Tūī Syndicate (Years 4 to 6)

Tūī Syndicate is our Year 4 to 6 syndicate. Composite year 4/5 classes are located in the lower area of the school. Year 6 classes are in the lower rooms of the two story block adjacent to the office. As students enter Tūī, they have an increasing range of roles and responsibilities within the school e.g. Sports Leaders, Peer Mediators, Road Patrollers and Ngā Rangatahi o Ngaio members, MacAttackers, Buddy Readers, Junior Journalists and the Enviro Team.

Tūī Syndicate has a Tuakana/Teina model based on developing relationships between our children and helping prepare them for future leadership roles within Tūī Syndicate. 

Planned experiences through Education Outside the Classroom programmes (EOTC) help develop resilience and confidence in our learners. Our school’s ROCKET Values form a basis for these and are central to all our learning in Tūī. One highlight for our Year 6 students is Forest Lakes Camp. Pedal Ready is also an integral programme planned each year. These programmes help increase confidence and provide challenge.

Communication with Whanau and continually developing children’s well-being are essential to our core practice. As year 6 akōnga grow and venture off to intermediate, our teachers recognise that this is an essential time for support and guidance. It can be a time of apprehension and change. Our teachers liaise with families and contributing schools to help support transition of students to intermediate school. 

Below you will find important information about our Tūī Syndicate Team.

Tūī Teachers

Chantal McKee

Ruma tekau (Room 10) Tui Team Leader

c.mckee@ngaio.school.nz

I am very excited to be part of the Ngaio School kura whānau. I have been at Ngaio for nearly 8 years and teaching year 4-6 for a lot longer! I love providing challenges and seeing growth in confidence both socially and academically in our tamariki. My interests include; going away with my husband Phil in our caravan and walking Poppy (our school dog) and seeing the Wellington wind in her ears. We have two daughters, Toni is a pharmacist in Winton and Jessie has started teaching at Titahi Bay School. As Team Leader of Tūī, I am very proud of our hard working, supportive team. We strongly believe in building relationships and working closely with whānau to support our learners.

Poppy McKee

Poppy is a Canine and Friends Pet Therapy Dog. She has many talents, and often seeks out children that may need a cuddle or reassurance in their day. She is very placid and loves to lie with children on the floor. You will often see her at the school sports or around the playground walking with children. Poppy has been known to shake children’s hands at Year 6 graduation and is often a huge favourite in the Leavers Book. She is fondly referred to as Ngaio’s School Dog.

Sam Jenkins

Ruma Tekau mā rua (Room 12)

s.jenkins@ngaio.school,nz

I’m thrilled to once again be teaching year 6. I’ve been here at Ngaio since 2018 and love the school and wider community. I like to get involved in lots of different extracurricular activities like Enviro Club, Artsplash Dance, and Wearable Arts. I’ve lived in Wellington for a while now but my home is down south in Dunedin, where I visit regularly and often do road trips through Central Otago with my dad. In my spare time I like getting out into nature, playing and watching football (Liverpool is my team), reading and writing, and playing games.

Hayden Trass

Rūma Rua tekau (Room 20)

h.trass@ngaio.school.nz

I’ve been a part of this brilliant school for twelve years. I’m originally from Masterton but I’m very much a Wellingtonian now and love working in the Ngaio community. I began teaching in Asia (Taiwan, Thailand and China) and discovered a career that I love. I’m particularly passionate about teaching about the world around us, its people and their cultures. Outside the classroom, I tend to spend a lot of time researching family history and like to travel when I can. I’m excited to be teaching another year in Tūī with wonderful colleagues and students.

Louisa Marks

Ruma Rua tekau mā tahi (Room 21)

l.marks@ngaio.school.nz

This is my 6th year at Ngaio school and third year in the fabulous Tūī team. I love teaching the energetic, curious and fabulously imaginative ākonga that come into my class each day. I live locally with my husband Gus and labrador Isla. My own tamariki have all left school, two are at university and one just started work this week. My interests are gardening, tramping and I have just taken up watercolour painting.

Nicola Stevenson

Rūma Rua tekau mā toru (Room 23)

n.stevenson@ngaio.school.nz

I am originally from the UK. I have taught in London, Melbourne and Wellington for over 20 years. In my spare time I enjoy travelling, running, hiking and biking. I am passionate about meeting students where they are at and building on their strengths. I am excited to continue my teaching journey in Tūī this year!

Dan Byrne

Tūī release teacher

d.byrne@ngaio.school.nz

I am happy to have been a part of Ngaio School as a teacher since 2016. On top of that, both of my children attended Ngaio as ākonga, so I feel very committed to this wonderful place. Before moving to New Zealand, I trained as a teacher and worked in London schools for 7 years. My interests include playing and watching many sports, especially football. Outside of school, you might spot me running around or playing football. It has been a pleasure to be part of the community here and I am excited to be part of the 2026 Tūī teaching team!

Hannah McAdie

Hannah McAdie

Ruma tekau mā rua (Room 12)

h.mcadie@ngaio.school.nz

I am so excited to be completing my placement for the Master's of Primary Teaching and Learning at Ngaio School. I will be entering Sam’s Year 6 class (Room 12) as a Student Teacher to observe, learn and practice. I grew up in Taupō, where I lived with my family and dog (Zola the cavoodle), before I moved to Wellington to study Educational Psychology in 2023. I love nature and spending time with whānau and friends. I am a creative person who grew up dancing, choreographing, and acting, and I have recently joined cheerleading! I am looking forward to being a part of the Ngaio School community!

Zoe Smith

Zoe Smith

Ruma tekau (Room 10)

z.smith@ngaio.school.nz

I am excited to be joining Ngaio School this year as a Student Teacher while completing my Master’s of Primary Teaching and Learning. I will be based in Room 10 alongside Chantal, and I am looking forward to learning, supporting, and working with all the students. I grew up in Wellington before moving to Christchurch to complete my Bachelor of Commerce. Dancing has always been a big part of my life, and over the past four years I have enjoyed teaching dance in both Wellington and Christchurch. I am really looking forward to continuing to get to know you all and I can’t wait to see what the year holds for us.

Julie Rogers

Part time teacher

j.rogers@ngaio.school.nz

I am an experienced teacher who has taught in many schools around New Zealand from Invercargill all the way to Papamoa!! I have one daughter and a granddaughter. I have been really excited to be back and have loved seeing all the smiles on the children’s faces.

Sandra Lissaman

Sandra Lissaman

Part time teacher

s.lissaman@ngaio.school.nz

I am thrilled to be joining the Tūī team as a part-time teacher this year.
I live in Karori with my partner and our two sons, who are both at primary school. When I’m not teaching, or being corralled into a game of backyard cricket with my boys, I enjoy reading, gardening and walking in the hills around Karori. I am passionate about building strong, positive relationships with ākonga and working creatively and collaboratively to meet the needs of all learners.

Tūī Syndicate Information

Teacher Release

At Ngaio School, we are fortunate to have a team of experienced and passionate release teachers supporting our ākonga and kaiako. Classroom Release Time allows our teachers to focus on planning, assessment, and leadership responsibilities while ensuring continuity of learning for tamariki.

Dan Byrne will cover:

  • Support in Year 6 space 9-11am 
  • Chantal’s leadership  every Wednesday, Non-teaching Friday (odd weeks) and CRT every Thursday 11.30-3pm
  • Sam’s CRT every Tuesday 11.30-3pm
  • Hayden’s CRT every Friday (odd weeks)
  • Nicola’s CRT every Monday 11.30-3pm

Sandra Lissaman will cover:

  • Louisa’s every Friday – CRT even weeks + Non-Teaching odd weeks 

Our release teachers are dedicated professionals who embody the values of our kura and are committed to maintaining a positive, engaging learning environment for all tamariki.

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

Syndicate Dates

Please refer to website calendar

Syndicate Hui

Tūī Hui are held in Rūma 24 and start at 10:10am. Whānau of the hosting class is invited to attend. 

 

Week 4 – LIFE EDUCATION clash

Week 5 – Friday 6th March R10

Week 6 – Friday 13th March: R12

Week 8 – Friday 27th March:R20

Syndicate Programme - Termly Overview

Inquiry – I Am a Ngaio Ākonga.  

This term, our inquiry unit is about getting to know ourselves as learners and building relationships with others. We will explore lots of exciting topics and experiences.

 

Through developing a ‘Class Culture’ the children will focus on:

 

  • Developing  personal strengths (e.g. resilience, self-discipline) and recognise those of others, help people to work well in teams and support group goals.
  • Developing  strategies, like positive self-talk, daily routines, and asking for help to help manage  negative stress, and responding constructively to pressure.

 

Life Education – Ākonga will learn how our brains work as the control centre for our bodies. We will explore how our brains help us to think, feel, and make decisions, helping us understand ourselves and how we learn. 

 

Visual Arts – Through art, ākonga will explore who they are and share their interests, family with others. They will develop confidence through oral language to share verbally with others about their artworks.. While developing their artwork, ākonga will learn how to draw block letters, and create shapes/designs through zentangle.

Literacy Focus Term 1

This term in literacy, our focus will be on developing key skills in listening, speaking, reading, and writing. 

2026 English Curriculum | Oral Language

Oral Language focuses on teaching students to communicate, express themselves, and interact effectively. It develops students’ understanding of spoken and signed languages, including New Zealand Sign Language, and for non-verbal students, any first language communication methods such as alternative and augmentative communication (AAC).  

 

    • Listening and Speaking: Developing oral language skills to communicate clearly and effectively, and using language purposefully in various contexts, e.g. Introductions in presentations (such as hui and class presentations), purposeful use of body language to convince others of a point of view (group work, collaborative learning, discussions during inquiry),  change their tone, volume, and pace to fit the message, audience, and situation (sharing ideas to partner/class, sharing viewpoints of a reading), Discussions have different purposes (e.g. sharing ideas, asking questions, giving feedback, and solving problems). 
  • Te Reo: Strengthening listening and speaking skills in te reo Māori through everyday conversations and classroom activities.

 

2026 English Curriculum | Writing

Writing focuses on teaching students to write for a variety of purposes, using the codes, conventions, and structures that enable others to understand what they have written. It develops students’ proficiency in transcription skills, composition, and writing processes.  

 

  • Exploring a range of writing genres, focusing on planning, drafting, and editing to create structured and meaningful texts.
  • Fluent and legible handwriting is important for communicating clearly for all writing tasks. 
  • Using efficient keyboarding to develop speed and accuracy (year 6)
  • Developing spelling and vocabulary through phonics, high-frequency words, spelling patterns, and dictionary skills. Looking at phonemes, prefixes/suffixes and contractions, homophones and apostrophes.

 

2026 English Curriculum | Reading 

Reading focuses on teaching students to decode, make meaning from, and think critically about texts. It develops students’ understanding of how to read fluently, comprehend a range of texts with attention to audience, purpose, and form, and engage with ideas and perspectives.   

  • Personal Reading: Reading for longer periods by choosing familiar or interesting texts and using strategies to stay focused, such as finding a quiet space and setting reading goals 
  • Instructional Reading: Understanding the structure of a text and the way language is used to help with understanding that text. 
  • Shared Reading: Explicitly teach vocabulary that is at students’ age-appropriate, oral-language levels, rather than at their decoding levels. Encourage them to proactively ask questions about unfamiliar words.  
  • Reading Comprehension: Exploring a variety of texts to understand genres, structures, language features, and deeper meanings. It involves checking for understanding before, during, and after reading texts. 

We are excited to see our tamariki grow as confident readers, writers, and speakers throughout the term.

Mathematics Focus Term 1

Ākonga participate in a structured mathematics programme Monday through Friday, where they have opportunities to participate in whole class and small group sessions with teachers, engage in Maths Talks, practise work and extension activities.

This term, our focus in mathematics will include statistics, number, and measurement. Here’s what your tamariki will be learning:

2026 Mathematics Curriculum | Number

Number focuses on numerical concepts and systems. It develops students’ understanding of how numbers are used to represent quantities, estimate, measure, and perform calculations, and how number systems have evolved to meet practical and social needs.

 

2026 Mathematics Curriculum | Statistics 

Statistics focuses on data and uncertainty. It develops students’ understanding of how to collect, organise, and interpret data in context, and how statistical thinking supports informed decision making.

 

2026 Mathematics Curriculum | Measurement 

Measurement focuses on quantifying phenomena using units and systems. It develops students’ understanding of how to measure tangible and intangible quantities using standard and non-standard units, and how measurement systems vary across cultures and contexts.

Years 4–6

In Years 4–6, teaching focuses on students’ use of a variety of representations to model number operations and to solve word problems. They extend their understanding of whole numbers to fractions and decimals, and they visualise, classify, and draw angles using benchmarks to support and justify their classifications. Students apply their knowledge of number operations to reasoning about measurements and to investigating variations in patterns, shapes, probabilities, and data. They begin to work with exponents, can tell the time, and convert between units of time.

Te Ao Māori & Kapa Haka Term 1

This term, our ākonga will be exploring te reo Māori and tikanga Māori as part of our classroom learning. We will focus on building their confidence with whakataukī (traditional proverbs) and everyday classroom commands, greetings, and farewells to help them use te reo naturally throughout the day.

We will also be sharing the kōrero tuku iho (traditional stories) of He Mounga Tapu, which look at Wellington’s hills and mountains and their significance. Through this, the children will gain a deeper understanding of Māori perspectives and values, as well as an appreciation for the connection between people and our local landmarks.

Kapa Haka

Each Monday morning all Tūī ākonga have Kapa Haka with Matua Hemi Prime. During this time they learn waiata, karakia, haka and poi.

Digital Technology Focus Term 1

Cybersafety and being responsible digital citizens: Ākonga will complete a cyber safety programme. In these internet safety programmes students explore the amazing possibilities that come with using technology. Five fundamental topics of digital citizenship and safety form the Internet Code of Awesome for Y 4&5 students. They are:

  •  Share with Care: Digital Footprint and Responsible Communication
  •  Don’t Fall for Fake: Phishing, Scams, and Credible Sources 
  •  Secure Your Secrets: Online Security and Passwords 
  •  It’s Cool to Be Kind: Combating Negative Online Behavior 
  •  When in Doubt, Talk It Out: Questionable Content and Scenarios

Year 6 students continue to focus on six key themes. They include: 

  • Passwords, Privacy, & Digital Footprints
  • Checking Information Online
  • Using AI Ethically
  • Social Media & Algorithms
  • Online Games & Hidden Risks
  • Using the Google Suite

Physical Education Focus Term 1

This term, we are thrilled to make the most of our school pool with weekly swimming lessons. Our tamariki will be grouped according to their swimming abilities, ensuring each child receives targeted support to develop their confidence and skills in the water.

 

During gymnastics students will:

  • Explore balance and shapes and incorporate into a sequence.
  • Perform a variety of balances showing control.
  • Build sequences to include different jumping and landing techniques. 
  • Explore basic movements such as; handstand and cartwheel.
  • Create and perform a routine which involves skills learnt.

Graduate Profile | ROCKET values

Ngaio Ākonga are Curious and Creative 

  • I wonder and consider possibilities, explore solutions and express originality.

By the time I graduate:

  • I will be noticing, exploring and interpreting the world around me, asking questions to seek understanding and connections.  
  • I will embrace opportunities for discovery, approach problems in innovative ways and take creative risks, trying new things with a growth mindset. 

 

Resilience 

This means trying your best, even when things are tricky. At Ngaio School, we help our ākonga learn to keep going, have a go, and bounce back from mistakes. This includes settling into new places and making friends with new classmates. This term, we are focusing on resilience to help our ākonga feel brave, confident, and ready to take on challenges.

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.

Tuesday

Rūma 12 Sam 9:00-10:00

 

Wednesday 

Rūma 24 Nicola 10-11.00

Rūma 10 Chantal/Dan 10-11.00

 

Friday 

Rūma 20 Hayden 9.15-10am

Rūma 21 Louisa 1.45-2.45pm

Enviro Club

Enviro Club is an opportunity for students to learn about the environment and their role within it through both information and hands-on sessions.

Children are invited to opt in to the sessions they find interesting.

Enviro Club also offers leadership roles within the school, such as recycling, composting, and running sessions with younger students.

Throughout the year we will be focusing on the Arb and how the students, as kaitiaki, have a responsibility to look after our environment. We will also be working to improve our composting system across the school with the aim to reduce and reuse organic waste.

Enviro Club also offers leadership roles within the school, such as recycling, composting, and running sessions with younger students. Throughout the year we will be focusing on the Arb and how the students, as kaitiaki, have a responsibility to look after our environment. We will also be working to improve our composting system across the school with the aim to reduce and reuse organic waste. Students have opportunities to help sell plants at stalls during school events.

The Arb has been closed to encourage growth. This term, the Arb will be open for students to play on alternate days. Enviro students will monitor the impact this may have on the environment.  The Enviro Team endeavours to try to balance access and the impact children may have on our taonga.

Home Learning

The ROCKET Challenge is an optional home learning programme.

The purpose of the Tūī ROCKET Challenge is to:

  • recognise the learning children already do outside of school, and to encourage them to extend themselves in these areas
  • challenge children to try new things 
  • encourage children to contribute to your family, school and community  
  • enable children to discover, develop and showcase their talents. 

You can find out more about the ROCKET challenge here.  Please note these were updated Term 1 2026.

Early Term 4, teachers will be meeting with children to talk through what they have completed for the year.

Swimming Timetable Term 1

Begins week 2

Tuesday

Rūma 21 Louisa 10-11am

Rūma 20 Hayden 11.30-12.30pm

 

Thursday

Rūma 24 Nicola 9-10am

Rūma 12 Sam 10-11.00

Rūma 10 Chantal 11.30-12.30pm