Kia ora koutou,
Welcome back to school! I hope you all enjoyed the break.
Thank you to everyone who came in to visit last term, it was great to see you in school. Our annual BBQ was wonderful, thank you to the team who helped prepare the food and to those of you who helped to come in and enjoy it. It was fantastic to see such a crowd in school. Thank you also to those parents who joined in with our whānau learning session. This focused on communication and was delivered by our two Speech and Language Therapists.
Our next whānau learning session is booked for Wednesday 12th June 6.30-8.30pm. This will be run by Disability Connect – Taikura Trust/Work and Income and will focus on the Disability Supports available to you and your whānau.
We were visited by Te Tari Arotake Mātauranga - the Education Review Office (ERO) in November 2023. This was to carry out Te Ara Huarau, an improvement evaluation approach used in most schools. It also formed part of a nationally coordinated evaluation of the 27-day specialist schools across the country. Te Ara Huarau is a developmental approach to evaluation where ERO and our school work together overtime, rather than a one off review that happened previously. ERO spent three days in school, meeting with the lead team, wider school team, meeting students and spent time in classes.
ERO published our school report 17th April 2024, the national report is still being compiled. Our recent profile report and initial engagement with Te Ara Huarau, reflects our strategic goals and shared evaluation areas that are important to us as we work to improve outcomes for our learners. Future reporting will show our progress and achievement towards meeting the goals we have set. We are very pleased to let you know that ERO found Wilson School to be meeting all legislative requirements. ERO publish all reports to their website found here - https://ero.govt.nz/institution/1574/wilson-school
I would like to thank everyone from the team who contributed towards the ERO visit and helped to showcase the work we are doing in school.
Thank you to everyone who took part in our community consultation survey at the end of last year. We have used this information to form our strategic goals for 2024 – 2025. Our three goals focus on:
1. Boosting teaching and learning outcomes by employing an evidence-based approach, incorporating Te Mātaiaho, the refreshed NZ Curriculum.
2. Enhancing our digital capabilities, accomplishing efficiencies, growth, and staff development.
3. Supporting our whānau with learning opportunities, strengthening cultural capabilities, and enhancing connections across the wider community.
A copy of the strategic plan has been published to our website here - https://www.wilson.school.nz/strategic-direction-and-annual-reports/
Have a great term everyone!
Neil Kefford
Pohutukawa whānau
Manuka 15 & 16
Term 1 went so fast! Students at Manuka satellite settled well with the class routines and got familiar with the staff and school environment. They also enjoyed the weekly Hungerball sessions at Glenfield College. Some of the events we celebrates were; Easter, Down syndrome Awareness Day through the Rock Your Socks Movement, and World Autism Day. Term 1 was also a great opportunity to meet the parents regarding the IEP goals and learn more about the students.
Sadly, we bid farewell to two of amazing teacher aides, Chrissy and Renee - we wish them both the very best for the future. We are very fortunate to have Alex (M15) and Gaylene (M16) joining us this term. They both have worked at the school for several years and bring a world of experience to our team.
In Term 2, the students will continue to grow their literacy knowledge through exciting activities involving letter work, reading various books and exploring different writing opportunities. For Maths, the students will be exploring 2D and 3D shapes and concepts of length like measuring and comparing items along with number activities to refine their numeracy skills. Playball, and Music classes will be part of our weekly class program. Additionally, we will get a chance to visit a rock-climbing facility to foster spatial awareness and hand-eye coordination whilst having fun. We look forward to celebrating ANZAC, Mother’s Day, Pink Shirt Day, Book Week, School Disco, Philippines Independence Day, and many more this term. Bring it on Term 2!
Albany Junior 15
AJ15 had a great start to the new school year, the theme was ‘Our people and places,’ with a particular focus on learning about the geography of NZ, which included making a big display with an interactive map of NZ and learning lots of facts about Auckland and surrounding area. Other highlights were the sports day and our 80s disco.
This term the focus is on ‘Then and Now’ and we will be learning about the past by looking at and comparing changes over the years, in areas such as transport, technology and houses.
Albany Junior 16
Summer was a splashing success as we embraced water play to the fullest, water ballon battles to engaging games with sprinklers, every moment was a refreshing escape from the heat. We laughed, splashed and bonded, creating memories from fun – filled summer days together.Another highlight was the Sports day which was an absolute blast! It provided a wonderful opportunity for students from different satellite classes to come together and participate in a wide array of games and activities.
This term we’re heading back to Pak’n Save for another round of life skills activities plus getting ready to groove with music therapy sessions. We are also looking forward to Special Olympics, where we’ll focus on football and showcase our skills on the field. It’s going to be a term filled with learning, fun and unforgettable experience.
Room 3
Room 3 has been very active in various activities during the last term. The highlight of our activities was when our students participated in different trips, such as going to the Community Park, Library, and Café. The children especially enjoyed the swimming activity! These activities not only provided them with trips outside the classroom but also helped them practice their social skills as they collaborated with other students from the class and became more aware of their surroundings when in public.
This term, our focus remains on fostering social skills alongside promoting physical activity. Room 3 can expect to participate in various programs and activities throughout Term 2.
Nikau whānau
Baywater 1 & 2
In term one we learnt all about where we are from and where we belong. The students loved finding out about the different flags, different foods and clothing of the countries of our origin.
We went for weekly swimming sessions at the pool of our host school and some of us enjoyed weekly horse-riding sessions. Our trip to Glenfield College for the athletics day was only one of the highlights for us. Alongside all the fun activities we enjoyed working on our reading, writing and math skills.We also joined in funky socks and Autism awareness day. The term was finished off with a shared lunch where everyone had the chance to showcase their favorite dish.
In term two we will be learning about ‘Māori and Matariki – Then and Now’. Some students will continue with horse-riding, and we will have weekly Playball sessions as well.
Room 1
Room 1 has embarked on a journey of inquiry, starting with a warm welcome (haere mai) to new members Andrei, Theo, and Katy. This initial step is part of a broader inquiry into developing a sense of belonging through “people and places”, which involves extending knowledge from home to the school community. By visiting various spaces and engaging with the people within them, students gain a deeper understanding of the daily lives of those they see around the school. The term 1 was wrapped up with joyous Easter celebrations, complete with an Easter parade!
Looking ahead, Term 2 promises to be an exploration of the past and present (then and now), with exciting events like book week, disco, and Matariki, all while maintaining a focus on key learning goals across various domains.
Karaka whānau
Room 2
Term 1 saw a great deal of change in Room 2 with a few new students coming to class, so we are pleased to welcome Jax, Louie, Krish and Seojin. We learnt all about our topic “Our People and Places’. We learnt about where we go to school, which city and country we live in and also the people that are in our family tree. We got to draw our houses and our family tree to create our display. Amongst all this we did manage to go swimming every week, café visits to Flourish, visits to Takapuna Library and community trips to the park.
This term we have our great coach Phil running some playball sessions with us on Mondays, we always enjoy P.E on Tuesday’s. We will continue with our visits to the library and café every other week. On Fridays at the start of term we will be going on our trips to the community parks, then we will also be going on some community nature walks with the students to do more learning outside of the classroom.
GC Junior
Feels like it was only yesterday when the college class welcomed new faces to GC51! The first 11 weeks have suddenly disappeared! For the Juniors class, it was an impressive full term as it highlighted our growth as individuals and as a team. The term started on the right track with team building activities, which promoted our 3 P’s-partner, participate, and protect. This was followed by creating the class treaty which emphasized respect. We are mindful of this value, especially when we participated in various activities like the Glenfield College Athletics Day, Wilson School Sports Day, and the Focus on Ability film screening. These events reminded us that we can make things happen if we work as a team.
Wilson Tech – Transition 1 & 2
Term 1 started with a bang for our Wilson Tech classes. We welcomed some new transition students into the fold and began our work experience and community activities right away. We will continue to provide restoration and environment support at Shakespear Park. We enjoyed work experience at Mitre 10, Abilities, Family Store and Glenfield Community Centre. Our in-house enterprise initiatives are BBQ and Dog Treats which are growing in popularity. We are building good exercise habits with weekly gym and swimming and exercising our minds with our weekly library visits.
The Senior Movie Night and trip to the city for the Focus on Ability Film Festival were particular highlights!
We look forward this term to adding in a trip to Kelly Tarltons and some tenpin bowling sessions, both educational and fun!
Toe Toe whānau
Room 4
Term 1 we celebrated our Kaitiakitanga and the Preservation of our home. We enjoyed trips to the Villa’s summer house and gardens, plus our trip to the Zoo. Each week we participated in music and dance therapy with amazing results.
Term 2 is very exciting as we prepare to celebrate Matariki and learn about our bodies keeping them healthy.
Room 5
Last term was a flurry of exploration and adventure as we immersed into our local community, from Gould Reserve Playground in Takapuna, King's Plant Barn in Wairau, the excitement of The Great Piratical Rumbustification show in Pumphouse Theatre, and to the relaxation of hydrotherapy at Wilson Centre made for unforgettable and fun experiences to our young people. Now, in term 2, our focus turns to wellness, with discussions on body changes and self-care, alongside nostalgic explorations of toys from the past and present. Weekly trips to Zone Bowling in Wairau add an extra dose of excitement, ensuring that this term will be just as enriching and memorable as the last.
Room 6
During Term 1 Room 6 explored the theme of ‘People and Places.’ We looked at the themes of Guardianship relating to our environment and focused on who we are. We explored the beautiful Wilson grounds in different weathers and explored how our environment changes. We explored the theme of who we are, focusing on ourselves, our whanau and where we live. During Art we used the medium of foil to create a Māori pattern linked to specific attributes. We loved participating in our Easter event, school assemblies and wearing our funky socks 😊.
Our theme for Term 2 is Personal Health & Hauora, About Me and our Relationships with other people.
Windy Ridge 1
Last Term, we focused on our environment underpinned by the theme “What A Wonderful World”. Our focus was on exploring gardening, planting, plants, and flowers through all our senses. Our activities will revolve around soundscapes, tactile objects, smell, and taste. We had a to visit Butterfly Creek to culminate all our learning.
This term, our focus will be on how the early settlers came to Aotearoa and will tap on the topics about the waka and the moana, as well as the creatures that live in it. Our focus is on journey, fishing, sustainability and guardianship.
Windy Ridge 2
During term 1 Windy Ridge 2 connected with the environment and gained awareness through our 5 senses. We investigate and learn about how plants grow and their needs. We planted seeds and watched them grow. We also visited Butterfly Creek. This term we celebrated ANZAC Day and learned more about this important day. Our focus is understanding Māori Culture and their significant relationship regarding historical voyages, legends, and myths regarding the waka and the sea. This term we will visit Kelly Tarlton's and go on a trip to the city on a Ferry.
Spectrum Care School Holiday Programme
Spectrum Care run a school holiday programme for Wilson School students. For further details please contact -
Darryl Benge – 0272948892 - darryl.benge@spectrumcare.org.nz