admin@rotokawa.school.nz
6 Rotokawa Road, Rotorua
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Our School
Rotokawa School is a contributing primary school with nine classes. Our students come from both rural and urban settings.
We are a friendly whanau focused school, all parents and caregivers are welcome within the school and are encouraged to share in their child’s education. We believe that each child’s education will be most effective when home and school work together.
We have a happy, focused and caring environment. All our students are supported to achieve personal success, and to develop the skills to be contributing members of our school and active participants in their own learning and future successes.
At Rotokawa School, we have a warm, friendly environment that our children, staff and whanau enjoy being part of. During their six years at Rotokawa School, students are involved in and lead rich authentic learning contexts that they are able to apply to their life in our community. These learning contexts encompass our school pepeha and the local land marks and points around us here at Rotokawa School. Our children experience regular excursions out into our community to support their learning. We are lucky with our parent and whanau support which makes our adventures together possible.
Vision and Values
The following vision statement and values were created with consultation of students, staff and the community.
Our Vision
Whakaarohia etahi atu; he pai ki te kura, he pai ki te ako, ki te whakapai ake i to wawata.
Consider others; enjoy school, enjoy learning, to improve your future.
Our Values
Have fun – Include others – Be respectful – Be safe and responsible – Be truthful
These values guide our curriculum and learning across the school year.
Our Mission
Creating exciting learning through stimulating, challenging, supportive, inclusive and relevant experiences.
School Crest And Motto
The crest shows the warrior chief on the prow of a canoe. It represents an old motto “Kia Hiwa Ra” which means “Look Ahead” – the current school motto “Whakaaro Nui Ki Etahi” means “Great Thoughts for Others” or “Consider others”.
Teachers use these terms with the children in class to support their learning along with our school vision and values.
Our Principles
High Expectations
Students engage in learning knowing that at Rotokawa School they will progressively develop agency in their learning and leadership, with high achievement expectations, doing the best they can do .
Learning to Learn
Students engage in learning to learn; and reflecting on learning; through the development of thinking skills: creative thinking, critical thinking and caring thinking.
Treaty of Waitangi
Students engage in learning Te Reo Maori me ona tikanga Maori based on the bicultural partnership of the Treaty of Waitangi informed by our local whanau, hapu, and iwi connections.
Cultural Diversity
Students engage in learning that reflects our local cultural diversity of our local community, and from this strong sense of self-identity, broaden their knowledge of how other communities may be different.
Inclusion
Students engage in learning with deep understanding of others and their well-being, using our school values to underpin how we think,feel and interact successfully with others.
Coherence
Students engage in learning and identifying personal strengths, then understand how the school values link across the curriculum areas.
Future focused
Students engage in learning to consider how their citizenship and creativity may impact on a sustainable future for the world..
Community Engagement
Students engage in learning with foundations based on our school values and turangawaewae of Rotokawa School, locally, nationally and globally.
”Students engage in learning knowing that at Rotokawa School they will progressively develop agency in their learning and leadership, with high achievement expectations, doing the best they can do.
Regan Williams (Principal)Rotorua