We CARE captures our school mission and provides a framework for our school values. Our values underpin who we are and everything
we do.
Spotlight
on Learning
Mathematics: Pāngarau
What is it?
At Gate Pā School, Mathematics helps students make sense of the world by exploring patterns, relationships, and quantities. It supports them to solve problems, reason logically, and think creatively.
We teach Maths using Te Mātaiaho, the New Zealand Curriculum, which is knowledge-rich and requires teaching that is explicit and systematic. This approach ensures students build their knowledge, skills, and competencies over time.
How it operates at Gate Pā School
At Gate Pā School, Mathematics is taught for 1 hour a day 5 times per week.
We use the Maths No Problem programme. Maths - No Problem! is a structured, step-by-step approach to teaching mathematics, particularly focusing on developing a deep understanding of concepts. It emphasizes building strong foundational skills, fostering confidence, and encouraging students to think mathematically.
Gate Pā School has a dedicated Leader of Learning -Mathematics who oversees the teaching and learning of mathematics across the school. This leader stays up-to-date with the latest developments in the field. Key responsibilities include monitoring student progress, ensuring quality teaching across the school, and implementing extension and remedial groups to meet the diverse needs of students.
Key links from research
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Quality Teaching for Diverse Students in Schooling: Best Evidence Synthesis (Alton-Lee, 2003)
- Quality Teaching for Diverse Students in Schooling: Best Evidence Synthesis (Alton-Lee, 2003)
- Teachers Make a Difference, What is the research evidence? (Hattie, 2002)
Structured Literacy
What is it?
Structured literacy is an evidence-based approach to teaching reading and writing, and that is especially effective for all learners, including those with dyslexia and other reading difficulties.
Components include:
- Phonemic Awareness: Helping children hear and play with the sounds in words.
- Phonics: Teaching the connection between letters and the sounds they make.
- Fluency: Supporting children to read smoothly, with expression, and at a good pace, so they can focus on understanding what they read.
- Vocabulary: Building a wide and rich word bank. Comprehension: Helping children understand and think deeply about what they read.
- Spelling and Writing: Teaching spelling patterns, rules, and handwriting.
Structured Literacy fits within the English learning area of Te Mātaiaho, the New Zealand Curriculum.
How it operates at Gate Pā School
At Gate Pā School, Reading and Writing are each explicitly taught for one hour a day.
The Structured Literacy provider that Gate Pā School uses is the Better Start Literacy Approach. This is a New Zealand, evidence-based programme, designed to build strong foundations in early literacy.
Lessons are based on a clear order of teaching (scope and sequence) that builds in complexity, whilst revisiting the core foundations. This is an approach grounded in the Science of Learning in Reading.
Gate Pā School has a dedicated Leader of Learning - Literacy who oversees the teaching and learning of literacy across the school. This leader stays up-to-date with the latest developments in the field. Key responsibilities include monitoring student progress, ensuring quality teaching across the school, and implementing extension and remedial groups to meet the diverse needs of students.
Key links from research
Research shows our teaching is informed by a range of research and best practice principles.
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- Gillon, G. T. (2018). Phonological awareness: From research to practice. Guilford Publications.
- Tunmer & Chapman, 2012 - The Simple View of Reading Redux: Vocabulary Knowledge and the Independent Components Hypothesis
- Swain, N. (2025). Harnessing the Science of Learning. Routledge.
- The Simple View Of reading Gough & Tunmer (1986)
Local Curriculum
What is it?
Alongside core subjects like Reading, Writing, and Maths, Gate Pā students engage in a rich curriculum that includes The Arts, Technology, Science, Health and Physical Education, and Social Sciences. These areas are explored through both specialist teachers and a three-year concept plan guided by our lead curriculum staff.
Specialist Teachers
Expert teachers deliver specialised instruction in areas valued by our community. These areas complement the opportunities in our concept-based curriculum and may include Health and Physical Education, The Arts, Science, and Technology. These rich, purposeful learning experiences ensure our tamariki thrive and enjoy a balanced curriculum.
Concepts
Choices about what to emphasise and prioritise within these learning areas are guided by our whenua, our people, and the rich history of our local area - including the Battle of Gate Pā and the stories of mana whenua Ngāti Ranginui and Ngā i Tamarāwaho. Te Tai Whanake, our iwi-led and iwi-designed curriculum, is a key resource supporting this localised learning.
Local knowledge allows learners to see themselves in the curriculum, fostering deeper engagement, belonging, and pride in their community.
Each term focuses on a specific curriculum area and one of our four school values. The localised curriculum is underpinned by our school vision: Empowering Rangatira to Value the Past to Create the Future.
An example of a localised concept plan:
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“To Market, to Market” is a Technology curriculum context, paired with the values of Tūmanakotanga
(inquisitiveness) and Rangatiratanga (leadership). Students create culturally-based products to barter or sell at a Market Day.
At the end of each term we host a Learning Exhibition, where whānau can join in person or online to celebrate the learning alongside their tamariki. The example above culminates in a community market.
Learning Support
What is it?
At Gate Pā School Learning Support means the additional help and resources provided to students who need extra assistance to succeed in their learning. This support ensures all children can access the curriculum and make progress, no matter their abilities, backgrounds, or learning needs. Learning Support is also provided to students who learn quickly and need extra challenges.
How it operates at Gate Pā School?
At Gate Pā School, Learning Support starts when a teacher notices a student needs extra help. The Leader of Learning helps plan what support is needed. This can happen in class, in small groups, or with help from outside experts. Whānau are part of the planning and review.
Support at Gate Pā School includes:
- Leaders of Learning Support
- Learning Assistants and English Language tutors Individual Education or Behaviour Plans
- Support from experts (e.g. specialist teachers,. speech therapists, psychologists)
- Special programmes like reading and maths groups, Lego Group, and Break Café
- Adaptations to class programs and the use of additional tools such as learning software.
Working with whānau
Strong partnerships between school and home are essential for sustained success and can include:
- ongoing sharing of information about how their child is doing and any extra help they’re getting. This might be through meetings, calls, or notes home.
Teamwork: Teachers, the Learning Support team, and families work together to support learning and behaviour.
Learning Plans: Some students have special plans (like an Individual Education Plan or Individual Behaviour Plan), and families help create and review them.
Help at Home: Teachers share tips for home, and families share what works for their child.
Key links from research
Our Learning Support process is informed by a range of research and best practice principles, including:
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- Working Together: How teacher aides can have the most impact (ERO, 2022)
- Guide to Leading Inclusive Schools: Identify and plan how to meet students' learning support needs (MoE)
ESOL English for speakers of other languages
What is it?
Gate Pā School is proud to be a rich, multicultural learning community. We offer tailored support for children whose first language is not English through our English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) programme.
Support for ESOL students is personalised based on each child's needs. This might include:
- One-on-one instruction
- Small group lessons
- In-class support from ESOL-trained staff
Children who are new to English typically attend ESOL sessions several times a week. These lessons focus on everyday vocabulary, understanding classroom instructions, and learning the language needed in different subjects like maths, science, and reading.
Specialist Staffing and Resources
Gate Pā School has a fully qualified teacher overseeing our ESOL programme, alongside specialist ESOL educators and bilingual support staff.
All of our teachers are trained to adapt lessons to meet the needs of English language learners.
Celebrating Language and Culture
We value the culture, language, and heritage each child brings. Tamariki are encouraged to share their home languages, stories, and traditions. We also offer cultural groups for students and adults, fostering belonging and supporting English learning through respect for first languages.
Monitoring Progress
Alongside classroom teachers’ ongoing observations, students in the ESOL programme are formally assessed twice a year using the national English Language Learning Progressions (ELLP) framework.
Key Research
Research shows that the most effective learning support happens when students remain connected to their classroom and curriculum. Our ESOL approach reflects this understanding.
Our teaching is informed by a range of research and best practice principles, including:
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- Sociocultural Theory (Vygotsky): Learning happens through social interaction, especially when scaffolded within a learner’s "Zone of Proximal Development."
- Second Language Acquisition (SLA) Theory: Influenced by researchers like Stephen Krashen and Jim Cummins, with a focus on both conversational (BICS) and academic (CALP) language skills.
- Culturally Responsive Practice: Drawing from initiatives like Te Kotahitanga and Ka Hikitia, which support identity, language, and culture—particularly for Māori and Pasifika learners.
- Seven ESOL Principles: NZ Ministry of Education, 2018.
Māori Medium Pathways
What is it?
Māori medium education is an approach where teaching is delivered mostly or fully in te reo Māori, and learning is grounded in Māori culture, values, and worldviews. It aims to revitalise the language, affirm Māori identity, and support tamariki to thrive both academically and culturally. This includes settings like kura kaupapa Māori, wharekura, and rumaki reo units within mainstream schools, where te reo Māori is the primary language of instruction.
How it operates at Gate Pā School
At Gate Pā School, Māori medium education is a vital part of our kura identity. We offer two rumaki akomanga with 80–100% te reo Māori immersion: one for Year 1–3 and another for Year 4–6. We also offer three Level 3 bilingual classes for Year 2–6, welcoming tamariki of all backgrounds to learn te reo and tikanga Māori. These spaces honour and celebrate te reo Māori, tikanga Māori, and the unique stories and identity of our ākonga by immersing them in the richness of our language and history. We are proudly connected to Ngāti Ranginui and are working to strengthen our ties with Ngā i Tamarāwaho of Huria Marae. Our kaupapa includes marae noho, kapa haka, and active participation in local events, with all tamariki involved in these cultural experiences. Whānau are seen as key partners in learning, regularly contributing ideas and feedback to help shape kaupapa that reflect their aspirations.
Key links from research
Research shows that Māori learners often thrive in these settings—academically, socially, and emotionally—because their language, whānau, and whakapapa are valued and central to the learning environment.
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- Bishop, R., Berryman, M., Cavanagh, T., Teddy, L., (2009), Te Kotahitanga: Addressing educational disparities facing Māori students in New Zealand, Teaching and Teacher Education, 25(5), p.734-742.
- Ministry of Education (2019c). The future of Māori education – National report: conversation.education.govt.nz/conversations/maori-education/resources
- Ministry of Education. (2020). He Whakaaro: The importance of Māori identity, language and culture for ākonga Māori: https://www.educationcounts.govt.nz
Starting School
What is it?
Our Gateway Class supports tamariki as they move from early childhood into school. Guided by the evidence-based Ready 4 Learning framework, it helps build the key foundational skills children need for successful learning.
What are Foundation Skills?
Foundation skills support a child’s ability to focus, think, and learn. These include:
- Fine and gross motor skills
- Hearing, seeing, and speaking
- Self-management and emotional regulation
- Social skills like sharing, taking turns, and curiosity
Without these skills in place, a child’s brain prioritises developing them – which makes higher-level learning, like reading and writing, more difficult.
How it operates at Gate Pā School
All new entrant students begin their learning journey in our Gateway Class for approximately five weeks before moving to a mainstream class.
Exception: Students joining Rumaki (full immersion Māori) who meet Te Reo Māori requirements may start directly in that setting.
How Can You Help at Home?
A strong home-school partnership is the key to success. We’ll regularly provide tips and ideas to help you support your child’s learning at home. Simple everyday activities can make a big difference.
Key research
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- Ready 4 Learning is based on proven science about how young children grow and learn best. Masson & Ford.
- Brain Development: Children need strong brain pathways built through movement and experience before they can succeed with reading and writing. Hannaford
- Sensory & Motor Skills: Balance, coordination, vision, and hearing must work together to support classroom learning. Ayres
- Body Readiness: Unintegrated reflexes can affect focus, posture, and writing. These need to be addressed early. Goddard Blythe
- Language First: Talking and listening skills form the base for reading and writing success. Hart & Risley, Snow
- Self-Regulation: Children learn better when they can manage emotions and focus –skills built through play. Diamond
- Right Time, Right Support: Developmental needs must be met before curriculum tasks begin. Te Whāriki, Bronfenbrenner
How can you support your child’s learning at home?
Click on the links below to view .pdfs supporting your child's learning of Reading, Writing and Maths
New Zealand Curriculum
Te Marautanga o Aotearoa
Practices and Facilities
Our practice are evidence-based and our facilities are student-centred
Evidence-based practices to nurture well-being and accelerate learning include:
- students are organised into three learning syndicates - this creates a sense of belonging and enables collaboration for both staff and students: Junior - Year 0-3 , Senior - Y4-6 and Māori Medium - bilingual and rumaki.
- localised curriculum, where students learn about topics that relate to them and their community
- composite classes - this means we put two consecutive year groups together in one class, appreciating that growth and learning is determined by stages not ages
- a house system - each student belongs to a house , this system complements our school history, culture and encourages a sense of healthy competition
- regular whānau hui and student-led conferences- working together with whānau as partners in learning, is essential for the growth and development of the learner
- Better Start Literacy - a structured literacy approach which incorporates vocabulary development and phonological awareness
- e-learning - 1:1 devices are used discernely to support student agency, active, personalised learning, creativity and collaboration
- Gateway class - designed to provide our New Entrants with the best start possible. This class supports the development of a range of foundational skills which are fundamental for curriuclum learning
- play-based learning in our junior school (Y0-3) - to support the development of thinking skills, interpersonal and intrapersonal skills, student agency and engagement and smooth transitions to school
- Specialist teachers to deliver high quality programmes in: Science, Visual Arts, Music and Digital Technology.
- ESOL specialists to support English Second Language Learners
School facilities designed to nurture lifelong learning skills include:
- bike tracks and school bikes
- swimming pool
- forest ecosystem
- school and community gardens and beehives
- fruit tree orchard
- plant nursery
- two playgrounds
- two astro-turfs - basketball, netball and tennis
- cricket pitch
- an activity room
- library
- sensory spaces
- expansive green spaces
Celebrating Culture
We are immensely proud of the cultural diversity of Gate Pā School and take every opportunity to embrace and celebrate the histories and traditions of all students. These groups include Māori, Pakeha, Filipino, Indian, Pasifika, Korean, Chinese, Argentinean and South African.
We treasure the unique place of Māori and all students have the opportunity to develop their te reo and tikanga.
Culturally Responsive Practice
In truly knowing who our students are, it is vital that our staff understand and connect to the cultural capital of each individual. This involves giving every student multiple opportunities to share their culture, language, and identity.
At Gate Pā School, this is achieved by a focus on relationships and a school curriculum that maximises opportunities for students to share their own knowledge, values, and beliefs.
Cultural Groups
We have a number of cultural groups who meet regularly and perform at many school and community events. We pride ourselves on honouring special cultural celebrations like Matariki, Ramadan, Samoan language week, Tongan Language Week, White Sunday, and Diwali. Regular whānau/family meetings also take place for these groups.
Groups include:
- Kapa Haka
- Pasifika
- Samoan
- Filipino
- Indian
- Spanish
- ESOL Students
Our ESOL specialist tutors assists those students whose first language is not English.
Garden to Table
Gate Pā School runs a highly successful Garden to Table programme, utilising produce from our very own school garden, orchard and beehive. Through this real-world learning opportunity, our students get their hands dirty while learning how to grow, harvest, prepare and share fresh food.
All our students participate regularly in this programme and there are plenty of opportunities for parent/whānau involvement. Garden to Table also has wider community benefits as the students bring home what they have learned about growing, harvesting, preparing and cooking good food.
Community Gardens are also avaliable on our school site for families to adopt.
Whānau / Family Engagement
At Gate Pā School we are committed to working with you to improve the well-being and achievement of your child(ren). Your opinion is valued!
Tools and strategies we use to support the development of these critical relationships include:
- early face-to-face connections with the classroom teacher and establishing channels for ongoing communication, this includes HERO.
- setting clear classroom expectations for Home Learning
- encouraging parent/whānau involvement in classroom and school learning /events
- regular whānau hui for communication and feedback
- student-led conferences for celebration and goal setting
- learning exhibitions and celebrations
- school and syndicate newsletters
- Friends of the School group ( please see the office for details on how to participate)
- school Facebook - Gate Pā - Pukehinahina
- open-door policy
Sport
At Gate Pā School we value health, well-being and physical activity. We demonstrate this by keeping our children involved in regular physical education and sport.
Our sports co-ordinator supports us to maximise participation in a range of events including afterschool and weekend sports.
Email: sport@gatepa.school.nz
Competitive sport is also encouraged through participation within and across school competitions. These include netball, miniball, basketball, volleyball, cricket and rippa rugby competitions.
Inter school sporting opportunities for Y4-Y6 students happen throughout the school and include swimming, cross country, athletics, soccer, rugby, hockey, netball, cricket and miniball. Students who perform highly at these events can qualify for West Cluster and Western Bay of Plenty competitions.
See more on our school sports page here.
