Celebrations and recognition
Every Monday morning, we have a PB4L assembly to present PB4L certificates to those who are displaying our school values of Integrity, Courage and Unity. Each week, We draw a "Caught being good" award for students who are 'caught' doing the right thing by making positive choices in the playground. Ms Leader, draws names at random and those students are awarded with a ‘My Principal is proud of me’ pencil. Once a fortnight on a Friday, we have a learning assembly. This is where we showcase and celebrate our learning. One class is awarded the Class Shield and gets to host Geoffrey the Owl in their classroom for a week for outstanding learning.
Environmental Focus
Anchorage Park School has a focus on sustainability. Interested children can join the dedicated environmental team, who are responsible for composting, worm farms and recycling and maintaining our bird feeders, weta enclosures, a lizard garden, and insect hotels.
Each class has a dedicated edible garden that they nurture and grow.
Through our waste-wise policy, our vegetable garden, and our worm farm, we teach children to observe and value our environment.
In July 2018 we became a ‘TREEmendous School, with the creation of an outdoor learning environment, which includes a native wetland, bird feeders, weta enclosures, a lizard garden, and insect hotels. This area gives the children amazing opportunities to engage with and learn about the natural world, as well as providing the opportunity for teachers to take their teaching outdoors.
We couldn't have completed our fabulous TREEmendous project without the help of our amazing sponsors including Howick Local Board, Southern Trust and Pub Charity Limited.
Travelwise
We are part of the ‘Travelwise’ programme, that focuses on encouraging active transport to and from school.
Digital Technologies Focus
Anchorage Park School boosts a variety of devices in every classroom, including iPads, MacBooks and Chromebooks. The use of these is woven through our classroom activities.
Digital Technologies enrichment opportunities are regularly offered to students, as well as our Digital Leaders Club held at lunchtimes.
Digital Leaders Club
To ensure that students gain maximum benefit from the Digital Leaders Club, we keep numbers limited. Open to students in Years 3-6, children may nominate themselves to join and are added to the waiting list until a space becomes available.
Science Focus
We are lucky to have the renowned Mrs Field on staff. She is well respected within the science community. Her passion for engaging experiments helps to boost the children’s interest in science. Mrs Field runs the STEM club and is the driving force behind our Treemendous Makeover outdoor learning environment.
Physical Education And Sports
We provide many opportunities to learn a range of sporting skills and to participate in inter-school tournaments; Auckland Rugby League, cricket coaching, YouCan2 Fun & Fit, netball, basketball, swimming softball, soccer, athletics, cross country and gymnastics.
To join a sports team, children can nominate themselves and then the coach will select the most appropriate players for each tournament. Practices for these sports teams are held at lunchtimes.
Arts Focus
Aligning with the New Zealand Curriculum and current learning inquiries, The Arts feature prominently at Anchorage Park School. The Arts include visual art, dance, drama and music. Our talented teachers use their own creativity and talent to inspire our students in these four areas.
Literacy Focus
Literacy is a focus at Anchorage Park School and includes all facets of language including oral, reading, writing and visual.
We run an audio-facilitated reading programme programme called Rainbow Reading to support students who benefit from improved enjoyment, confidence and competence in reading.
We also have a buddy reading programme where the younger students read with older students promoting the tuakana teina relationship between older and younger students and is specific to teaching and learning in the Māori context.
Maths Focus
At Anchorage Park School, we encourage and develop a love of numeracy in all our students. We develop children's understanding of numbers, and their ability to use numbers to solve problems with good quality maths teaching and learning.
In Maths, our students:- enjoy working with numbers
- make sense of numbers - how big they are, how they relate to other numbers, and how they behave
- solve mathematical problems - whether real life or imaginary
- calculate in their heads whenever possible, rather than using a calculator or pen and paper
- show that they understand maths, using equipment, diagrams and pictures
- explain and record the methods they use to work out problems
- accept challenges and work at levels that stretch them
- work with others and by themselves
- discuss how they tackle mathematical problems - with other students, their teacher and you!
Accolades and Achievements
In 2015, Anchorage Park School (in partnership with Anchorage Park Kindergarten) was runner up in the Prime Minister's Education Excellence Awards for our transition to school programme. Our transition-to-school programme allows four-year-olds who will be attending Anchorage Park Primary to make several visits to the actual classroom they will eventually join. These visits can commence 1-2 terms before children turn 5, and continue until the child is ready to start school. Please contact the office to enrol your child and organise their transition to school visits.
Proud to be an Enviroschool
Anchorage Park School was one of the winners of the 2018 Treemendous Makeover competition, a joint initiative between Project Crimson and The Mazda Foundation, developing outdoor classrooms to teach children about the importance of caring for the environment.
STEM CLUB (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics)
The STEM club is open to all year levels and students nominate themselves to be considered for the group. The groups meets weekly at lunchtimes with Mrs Field. The focus is based on the interests and passions of the students relating to science, technology, engineering and mathematics. In 2017 the STEM club made a successful application to Project Crimson to create a “Treemendous” outdoor learning environment at Anchorage Park School.
KAPA HAKA
We have two kapa haka groups. Our senior group proudly represents Anchorage Park school in competitions, while the focus of the junior group is learning songs, having fun, and increasing confidence performing by at assemblies. Our Kapa Haka group is organised by Whaea Jasmin and whānau are encouraged to assist.
ENVIRO TEAM
Our enviro team is made up of students from every class and led by Mrs Field & Mrs Newell. Some of the projects the Enviro team are involved in include; Trees for Survival, composting and caring for our worm farm. Other projects are in the planning stage.
To join the enviro team students need to let their teacher know they are interested and then teachers select their class representative.
Anchorage Park School
PHONE 09 576 9175
EMAIL office@anchoragepark.school.nz
STREET 16 Swan Crescent, Pakuranga, Auckland 2010
