Kākāpō Year 1 classes are located adjacent to the field in rooms 13 to 17.

Kākāpō Year 2/3 classes are located in the upper floor of the building adjacent to the office.

The Kākāpō team fosters self management, supporting akōnga to become increasingly more independent and resilient as learners. The curriculum is  integrated, with student voice and personal interest driving learning experiences.

Below you will find some information about the Kākāpō syndicate.

Please feel free to contact your child’s teacher (kaiako) at any point during the year. 

Kaiako are in their classrooms from 8:30am in the mornings so the best time to discuss any issues or concerns with them is between 8:30-8:45am. Kaiako are more than happy to meet with you at other times.

Kākāpō Teachers

Michelle Pontifex

Rūma ono (Room 6) Kākāpō Team Leader

m.pontifex@ngaio.school.nz

Teaching is my absolute passion and I am excited to be leading the Kākāpō team.

I have a vital interest in developing and preparing ākonga for their future. I believe in providing the best for my students in order to enable positive development and growth. To achieve this I provide a balanced, stimulating and challenging classroom programme, catering for the wide range of diversities I meet. I believe an important part of my role as a facilitator is to encourage ākonga to become lifelong learners. This is achieved through honest and open communication with the children in my care and their families.

It’s going to be a fun filled year, full of lots of wonderful learning and exciting adventures.

Tessa Gatenby

Rūma whitu (Room 7)

t.gatenby@ngaio.school.nz

I am delighted to be back teaching in the Kākāpō syndicate this year. I’m looking forward to getting to know some new faces and building positive connections with the tamariki as we learn and grow throughout the year. I’m going into my fifth year of teaching at Ngaio School and I’m excited to work within such a fantastic team. I believe creating and maintaining reciprocal and effective relationships with students is a crucial aspect of teaching, and I work hard to make sure every child feels valued in the classroom. I’m a Wellington local and thoroughly enjoy being part of the Ngaio community.

Christina Johnstone

Rūma Rima (Room 5)

c.johnstone@ngaio.school.nz

I’m thrilled to be a kaiako in Kākāpo Syndicate again, this time teaching Year 2-3. I have been at Ngaio School since 2015. During this time I have taught years 1, 2, 3 and 4 and am very much looking forward to teaching a year 2-3 class. When not at school, I am usually having fun outdoors with my three year old daughter and husband.

Wendy Holbrooke

Rūma Waru (Room 8)

w.holbrooke@ngaio.school.nz

I have been a kaiako at Ngaio School for many years. I love teaching and feel privileged to be a part of your child’s learning journey. I have 2 children and a beautiful granddaughter called Lucie. When not at school I enjoy catching up with friends, walking and reading.

Bronwyn O'Halloran

Rūma waru (Room 8)

b.ohalloran@ngaio.school.nz

Teaching has always been my passion. I have been teaching at Ngaio School for 8 years and I am very proud to have been the team leader for the Pōhutukawa Syndicate during this time. I am very excited to be stepping down from my leadership role this year and taking time to be in the classroom full time. I am a Wellington girl at heart. My husband and I have two very tall boys who are quickly becoming wonderful young men. We are a sporting family who are often out and about most weekends. My favourite thing is walking Waikanae Beach and enjoying time with my family.

Alison Craven

Rūma waru (Room 8)

a.craven@ngaio.school.nz

I am excited to be teaching Year 1 this year with such a dedicated and supportive team. I moved to Wellington with my husband from the UK 9 years ago and have experience teaching in Early Childhood as well as Primary School. I believe in ensuring our tamariki feel safe in their environment, they belong and their wellbeing is acknowledged for them to succeed. I am really looking forward to learning about everyone's different strengths and building relationships with whānau for your child to thrive. In my spare time I love long walks, listening to live music and spending time with my family of friends.

Morag Roberts

Rūma tekau ma whitu (Room 17)

m.roberts@ngaio.school.nz

I am really excited to be teaching a Year 1 class this year and getting to know your tamariki. Originally from Britain, I moved here with my husband and daughter 21 years ago. I was lucky to join the Ngaio School team in 2019 having spent the past 13 years at Muritai School in Eastbourne. I am passionate about teaching and particularly love working with the junior age group. I believe in creating a calm, caring and supportive environment and always love to celebrate students’ work by displaying it creatively in the classroom. I enjoy walking, going to the movies and spending time with whānau and friends.

Kākāpō Syndicate Information

Teacher Release

All New Zealand teachers are entitled, as part of their Collective Agreement, 15 hours (3 days) per term of Classroom Release Time (CRT). From term 3 this will increase to 20 hours per term (4 days). Part time teachers are timetabled to work in the classrooms during this time.

Teachers are also released for various other work related reasons, for example attending professional development courses or for carrying out assessment tasks with students.

Where possible we utilise our pool of part time teachers who are known to the children and familiar with Ngaio School’s routines and expectations. At times however, we employ relief teachers who may not be known to the children. This is most often for sick cover when our part time teachers are already booked, or if several teachers are being released at once.

Our team leaders also have regular release to carry out their syndicate leader responsibilities and some teachers with allocated responsibilities also have a small amount of release time to carry out their roles.

You can check out our part time teachers in the Our Team section.

Syndicate Dates

Please refer to website calendar

Syndicate Hui

Unfortunately all Kākāpō huis are postponed until further notice, due to the flood damage.

Syndicate Programme - Termly overview

I am a Space Explorer – Planet Earth and Beyond 

  • Astronomical systems:  Share ideas & observations about the Sun & the Moon & their physical effects on the heat and light available to the Earth.
  • Earth Systems: Explore & describe natural features & resources

The Big Ideas 

  • The Sun is the ultimate source of energy for life on earth. 
  • Earth’s system is a small part of a solar system within the vast system of the universe. 

Writing & Reading Focus - Term 2

Oral: Listening and Speaking: Using Oral Language for Effect -News, Te Reo 

 

Visual: Developing Critical Thinking: Form and express ideas and information, drawing from personal experiences and knowledge

 

Reading:

Personal Reading: Selecting and reading independently for enjoyment and information.  

Instructional Reading: BSLA / Colour Wheel. Ability based reading groups. 

Shared Reading: Teacher/ākonga reading. Oral Narrative.

Developing Reading Comprehension: predicting, discussing genres, structures, language features, 

meanings and ideas in a range of texts.

 

Writing:

Surface Features: Spelling, Grammar and Punctuation. 

Deeper Features: Ideas, Structure, Language, Organisation, Vocabulary, Sentence Structure.

Phonological Knowledge: Sounds, graphemes, spelling patterns and rules

 

Spelling / Phonological Awareness: 

 BSLA, Phonics, Essential Lists, Spelling patterns, HFW, Word of the week, Dictionary skills

Mathematics Focus - Term 2

Mātauranga tau | Number

Addition and Subtraction

Use a range of counting, grouping and equal sharing strategies with whole numbers. 

Doubles and halves to follow on from fractions in sets and numbers to 100.

Communicate and explain counting, grouping and equal sharing strategies using words, numbers and pictures.

Basic Facts – Daily practicing of known facts – focus is on fast recall.

Taurangi | Algebra
Create and continue sequential patterns
Symmetry

Ine | Measurement
Know groupings with five, within ten and with ten
Time, Seasons, Months of the year

Mokowā | Space
Sort objects by their appearance
Identify classes of two- and three-dimensional shapes by their geometric properties.

Te Reo & Kapa Haka Term 2

Te reo Māori

Matariki, Purakau – Maui, Greetings, Farewells, Classroom objects, Days of the week

Kapa Haka

Every Monday morning our children participate in Kapa Haka with Hemi Prime. Our children learn waiata, karakia, haka and poi during these sessions. 

Digital Technology Focus Term 2

Computational Thinking: Students will look at a task and tell others the order of steps they need to follow (create instructions). Students can give instructions to others and see the mistakes in their instructions when others follow them and consequently fix the instructions..

Designing and Developing Digital Outcomes: With the help of my teacher, I can create, edit, save and open digital content using some applications. Students will know that devices save files, and if the files are saved correctly, they can be opened again later.

Physical Education Focus Term 2

Sending and Receiving: We are learning to move with control to send objects into space. Students will participate in a range of physical education activities that focus on their sending skills, including rolling, throwing and both underarm and overarm throwing.

Cross Country: Students will take part in the annual school wide cross country event. Ākonga will learn correct running techniques and focus on maintaining their stamina throughout the event.

Daily Fitness: Each day students will have the opportunity to improve their basic fitness through participating in a range of physical activities and cooperative games.

Key Competencies Focus Term 2

Using language, symbols and text

Using language, symbols, and texts is about working with and making meaning of the codes in which knowledge is expressed. Languages and symbols are systems for representing and communicating information, experiences, and ideas. People use languages and symbols to produce texts of all kinds: written, oral/aural, and visual; informative and imaginative; informal and formal; mathematical, scientific, and technological.

Library Visits

Each week we visit the library and children are able to choose 1-2 library books to take home and enjoy. The books are then returned the following week, in time for new books to be issued. Please help your child to remember their library books each week, so they can return them and get new books issued. The library is also open during lunchtimes for children to independently issue and return books.

 

Library Timetable

Monday

Rūma 7 – Tessa

Rūma 6 – Michelle 

Tuesday 

Rūma 5 – Christina

 

Wednesday 

Rūma 8 – Wendy

Thursday 

Rūma 16 – Bronwyn 

Friday 

Rūma 13 – Alison 

Rūma 17 –  Morag 

Home Learning

Reading

At Ngaio School we use the Better Start Literacy Approach in our first two years of school. Your child will bring home a variety of language tasks to practise. These tasks can vary from guided books, independent books, word building games or phonics games to help your child practise their decoding skills. 

Please click here for more information about how you can help support your child with their literacy at home.

Poetry Books : Each week your child will bring home a poem in their poetry book to share with you. 

In years 2 and 3 students continue to be exposed to a broad range of texts and vocabulary and reading widely at home helps to reinforce the reading strategies introduced at school. Poems and reading books are sent home regularly and students are encouraged to select their own reading books for personal enjoyment.

Library Books: Each student will have the opportunity to select and share one or two books from our wonderful school library with their whānau.

Spelling

In the year 1 classes we work to develop the children’s spelling knowledge through both phonic knowledge, word building, rhyming words and securing the skills to spell new words.  

Twice a year (Term 1 and Term 3) the children will be tested formally on their spelling vocabulary and the data will be sent home so you are able to support your child with words they have not yet secured.

This continues in year 2 and by year 3 akōnga have their own individual spelling programme based on results from Essential Word testing. Akōnga have five words to learn each week, are tested by a buddy on Fridays, then new words selected.

Basic Facts
Each child in Kakapo has their own individual basic facts programme based on testing of the Basic Facts. Children have five facts to learn each week and are tested by a buddy on Fridays, then new facts are selected.

The ROCKET Challenge is an optional home learning programme.

These are presented in our classes as they are completed. Children are able to demonstrate their organisation skills and enjoy sharing their experiences and challenges with their peers. 

Find out more about the ROCKET Challenges here.

New Parent Information Booklet