Children in our Primary school continue with a Reggio-Inspired approach to learning and teaching that advocates for the rights of the child and puts the child at the centre of their learning. One of the practices within this approach is being fully inclusive which recognises the diversity of children. Individual differences are valued and embraced and practices increase the participation and progress of students who learn differently, not only in the classroom but in other learning experiences, such as non-academic and enrichment classes.

The day-to-day programme and environment at Aurora are organised in such a way that children can initiate purposeful, problem-solving activities and devise and solve problems to their own satisfaction using a variety of materials and equipment. Children are encouraged to use trial and error to find solutions to problems and to use their previous experiences as a basis for trying out alternative strategies. They are encouraged to give reasons for their choices and to argue logically.

Our curriculum content in the Primary school is taught through investigative research, following the Common Ground Collaborative standards and inquiry-based approach. The 3 C’s are how we define learning. The learning process is a continuous spiral as children progress through deeper levels of constructing conceptual understanding, building competencies and developing character.

Children develop conceptual understanding when they are able to:

• Identify issues
• Gather and analyse information
• Make connections across curriculum areas
• Form and test hypotheses

Children develop higher levels of competency when they are able to:

• Communicate their thoughts clearly and make themselves understood
• Collaborate effectively with teachers and children from diverse backgrounds
• Take ownership and responsibility for their own learning

Children exhibit positive learning dispositions when developing character by becoming:

• Reflective
• Open-Minded
• Empathetic
• Confident
• Curious
• Resilient

Each module fits within a framework designed around 6 human commonalities:

The Art of Language & Literacy:

Languages are inseparably linked to the social and cultural contexts in which they are used. Languages and cultures play a key role in developing our personal, group, national, and human identities. Every language has its own ways of expressing meanings; each has intrinsic value and special significance for its users.

Children make use of language to express feelings and attitudes, negotiate, create and retell stories, communicate information and solve problems. Opportunities are provided for children to have sustained conversations, have fun with words, use complex language and increase their vocabulary.

Children in our Primary school are taught to read using the Phono-Graphix® programme. The theoretical underpinnings of Phono-Graphix® are a logical, straightforward and sensible approach to reading instruction and intervention.

Our English curriculum objectives are designed around the New Zealand curriculum structured around two interconnected strands, each encompassing the oral, written, and visual forms of the language. The strands differentiate between the modes in which students are primarily:

• making meaning of ideas or information they receive (listening, reading, and viewing)
• creating meaning for themselves or others (speaking, writing, and presenting).

Vietnamese Language, based on the Vietnamese National Curriculum is taught as an additional language to children of Vietnamese citizenship. Vietnamese children at Aurora are proficient in speaking, listening, reading and writing Vietnamese at the end of their Primary journey.

The Language of Maths:

Mathematics is the exploration and use of patterns and relationships in quantities, space, and time. Statistics is the exploration and use of patterns and relationships in data. These two disciplines are related but different ways of thinking and of solving problems. Both equip children with effective means for investigating, interpreting, explaining, and making sense of the world in which they live.

Mathematicians and statisticians use symbols, graphs, and diagrams to help them find and communicate patterns and relationships, and they create models to represent both real-life and hypothetical situations. These situations are drawn from a wide range of social, cultural, scientific, technological, health, environmental, and economic contexts. By studying mathematics and statistics, children develop the ability to think creatively, critically, strategically, and logically. They learn to structure and to organise, to carry out procedures flexibly and accurately, to process and communicate information, and to enjoy intellectual challenge.

The achievement objectives, based on the New Zealand curriculum are presented in three strands. It is important that children can see and make sense of the many connections within and across these strands:

• Number and algebra
• Geometry and measurement
• Statistics

The Language of Creative & Performing Arts:

The arts is a collective term for four disciplines: music, dance, visual art and drama. When considering learning experiences, children will learn about the arts and learn through the arts. The combination of expertise from Reggio-Inspired educators and Art specialists extends and deepens the child’s experience of the Arts as a form of expression where the 100 Languages are articulated and opportunities create endless possibilities.

The arts have their own distinct languages that use both verbal and non-verbal conventions, mediated by selected processes and technologies. Through movement, sound, and image, the arts transform people’s creative ideas into expressive works that communicate layered meanings. When the arts are used in ways that strongly value active engagement and the creative endeavours of children, they can develop many other skills and attributes that are embedded in the curriculum.

The strands of Creative & Performing Arts covered through exploration and inquiry are:

• Developing Practical Knowledge
• Developing Ideas
• Communicating and Interpreting

The Language of Well-Being:

In health and physical education, the focus is on the well-being of the children themselves, of other people, and of society through learning in health-related and movement contexts. The learning activities in health and physical education arise from the integration of  four concepts, the following four strands and their achievement objectives.

The four strands are:

• Personal health and physical development, in which students develop the knowledge, understandings, skills, and attitudes that they need in order to maintain and enhance their personal well-being and physical development
• Movement concepts and motor skills, in which students develop motor skills, knowledge and understandings about movement, and positive attitudes towards physical activity
• Relationships with other people, in which students develop understandings, skills, and attitudes that enhance their interactions and relationships with others
• Healthy communities and environments, in which students contribute to healthy communities and environments by taking responsible and critical action.

The Key Competencies of Well-Being covered through exploration and inquiry are:

• Thinking
• Using language, symbols, and texts
• Relating to others
• Participating and contributing
• Managing Self

The Art of Learning & Competencies.

When learning about and through the 100 languages, children acquire and develop skills that best help them to learn in specific areas. Beyond the skills of literacy and numeracy, there is a range of skills that are transferable across contexts. These skills and competencies are grounded in the belief that learning how to learn and not just what to learn is fundamental to a child’s education.