We are a semi rural school 4 minutes (5km) south of Whangarei.
Otaika Valley School is a Positive Behaviour for Learning school, which means there is a shared underlying belief that promotes students behaving positively and approaching play and learning with positive thinking. The school values (RURU – Respect, Unique, Responsibility, Up to me) are strategically planned for within the entire curriculum and organisation structures. This drives the way we think about students and learning. Students are encouraged to manage risks within the playground safely. School bikes, personal scooters and skateboards are used extensively during break times throughout the entire playground.
Students are encouraged to take responsibility for each other’s safety and their own by wearing a helmet and assessing their skill level. Teachers on duty have a shared belief that students should use their imagination in play, resulting in developmental games and active fun. When things go wrong with relationships or games need to be modified, it is the students who must do the thinking and take the responsibility with adult support. Teachers support students by giving them the strategies to deal with issues. Within classrooms across the school you will find consistent school wide expectations with learning and behaviour. The junior and senior students often work together and learn to look after and respect each other.
Staff work within a distributed leadership model that celebrates teacher strengths. Teachers take responsibility for staff meetings to drive curriculum learning using the professional development they have undertaken. A high trust model is promoted to share teacher strengths and share good teaching practice across the school. This is how we focus our professional development and create a shared vision for school direction and success.