Word From the Principal

Mid Year Reports and Interviews

Later this term we will be sending home reports and holding parent interviews. Reports will look a little different this year as schools adapt to the Ministry of Education’s updated reporting requirements and the refreshed English and Mathematics curriculum areas.

The Ministry’s guidance sets out new progress markers and descriptors, and reports are expected to include specific goals for students in reading, writing and maths, and attendance information.

Kaharoa School is working through these changes using the report layout provided to us. This means the format, language, and sections of the report may feel different to previous years. You may notice more white space and shorter comments focused on reading, writing and maths. Below is some information to help explain the new progress descriptors and what they mean for your child’s learning at school.

Emerging - Students require support to meet curriculum expectations for their year level and/or goals as described in their personalised learning plan.

Developing - Students are making some progress towards curriculum expectations for their year level.

Consolidating - Students are meeting many curriculum expectations for their year level and are steadily strengthening their foundational understanding.

Exceeding - Students are exceeding curriculum expectations for their year level.

While academic progress is important, we know that learning is about more than a one word progress descriptor on a report. Learning grows over time through effort, attitude, resilience, curiosity, and the dispositions students bring to their work each day.

Alongside academic progress and achievement, we are focused on growing the Kaharoa School values and our wider graduate profile with a focus on Learning/Ako, Care/Manaaki, Leadership/Rangatira and Guardian/Kaitiaki. We want our students to be “can do” learners who step up, contribute, and keep growing towards Their Best Always.

You can also anticipate the short general comment in this report will link back to our Term 1 focus on effort, learning dispositions, and the way each student is engaging with their learning. Parent interviews will be an important opportunity to talk more fully about this and your child’s progress, next steps, and how we can continue working together. As always, the partnership between home and school is important. Teachers see your child as a learner in the classroom, and you know them deeply as a whole person. Together, we can support each child to keep growing in their learning both academically, and with their character and learning dispositions.

Broad View of Education

Let’s circle back to the wider purpose of education. Yes, academic learning is important - reading, writing and maths matter, and we continue to strengthen these areas. But education is also more than that. Our goal is to grow the whole learner: students who can think deeply, apply their learning, work well with others, and develop a strong sense of who they are and how they contribute. Below are four broad areas we consider important:

Learning to Know: Acquiring knowledge, understanding, and cognitive skills (thinking, critical analysis).

Learning to Do: Developing practical skills, applying knowledge, initiative, and teamwork.

Learning to Live Together: Fostering empathy, respect for diversity, conflict resolution, & community engagement.

Learning to Be: Holistic personal development, self-awareness, values, and sense of purpose.