Our Y7/8 Kātua Curriculum & Opportunities

Early adolescents experience a lot of change physically, socially and emotionally. Our experienced team work to provide the right amount of challenge, independence and support to ensure our Senior students thrive. 

Our well-rounded Kātua curriculum introduces new learning opportunities and leadership roles, ensuring students continue to grow academically, socially, and personally. 

Outlined below are some of the key benefits of a full primary education, school specific opportunities (Kātua Curriculum) and information to support your childs transition to the Kātua team, including an invitation to walkthrough our current space.

Fewer Transitions: Our familiar environment, with teachers and peers students have known since their early years, contributes to a strong sense of community and connectedness. Fewer transitions enable teachers to better understand each student's learning style, strengths, and challenges, leading to more personalised and effective teaching. 

Seamless Curriculum Integration: Our focus on both learning and wellbeing enables academic and social-emotional development throughout the entire primary school years.  We provide an integrated and continuous curriculum from Years 1 to 8. This results in a more cohesive and consistent educational experience, with familiar programmes, expectations (values) and routines.

While there remains a continued emphasis on developing and extending skills to a high level in the core curriculum areas of literacy and numeracy, the wider curriculum also provides opportunities for students to engage in Technology (offsite), Interchange (specialist subjects) Languages (taught by Cashmere High), and Kapa Haka (for all Kātua students).

Through our inquiry-based deep learning opportunities, students learn skills within the context of topics that are meaningful and purposeful for them. Teachers use SOLO Taxonomy to make learning visible to students and support them to deepen their learning. One of the advantages of using SOLO taxonomy is that it provides the perfect platform for students as they transition into the High school. Much of the thinking behind the NCEA Achievement Standards is modelled on the same scaffolding SOLO taxonomy offers.

In addition to the core curriculum our Kātua students have the opportunity to take part in a wide range of external activities, such as Kids Lit Quiz,  Kahukura Music Festival Choir/Choral, Rotary Speech Competition, Cantamath, National Young Leaders Conference, Zone and Canterbury level sporting events, and the Koru Games Sports Tournament. There are many opportunities for Educaiton Outside the Classroom, including a 3 night camp alternating between Wainui and Hanmer. Our Year 8 students celebrate their graduation with a trip to Wellington at the end of the year.

Leadership Roles: Woven throughout our curriculum is a fully inclusive leadership programme where all students can experience leadership success. Students in Year 8 have the opportunity to develop their leadership skills in a chosen area of personal strength or interest. Weekly leadership lessons explore what it takes to be a respectful, courageous and positive leader in the community.

There are many opportunities to connect, give back and support the learning and wellbeing of the younger students in our school. We know from student voice that this is a treasured part of being a Senior at Cashmere Primary Te Pae Kererū.

Each Kātua student has the opportunity to develop areas of strength and talent, and to strive for personal excellence (goals) though our Kātua Success & Distinction Awards (badges). The badges fall under five categories, Academic, The Arts, Sports, Community & Leadership. These badges are worn proudly on students senior jackets and are a unique part of our senior uniform.

If you have any questions about the teaching & learning in our Kātua team, please feel free to contact the office.