ABS Curriculum

Our curriculum is currently being redesigned in line with the New Zealand Curriculum document, to be in place by January 2010. Links to pdf curriculum documents will be inserted as these work plans are finalised.

Click to see pdf documents.

 

ABS Curriculum:
Vision, Values and Principles
Design
Learning Areas
Assessment

Curriculum Coverage

As a Globally minded Environmental school, we identify with Environmental Education as well as the eight learning areas, as specified in the New Zealand curriculum;

  • English
  • The Arts
  • Health and Physical Education
  • Learning Languages
  • Mathematics and Statistics
  • Science
  • Social Science
  • Technology

Our daily focus is on:

  • English
  • Mathematics and Statistics

The Arts, Physical Education, Learning Languages (and Technology years 7/8) and some aspects of Health, will be taught as separate learning areas and integrated, where appropriate. The learning areas of Science, Social Science, Health and Technology years 1 – 6 will be taught using a conceptual inquiry approach and integrated, where appropriate. In the course of eight years we will ensure full coverage of all strands in all learning areas according to the needs of our students.
Coverage will be tracked on the ABS Curriculum tracking sheet. (Enlarge working document to A3)

Curriculum Design Principles

ABS has designed our curriculum around the International Baccalaureate Primary year Programme framework, utilizing the transdisciplinary themes, integrating values, key competencies, knowledge and skills across a number of learning areas, as suggested in NZC.

“All learning should make use of the natural connections that exists between learning areas and that link learning areas to the values and key competencies.” NZC Page 16
“Schools should aim to design their curriculum so that learning crosses apparent boundaries.”  NZC Pg 38

The delivery of the curriculum at Ashburton Borough School is based on our Vision and Values and the identified needs of our students.  Our programmes of work will always reflect these values and our dispositions, which are our definition of the key competencies.

Inquiry Learning

The Learning Areas and Effective Pedagogy statement from The New Zealand Curriculum says that
students learn best when teachers:

  • create a supportive learning environment
  • encourage reflective thought and action
  • enhance the relevance of new learning
  • facilitate shared learning
  • make connections to prior learning and experience
  • provide sufficient opportunities to learn
  • inquire into the teaching–learning relationship

In deciding to base our curriculum on the PYP framework ABS has agreed that the teaching of significant transdisciplinary themes, through an inquiry approach will provide the structure for teaching and learning that is;

  • Engaging - of interest to the students, and involving them actively in their own learning
  • Relevant - linked to the students prior knowledge and experience of the students to increase their competencies and understanding
  • Challenging - extending the prior knowledge and experience of the students to increase their competences and understanding.
  • Significant – contributing to an understanding of the transdisciplinary nature of the themes and therefore to an understanding of commonality of human experiences.

At Ashburton Borough School areas of Science, Social Science, Health and Technology, and where appropriate English, Maths and Statistics, The Arts, PE and Learning Languages, will be taught through the PYP Transdisciplinary themes.

The International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme is a framework, organised around six themes of local and global significance. Students inquire into, and learn about, these globally significant issues in the context of units of inquiry;

  • Who we are
  • Where we are in time and place
  • How we express ourselves
  • How the world works
  • How we organise ourselves
  • Sharing the planet

Central to the philosophy of the Ashburton Borough School Curriculum is the principle that purposeful, structured inquiry is a powerful vehicle for learning that promotes meaning and understanding, and challenges students to engage with significant ideas.

The ABS curriculum is conceptually based, and as such learning starts with a big idea that we want students to understand.

The PYP provides a framework for the curriculum, including eight key concepts as one of its essential elements.

    • Form: What is it like?
    • Function: How does it work?
    • Causation: Why is it like it is?
    • Change: How is it changing?
    • Connection: How is it connected to other things?
    • Perspective: What are the points of view?
    • Responsibility: What is our responsibility?
    • Reflection: How do we know?