Teaching & Learning
- Delivery of the New Zealand Curriculum which includes the teaching of English, the Arts, Health & Physical Education, Learning languages, Mathematics and Statistics, Science, Social Sciences and Technology.
- Focus on academic success through mastery learning of literacy and numeracy.
- Daily two-hour literacy and numeracy blocks.
- Focus on explicit instruction pedagogy.
- All teachers to be proficient at working with students with learning difficulties.
- All classes are led by a teacher and assisted by multiple Assistant Teachers.
- Small school capped at 240 students.
Academic Organisation
- Students in Year 1–8 work in multi-age core classes, where they study common curriculum links together.
- Each class is assigned a core teacher and three teaching assistants.
- The specific needs of students are met through differentiated classroom instruction, but also include specific literacy and numeracy programmes targeted to the individual needs of the student through evidence-based intervention programmes.
- All classes are supported by a number of specialist teachers and visiting programmes in Health & PE, and Music.
Mastery Teaching
The programmes we use are evidence-based and the way we teach is evidenced-based. We understand that there is a limitation of working memory and a great deal of repetition and mastery of skills is needed to get information into long term memory.
Mastery Teaching is at the core of our approach. The aim of Mastery Teaching is to ensure students have deep learning of content before moving on.
The components of our approach are:
- Place an emphasis on the science of how students learn.
- Actively facilitate student’s learning by using evidence-based high yield instructional strategies.
- Use authentic assessment practices that engage children’s diverse understandings, capabilities and dispositions and empower children to begin to assess their own learning and others’ learning.
- Scaffold student’s learning using explicit and direct, structured instruction to develop concept and skill. Specifically:
■ Planned and sequenced lessons
■ Clear and detailed instructions and explanations
■ Content/skills are introduced in small steps
■ Practice after each step
■ Modelled and guided instruction and practice – (‘I do – we do – you do’)
■ Teaching to mastery (achieving 85% mastery before moving on)
■ Frequent, systematic monitoring and feedback
■ High level of teacher-student interaction
■ Cumulative reviews and spaced practice.
MSNZ Community
School Policies
Concerns and Complaints
Academic Calendar
Every Student Matters
At MSNZ students are made to feel worthy of an education and safe enough to want to invest in their learning. Our classrooms are set up to maximise student attention and reduce cognitive load. Our lessons are taught deliberately and carefully in small steps with frequent checking for understanding and repetition to enhance memory and retention.
Our students are supported socially and emotionally which, along with increased academic success, leads to improved motivation and self-esteem. MSNZ implements specific structures and systems that help our students
succeed based on their own belief in their learning capabilities.