Future Focussed Themes

There are four Future-Focussed themes in the NZ Curriculum -Sustainability, Citizenship, Enterprise and Globalisation. They form the basis for our study themes.

For each of the focus themes a programme is developed that covers the 6 years at Otonga School. NZ curriculum is levelled into 2-year blocks of learning so that Year 1 & 2 is Level One, Year 3 & 4 is level Two, and so on. The curriculum outlines the big understandings and skills the students need to develop in each two year block.

Although the future-focussed theme is school-wide, each team of the school focuses on specific aspects within that topic that are relevant to their level of the curriculum. This makes the topic different at each level throughout the school, but still provides coherent learning and synergy of shared focus. The teachers are also able to take advantage of specific activities at higher or lower levels that are appropriate for individuals in their particular class.

During our planning for each theme the teachers prepare units of study that progressively expand the concepts and skill for levels 1 - 4. The learning programme is further  differentiated within each class as well because each class has children with a wide range of ability. Teachers teach according to children’s prior learning and the children’s individual learning needs.

The result is that we have a programme that is cohesive across the school, caters for a wide range of ability at each level and is focussed on significant themes and issues that have relevance for our children’s futures.

In Term 1 2009 the focus school wide was on being a responsible citizen.  Room 9 were given the challenge of designing a hat that:  -  reflected pride in their school,   -  which provided good sun protection but   - which also showed something of their personal interests.