Ridgeview Curriculum

A little school with a big heart!

At Ridgeview we take pride in giving our students all the advantages of a small school while still giving them the same experiences as a larger school. Our school has a strong whānau feel and every child is known and cared for by every teacher. Our values of Respect, Excellence and Positive Relationships are central to all our learning and interactions in the classroom, on the playing fields and when we are out in the community. 

Through conversations with our tamariki and consultation within our school and local communities, we have adapted the New Zealand Curriculum to teach and learn in ways that suit our children and their strengths, and to cover the curriculum in a way that meets the aspirations of our community.

At Ridgeview we ensure that our students have coverage of all curriculum areas across the term. Teachers strategically plan engaging and pursposeful learning lessons that incorporate literacy and mathematics in all curriculum areas: Technology, Science, Social Science, Arts, and Health and PE. Each curriculum area is linked to an overaching theme and in 2026 our theme is: Adaptation

As well as developing learning in all curriculum areas our students participate in a sustainability program in which they learn about how they can be Kaitiakitanga in their local community, life skills around waste, food, and ensuring that the reasources we have last. In 2026 students are learning about chickens and how to look after chickens, having a sustainable vegetable garden, how to create and maintain a zero waste programme including a bokashi system.  

Literacy

At Ridgeview School, structured literacy provides tamariki with explicit, systematic teaching in the skills needed to become confident readers and writers. Learning follows a carefully planned sequence and includes phonological awareness, phonics, decoding, spelling, handwriting, vocabulary, fluency and comprehension.

Teachers use regular assessment to identify each learner’s strengths and next steps, allowing instruction to be responsive and targeted. Through clear modelling, guided practice and frequent revision, students build strong foundations and experience success.

Our approach is evidence-informed, inclusive and designed to support every learner, including those who require additional repetition or targeted teaching, to become a confident, connected, lifelong learner.

Mathematics

In 2026 we will be using a structured mathematics program called Maths No Problem. Every student recieves a workbook and the classroom teacher has a well planned program to implement. Students will use a range of materials and resources to support their learning in mathematics as we aim to have high achievement in Mathematics from all our students in 2026 and to foster a love for the creativity and fun that mathematics can offer. 

As well as maths no problem mathematics is integrated into real life settings through our curriculum strands. 

Curriculum Coverage

Science is an important part of our learning program at Ridgeview and we teacher specific science concepts each term to ensure that our students have a strong concept of a range of science concepts. Students learn reading, writing and mathematics skills through the context of science. Our students love the hand-on’s activities that the learn through the house of science kits that we use. 

Health

We cover a wide variety of topics in our health curriculum and base our learning on the needs of the children. We cover everything from relating to others to personal well-being to providing our students with strategies to cope with their lives and relationships. We also pair up with our local police officer and look at safety online, safety on the roads and take part in their Keeping Ourselves Safe programme.

Physical Education

Physical education is a very important part of their daily routine. We are fortunate enough to have our very own heated school pool! Our pool is used for Swimming lessons in terms 1 and 4 where our students are able to swim 2-3 days a week, every week, for half of the year. Our school pool can be booked for the weekend and private events for the local community (Contact the office)

Our physical education programme encompasses sport, games, activities such as skipping, running and gymnastics as well as athletics. We take our students to events such as cross country, inter-school athletics, rippa, soccer and the mud run. Physical education is formally taught once a week, and in the summer months we take advantage of the weather and run school sporting activities in the afternoons. 

We also have our own Rippa team and Basketball team.

The Arts

We have private music lessons available for our students -please inquire at the office for information about these including costs and availability. 

Music, Dance, Drama, and Visual arts are developed through our art program once a week. In Term 2 we have a house arts challenge in which each child works with their house to develop a piece of collaborative visual arts, dance, and song to share at the end of the term.

In term 3 each class will design a performance to share with the local community based around their learning for that term. The performance includes all aspect of the arts disciplines and is a great showcase of our students talents in this area. 

In term 4 students explore Music and use instruments to practice rythem and beat. 

Camp

Every three years we take our Year 4 to 6s. This year our students had camp at School from year 1-6 so that they could experience what its like to have a school camp.
In 2027 our students will be going to Camp at Tawharenui and experience a range of outdoor activities and sleep in tents. 

Prizegiving

At the end of every year we hold a prizegiving where we acknowledge those who have excelled at school.

Our students have an opportunity to perform and share some of learning. 

Market day
Each year our students set up games and make items to sell at Market Day. This is a great opportunity for our students to get creative, for our community to come together, and to fundraise for our tamariki. We invite outside vendors to also sell their producs at our school Market day. In 2027 our Market day will be held on March 13th at 11am-4pm. We have a live band, great food and games for the family. If you are interested in book a site for 2027 Market day. Contact the office.

Matariki breakfast

We host a breakfast and a working bee around Matariki for the whole community to be apart of. In 2027 Matariki Breakfast will be hosted the week before Matariki so that everyone can participate and celebrate this special time of year.