At the start of 2020 Dunstan High School began a review of our Junior Curriculum. We did this because:

• Data from various sources indicated that our students are not engaged in their learning as we would like.

• The length of time since the last review would suggest that having a good look at what we are doing is timely.

• With rapid changes in technology and the way that we work over the last 10 years, we needed to answer the question… Are we doing our best to prepare our akonga / students for life beyond the school gates?

At Dunstan High School our curriculum vision replicates that of the NZ Curriculum vision which is “for our learners to be confident, connected, actively involved lifelong learners”.

This means our young people will be creative, energetic and enterprising. They will seize opportunities offered by new knowledge and technologies to secure a sustainable social, cultural and economic future for our country. They will work to create an Aotearoa New Zealand in which Māori and Pakeha recognise each other as Full Treaty partners, and in which all cultures are valued. Learners will continue to develop values, knowledge and competencies that will enable them to live a full and satisfying life.

To view the Dunstan High School Curriculum Framework click on the following link:

https://sites.google.com/dunstan.school.nz/dunstan-high-school-curriculum/dhs-framework-homepage

How will we achieve this - part 3

Whanau ora Time

Whānau ora Class - Dedicated teaching time. We often ask the question: when are we teaching students to study? When do we have time to teach students how to learn? How to engage in positive relationship, supporting career education etc. This is our teaching time for the non curricular teaching, all that falls outside a curriculum and some that falls inside too, wellbeing and resilience, goal setting and mentoring. From 2023 Whanau ora time will be Horizontal (in year groups) for 50mins of teaching programme time a week. There will also be 50mins of House time a week where the focus will be on developing across house relationships as well as a sense of pride and belonging. There will be as many teachers as possible engaged as Whānau ora teachers - the goal is to get the class size down to 17 per Whānau ora class.

Nga Mihi

Todd Adams 

Deputy Principal