Vision
Learning is a life long journey through which participants are encouraged to seek knowledge through independent and cooperative experiences. Extending student achievement is the driving force of Waiheke High School as we structure programmes designed to enthuse our students with a love of learning, to motivate success and aim for outstanding results at every level. Our vision is for young people to create an Aotearoa New Zealand in which Maori and Pakeha recognise each other as full Treaty partners. We strive to inspire passion by creating a balanced education which prepares our students to be valuable and successful global citizens.
Focus Areas
At Waiheke High School, every child is unique and has an original quality, special talent and huge potential. It is our responsibility to recognise and develop their characters and to provide them with the learning tools, fortitude and resolution to prosper and thrive in the future. We believe that each student deserves the best educational experience we can provide and aim to inspire and support them to realise remarkable ambitions.
Teaching and Learning
Hinengaro: Academic pursuits stimulating the intelligence.
We expect and support our students to extend their skills through questioning, problem solving, risk taking, critical thinking, persistence, mentoring, evaluation, reflection, sharing and celebrating success. Developing these qualities alongside a strong work ethic, will help our students contribute to a positive learning environment for the benefit of all.
Personalised Learning
Manaakitanga: Nurturing diversity through supporting individual learning needs, identifying talents and promoting diverse abilities.
Our robust academic programme includes the expectation that students will rise to challenges and gain success by setting realistic and achievable goals. Continued assessment processes enable us to meet the individual needs of each student by providing differentiated teaching methods which cater to our students’ unique and varied styles of learning. Students with learning needs are assessed and catered for on a case by case basis with programmes and tuition tailored to support their learning needs. Cultural enrichment is also acknowledged and supported in our curricular and co-curricular programmes.
Pastoral Care
Whanaungatanga: Building relationships, identity and pride.
Pastoral care is the mechanism by which we nurture the well-being and capacity of our students to lead useful, rewarding and fulfilling lives. Each staff member is part of the school wide team actively committed to ensuring that our students are equipped with appropriate skills to best manage opportunities, challenges and transitions. Students are valued, supported and included in a caring culture of compassion, mentoring and respect.
Co-Curricular Activities
Rangatiratanga: Promoting leadership, responsibility and team work.
Participation in co-curricular activities such as sport, music, drama and outdoor pursuits help students grow in character, confidence, self discipline and esteem. We encourage students to be involved in serving and enhancing the local community. We aim to make school life rich in creative, physical and cognitive challenges through engaging the mind, body and spirit of every student in experiences and adventures which will develop relationships, trust, commitment and resilience.
Professional Development
Matauranga: Cultivating wisdom, knowledge and experience.
We are fortunate to have teachers at Waiheke High School who regard their work as a vocation as well as a career and who combine their experience and expertise for the maximum benefit of our students. Teachers on our staff have specialist skills and are committed to providing excellent classroom programmes by keeping abreast of educational research and methodology.
Commitment to Maori
Tikanga: Ensuring integrity, correct protocol and cultural safety.
Waiheke High acknowledges New Zealand’s dual cultural heritage with Maori as tangata whenua. We are committed to offering Te Reo Maori in an appropriate learning environment at all levels and prioritising Maori student achievement through rigorous monitoring and evaluation. This involves the ongoing review of Maori achievement data and implementation of strategies for success in consultation with the wider community. Our school provides opportunities for all students to learn and participate in meaningful Maori experiences and ceremonies.
Facilities
Tinana: Creating the physical environment and resources.
Waiheke High School is embarking on a building programme which is designed to create an attractive, functional and coherent campus. We have a commitment to environmental sustainability and aim to incorporate this focus into the development of the campus by creating appropriate learning facilities tailored to enhance student achievement. Our school aims to provide advanced equipment as tools for learning within each faculty. We embrace the integration of information technology into the teaching and learning process, providing sophisticated computer hardware and software programmes with high speed internet connections that link students and staff with the world.