St Joseph's School
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St Joseph's School provides a range of spiritual, academic, cultural, sporting, and e-learning experiences for all students. We embrace Walker Learning, an Australian-designed teaching and learning approach that aims to engage students from early childhood to early teenage years using a range of strategies for authentic, personalised learning. Through quality teaching, we develop life-long learners with a strong Catholic faith.
The paramount objective of the board of St Joseph's School is to ensure that every student at the school is able to attain their highest possible standard in educational achievement (Education and Training Act 2020, s 127). To meet the paramount objective, the board complies with relevant supporting objectives and other regulations and guidelines about the curriculum and student achievement.
We recognise the importance of regular attendance in helping students achieve their educational potential, and follow our attendance policy and plan as required to improve attendance levels. See Student Attendance.
Curriculum and performance measures
The board gives effect to its obligations in relation to 
curriculum statements and national performance measures set out by the Minister of Education (Education and Training Act, s 90, s 127).
The board, through the principal and staff:
We use the principles of the New Zealand Curriculum as a foundation for our curriculum decision-making, including inclusion, cultural diversity, and the bicultural foundations of Aotearoa New Zealand.
Teaching and learning programmes
The board gives effect to its obligations in relation to teaching and learning programmes (Education and Training Act, s 127, s 164).
Teaching and learning is guided by our strategic goals and based on The New Zealand Curriculum or Te Marautanga o Aotearoa. Our curriculum development process includes community consultation where required, including consultation on the delivery of the health curriculum. We regularly review our curriculum plan and programmes.
We structure our teaching and learning programmes for delivering the national curriculum statements to provide 10 hours a week of teaching and learning focused on supporting student progress and achievement in reading and writing, and 5 hours a week in maths.
To help us ensure that every student at the school is able to attain their highest possible standard in educational achievement, we ensure that our teaching and learning programmes are inclusive of, and cater for, students with differing needs. We also seek to achieve equitable outcomes for Māori students and take all reasonable steps to provide for students to be taught and to learn in te reo Māori when requested by their parents or caregivers.
We use learning resources that support student progress and achievement, are up to date and accurate, and are relevant to the curriculum. We ensure that resources are age-appropriate and accessible to their intended audience. Teachers encourage open and respectful discussion within the classroom and ensure the classroom is a safe and inclusive environment.
Catholic curriculum
The board ensures that our school curriculum is presented in light of the Gospel, and emphasises the core principles of Catholic social teaching. We ensure that our Religious Education and Health Education programmes meet the requirements of our proprietor and integration agreement, and the New Zealand Catholic Bishops Conference (NZCBC).
Support and guidance
As required by the Education and Training Act (s 103), we ensure that students receive good guidance and counselling, and provide students with appropriate career education and guidance. We inform parents about matters that are preventing or slowing the progress of their child at school, or harming their relationships with teachers or other students (Education and Training Act, s 103).
We involve the student, their parents/caregivers, and others as needed, to best support student learning and achievement. If needed, we work collaboratively to create individual education plans to support students to attain their highest possible standard in educational achievement. See Learning Support.
Parents are welcome to contact the school to discuss teaching and learning programmes and student progress, and any additional support that may be needed. The school may contact parents if a student is identified as needing additional support or not achieving. See Communicating with Parents and Whānau.
Home learning
At St Joseph's School, we provide home learning as an extension of our teaching and learning programme. Teachers set home learning that is appropriate to each year level. We communicate expectations to students and follow up with parents and caregivers as required.
Monitoring and reporting on student progress and achievement
The board gives effect to its obligations in relation to monitoring and reporting on student progress (Education and Training Act, s 127, s 165).
good quality assessment or aromatawai information – see Assessing Student LearningWe celebrate student progress and achievement with students, their whānau, and our wider school community through school awards and events. See Public Sharing of Personal Information.
The principal assures the board that the school gives effect to board obligations in relation to foundation curriculum policy statements, national curriculum statements, national performance measures, and teaching and learning programmes, including the required 10 hours a week of teaching and learning focused on reading and writing and 5 hours on maths. See Review Schedule and Board Assurances.
Release history: Term 4 2025, Term 3 2024, Term 2 2024
