Principal’s Welcome
Nau mai ki Kura o Tapu Te Ranga
Welcome to Island Bay School
We are a primary school (Year 1-6) on the picturesque south coast of Wellington. When you arrive here at Island Bay, you will have a real sense of place, from the bay to the city. We are committed to giving all students the best education possible.
Our vision for learning to “ Explore, Extend and Empower ” is brought to life by our curriculum that recognises that there are unique realities for the learner that deserve recognition in the design of learning and schooling. We want learning that matters, that makes a difference in learners’ lives, that is creative, connected to meaningful, relevant and deep contexts.
We aim to nurture children for their unique talents. We approach students believing that ‘one size does not fit all’, and all learners are unique. Students are part of the learning process and have opportunities to transfer their understanding in many contexts.
Our learner-centred approach reflects the spirit and intent of the New Zealand Curriculum. We personalise teaching and learning for individuals and groups of students using a wide variety of educational programmes, learning experiences, instructional approaches, and academic support strategies. These methods link deep conceptual understandings in the curriculum to learners’ contexts: their distinct learning needs, interests, aspirations, and cultural backgrounds.
Our teachers are creative and collaborative in their delivery of the curriculum. Our teachers have a future-focused lens to learning and are very innovative in their approaches to teaching and learning. We are a forward-thinking school that often pushes the boundaries of effective practices. We are proud of the staff who continually challenge themselves to be the best they can be. They are professional, talented, empathetic and highly reflective.
We are incredibly proud to share our school with our community and see learning as a partnership between whānau, teachers and students.
We see each student as an individual, with their unique strengths and areas to grow and develop. Our children are curious, sensitive, reflective, agentic, caring and talented individuals who know they can learn and develop in multiple ways. They reflect our WE CARE values. They know that they have the power to act and take their learning to new heights alongside their teachers and whānau.
Please feel free to explore our website or pop in to organise a visit to our wonderful school.
Deborah Fenton
Principal – Island Bay School
