About Us

We celebrate our place: our historic school site, our unique environment, our school values and how we contribute to our world. These concepts underpin everything we do.

At Worser Bay School, we strive for excellence in achievement. We have high expectations for our children who are encouraged to make decisions about how our teaching and learning programme is shaped. Students and teachers share the ownership of what happens in the classroom.

“Student achievement is high. Positive relationships and interactions are evident between teachers and students. Children actively engage in their lessons, taking increasing responsibility for their own achievement and contributing to in-depth learning conversations. Teachers affirm and build on students contributions."
 2011 ERO Report.

Our school promotes an engaged community, both within the school and the community. Our children all know each other; all the students, throughout the school, have the chance to work with each other – and all of the teachers. We make the most of our neighbourhood, children spend time outside of school, be it making the most of the beautiful Worser Bay Beach or visiting nearby attractions or facilities. We have a strong and loyal parent community and encourage all parents to initiate involvement with the school.

“School values, tone, climate and culture and community relationships provide a strong foundation for sustained student learning. ”
“A strong focus is placed on building relationships with parents and getting to know students.” 
 2011 ERO Report.

Professional development for our teachers is key; we provide an environment where highly effective teachers are encouraged to strive for excellence. We are all learning and we are constantly looking for ways to improve what we do and how we do. Teachers are reflective and work together to question how we can add value to student learning.

“A team approach to planning and organising the cooperative teaching classrooms allows for flexible grouping, consequently making the most of teaching time for students with similar learning needs and strengths.”
2011 ERO Report.

Click here to read the full 2011 ERO Report.

Read the full Strategic Plan.

Click here to see our Outdoor Learning Environment masterplan!

 Our Kūaha 

‘Te Rā-whiti’ The rising sun

E te hihi o te rā e kōkiri kei runga e,  Tarahaua, e, pikipiki ake ra e,  Ngā moutere tahoratia mai te moana!  Kāāore iara, pikipiki ao, pikipiki ao,  Ka puta iara kei tua e!  The sun’s rays that shoot up, stretched  out,   Climb up over the islands spread out on  the  sea!   Oh climb up over the world,   climb up over the world,   Reach the other side!

The kūaha has a symbolic message  regarding the  celestial  world of the Māori,  the greatest of which is  the sun, te rā.  In the Māori world of creation the sun,  moon, and stars,were placed by Tāne  onto his father Ranginui  (sky father) to  adorn him after the anguish of the  separation from  Papatūānuku (earth  mother).  Through this he created the celestial  bodies  that have occupied the sky since.

The kūaha makes reference to these, to the  left the moon, marama, to right the stars, nga  whetū, and te rā, the sun in the centre.  Back in time when Whetūkairangi pā was  occupied by  Ngāi Tara  (where the school  now  stands) these elements would have  been of  prominence.  The pā would have been a good vantage to  observe  the  passing of these celestial  bodies  and is inferred in the name of the pa  itself,  Whetūkairangi, consuming stars.  This would have been particularly important  around the period of Matariki when  observation  of the stars helped to foresee the  future and  the potential bounty of the planting  season  ahead.

Today, we can still observe the passing of stars, sun and moon, just as they did many hundreds of years earlier from this same site. When the children arrive at school in the morning, they will be greeted by the morning sun rising in the east over the Ōrongorongo mountains and reflect, as the people of Ngāi Tara did, on what the day will bring.

The kuaha, our special entrance to the school was completed in 2009 with the assistance of Dean Whiting - conservator, artist and former parent in our school community.

You will also see that our spaces are named after stars:
Mahutonga: Southern Cross
Matariki: Seven Sisters
Autahi: Pleides
Tautoru: Three stars of Orion's belt