi programme empowers our Senior students who are of Māori descent to be proud young leaders . This initiative enables our students to explore different elements of Te Ao Māori and grow a deeper understanding of Tikanga Māori and everything that encompasses our beautiful culture as Tāngata Whenua. It enables each individual to thrive and be passionate to promote our Ahurea Tuakiritanga. It is self-led in the different aspects they would like to explore, for example Te Tīriti o Waitangi. Te Kīingitanga, Te Kāhui o Matariki, Harakeke, Whakairo, Pūrakau and so much more
Student Ambassadors
The Student Ambassadors are a leadership group made of 8-12 Year 6 students. These are students in our school that enter Year 6 showing leadership qualities and go through an interview and application process to be part of this group. Throughout the year this group continues to work together to develop and grow their leadership by hosting assemblies, running lunchtime activities for other students at school and being role models for the wider school. We also have opportunities for this group to attend events outside of school whether leadership days or sport training days, they get involved in a wide variety of roles.
Cultural Groups
Celebrating our diverse community is at the heart of our school. Our cultural groups provide a vibrant space for students to share and learn about different traditions.
- Teina and Tuakana – Junior and Senior Kapa Haka Groups
- Junior and Senior Pasifika Performance Groups
- Junior and Senior Bollywood
- Chinese Fan Dance
Musical Opportunities
- Junior Choir (Years 2 and 3)
- Senior Choir (Year 4-6)
- Recorder (Year 4 to Year 6)
- Ukulele (Year 5 to Year 6)
Sporting Opportunities
At Mt Roskill Primary School we are very lucky to have sports offered at our school. We have class sports, team, school wide, zone sports and lunch time sports. The opportunities are endless. In class our teachers teach us skills that we can then apply to a sport like Netball, Hockey, Basketball and Football.
Some teachers during lunch time give up their time to trial, select then train us students for Zone Sports like Orienteering, Ki o Rahi, Basketball, Football, Tball, Athletics, Hockey, Rippa and Badminton. Our student leaders also provide opportunities at lunch time to take a sport for ages across the school.
We also have school wide activities for specific year levels such as our Fun Run (Cross Country), Athletics and Swimming that everyone participates in.
If you are interested in your child participating in any sports please discuss with your child’s classroom teacher.