The Children with Special Abilities (CWSA) programme caters mostly for Years 3-6

Extension and enrichment programmes are offered to cater for those students who display abilities significantly above those of others in their age group. Groups of students are withdrawn from their class for in-depth studies catering for their specific strengths. These workshops comprise five sessions of an hour and a half and provide the opportunity for students to challenge themselves.

There is also an extension programme for those students from Year 5 and Year 6 classes who display special ability in several areas. These students are withdrawn to work on thinking and study skills and one major study.

As The Arts assume a greater significance in the curriculum so too does Dance take on new importance in children's lives.

Dance is approached in several ways:

• It is part of the classroom programme
• Children are introduced to Dance through performing groups that visit the school
• Children are encouraged to seek specialist opportunities within the community

The school encourages students to take an increasing amount of responsibility for their own time management and learning. Homework is part of that process and should be done without compulsion or threat of punishment.

Homework relates to class curriculum work. Students are also encouraged to make good use of the homework time when set homework has not been given. Parent involvement in homework is strongly encouraged.

Generally children in their early years of school have regular reading homework. The daily home reading has enormous benefits to these early learners, and working together supports the child, and enhances those early stages of learning.

As information communication technologies (ICT) assume a greater importance in society we accept increasing responsibility to ensure children have opportunities to learn about them. We employ a specialist ICT teaching support person to work with teachers and children to do that. Programme details will vary from class to class and will depend upon the learning focus of particular classrooms.

The school has a well stocked library. All children have access during lunchtime and class time. Students are advised of their library day. The borrowing period is two weeks. The computer resources in the library include a computer suite with fast internet access and a library database which students can use for research.

Manual of Library Management & Procedures
School-Wide Resource Management

The school's resources are scattered in different areas around the school. Issuing and returning resources is done in varying ways. Since 1997 staff resources have been added to the library database and all resources can be accessed through the library system. Work is in progress to get resources centralised and electronically issued and returned. In the future, a centralised resource area is planned for, which will enable more efficient stocktaking and monitoring by library staff.

LEARNING OUTCOMES:

As a result of using the school library, students will:

• gain pleasure and knowledge from reading a variety of genre
  
• develop and apply research skills, using a variety of media and technology
  
• select resources to meet personal needs and interests with increasing independence
  
• learn to care for books, and value the library environment
  
• demonstrate a willingness to share skills, knowledge and opinions
  

Information Skills

An information skills programme has operated in the library for a number of years. The teacher with library responsibility coordinates the planning and delivery of this programme across the whole school. A part time teacher has been employed to deliver the content. Syndicates have selected the objectives and topics they wish to focus on and students have worked on the programme either as a whole class or in small groups.
Generally, the programme has been used by Years 0-2 students for sharpening skills in physical location of books and elementary use of the search terminal. Years 3-6 have been extending their capacity to carry out searches and working with CD Roms.

Environment

The library is a converted hallway/administration block which was initially used as a classroom. The floor is carpeted and the majority of wall surfaces are taken up with either fixed or movable shelving. There are tables with chairs set up in two areas, and there are a number of large, colourful floor cushions to select and use.

There are framed areas for displaying artwork and research work and three hessian covered boards used for library information displays. A local book illustrator has donated prints which are on permanent display.
The library stock is housed around the perimeter apart from soft cover picture books which are in centrally located browse boxes.

The northern wall of the library has curtained sash windows and large double doors which can be used to access the front of the school. Two doors either side of the south wall provide access to corridors leading to classrooms, the main foyer and the back playground.

The library workroom is situated on the, south side of the library. The teacher aide with responsibility for the library and for processing school resources is based here.

Management

The library is overseen by the teacher with library responsibility. The teacher attends Senior Management meetings and receives regular non contact time to undertake library duties. The school is a member of the National Library's local group and meetings are attended whenever possible. A teacher aide is based in the library for approximately 20 hours a week, this member of staff has additional responsibilities within the school.

Two members of a team of Year 5/6 pupils librarians work in the library every lunch time and the teacher with responsibility and/or the teacher aide, provide training and on-going supervision at these times.
The teacher with responsibility for the library presents an annual review to the Board .

A "Library 2000" development plan has been drawn up following consultation and collaboration of interested staff members. The plan helps to determine the work for the year.

Collection Development

The collection stands at 6,000 volumes. There are fiction, non-fiction and reference areas and shelves with 'library only' text and periodicals. A cull of fiction was carried out in 1997. Irreparably damaged or outdated books are removed as and when they become evident. An annual budget request for new books and for protection and repair materials is submitted to the Principal. The collection has been further developed through Book Fairs, Book Club Coupon purchases, fund raising and donations.

Specific areas for collection development have been targeted, namely non-fiction and reference for younger readers, Curriculum 2000/1 delivery and 'books for boys'. New books are circulated around the classes and displayed on a 'not for loan' basis initially. The 'New Book' bags and the 'Big Book' bags are regularly distributed around all the classes by student monitors.

Unfortunately, library security has become an increasing problem with the non-return of significant numbers of books plus the theft of volumes. Reminders regarding overdue books are sent to classes and to individual homes. The school asks to be reimbursed for books which are not returned.

Library Use

The library is open between 9:00a.m. and 3:00p.m. from Monday to Friday.

Every class in the school chooses a regular, time tabled session for whole class browsing and borrowing. Class teachers also use this time for class instruction in library and information skills and for story telling. At times, the library is used for individual/small group work with teacher aides and resource people, and for research purposes by individual /groups of students. The library is open every lunchtime for browsing and borrowing and is well utilised by the students. Some children are daily users.

A variety of activities take place in the lunch times - individual and paired reading, reference work, quiet co-operative board games, puzzle making, small scale handicrafts and completion of homework and/or class work. A "Use of the Library" survey showed that more girls than boys used the library. Non-fiction/reference books were preferred by the boys and there were more regular boy users than regular girl users.
School fund raising Book Fairs are held in the library

Professional development sessions, Board interviews and meetings of other school groups plus, the promotion of book-based events such as the N.Z. Post Children's Book Awards have been held in the library. Classes select classroom collections generally for a term's duration. Big Book circulation is coordinated by library personnel. Use is made of the National Library collection based in Christchurch to enhance topic work/school wide initiatives and prepaid return coupons are provided from the Library budget.

Information Technology

The library stock and other school resources are cataloged using 'AccessIt'. The library has a master computer for data input, issues and returns. Every student, teacher and class has an individual bar code for updating issues and returns. There are computers which are used as search terminals, and for Internet and CD Roms.

A range of out-of-class musical opportunities are available to Year 3 - Year 6 students. These include instructional singing with the school choir, small group recorder tuition and playing as a group in the school orchestra.

We employ a specialist music teacher to work with the Curriculum Director to ensure we increase the musical opportunities available to children.

If you have specific ideas about what you want your child to achieve in music education please feel free to discuss these with the Principal or Curriculum Director since we value your feedback and the opportunity to work with you.

Sporting opportunities are arranged within each syndicate. Activities are organised to coincide with skills teaching in Physical Education Programmes.

Highlights of the school year include school and interschool events:

• Swimming between November and March
• Netball, soccer, rugby, hockey and miniball during the winter months; May to July
• Winter Tournament in June
• Cross Country in August
• Athletics in November and December
• Gymnastics in November
• Cricket during the summer months, December to March

Parents are invited to offer their services as coaches, supporters and transport providers.

Reading Recovery

Reading Recovery is a teaching programme designed to give assistance in reading and writing for six year olds with the greatest level of need.

These students are identified through the Six Year Net assessment. The students have daily 30 minute individual instruction with a trained Reading Recovery Teacher. Nelson Central School currently has one full-time Reading Recovery Teacher.

Six Year Nets

Six Year Nets are comprehensive assessments of each six year old student's progress at the end of the first year at school.

At Nelson Central School the assessment is administered by a Reading Recovery Teacher. This is done on or as close to the student's sixth birthday as possible.

The results are collated and returned to the student's teacher. Opportunities are available to share this information with parents.

Nelson Central School is committed to providing programmes to meet the individual needs of all students. Support for the students with special needs is organised through the use of specialist staff, teacher aides and advisors.Many students with special needs are withdrawn from classrooms to work in small groups with specialised teachers.

Students are assisted in the areas of Reading, Mathematics and English. A taped assisted reading programme, "Rainbow Reading", is in place to support older students experiencing reading difficulties.

Students identified as needing alternative or additional resources not able to be provided by the school are referred to the Specialist Education Service for more specialised assistance.

Each year the school organises staff professional development to meet Ministry of Education priorities.

Priorities include:

• Information Communication Technology for teachers
• The Arts
• Literacy
• Numeracy
• First Aid for staff
• Assessment to Learn (AtoL)
• Student Management

From time to time the school offers to host teacher trainees from Colleges of Education within New Zealand and overseas. The spaces available depend upon having sufficient teachers who are able to provide associate teacher guidance.

These agencies provide specialist assistance for teachers and students:

• Vision and Hearing Tester
• Public Health Nurse
• Speech and Language Therapist
• Specialist Education Service
• New Zealand Police Education Service
• Child Youth & Family Services
• Out-of-school Music Tutor
  

TIKANGA MāORI- MāORI PERSPECTIVE

All students take part in the school's Taha Māori programme as required under the Treaty of Waitangi.
Taha Māori is an integral part of each class programme and permeates all curriculum areas. All students have the opportunity to acquire some knowledge of Māori language and culture.

The New Zealand Curriculum Framework document can be viewed at the office.

Te Pouahi comprises 3 akomanga- learning centres. The classes are made up as follows:

• Tēina - Tau 0-2 (New Entrant to Year 2)
• Waenganui - Tau 3-4 (Year 3-4)
• Tuakana - Tau 5-6 (Year 5-6)

These classes are Level 2 Māori, an equal coverage of Te Reo mē ōna tikanga, and Ngā Taputapu Matatini.(Māori and English).

Nelson College FOR BOYS AND NELSON GIRLS COLLEGE - Year 12/13 Mentors

As part of the leadership programmes at Nelson Girls College and Nelson Boys College,
Year 12 and 13 students are encouraged to take a mentoring role with younger children.

Nelson Central School has been lucky enough to benefit from this programme for the last few years.
This year (2009) we have seven senior boys and five senior girls involved with our students.

The mentors visit their students once a week for a period of an hour or two and support them in their work.
Our students look forward to their weekly visits. The College students are excellent role models.

We thank these young people for their contribution.

Pictured below are some of the 2006 Nelson College Mentors.