ADVERTORIAL
Sitting on eleven hectares of land, Waihī College comprises students from Year 7-13 and includes Sports fields, a swimming pool and gymnasium, a Farm Unit, Hollis Bush, a Horticulture and Agriculture block, multiple technology, art and academic classrooms and the Year 7-8 Waka.
Starting Together
The Waka are a very special area of the school and are made up of eight pod classrooms between two buildings.
The pod classes have been named Te Arawa and Tainui and can be closed to create eight individual classrooms, or opened up to create two large spaces.
Learning Together
All Year 7-8 classes work together, using a shared direction to plan and construct learning programmes that connect each of the curriculum areas. Students are taught according to different factors, such as curriculum level, interests, and learning style.
Each Homeroom class has a mixture of Year 7-8 students and the benefits of composite classes include peer relationships, the ability to work across classes according to learning needs and interests, and more flexibility to make changes.
The Year 7-8 students operate in their waka classroom most of the time, with the core subjects of mathematics, english, social studies, te reo and health all being taught in the waka pods.
For subjects such as science and physical education, students leave the homeroom and go to specialized classrooms and teachers.
Over a two year period, students experience a range of subjects which include music, drama, digital, art, engineering, wood, textile and food Technologies and incorporate events and opportunities such as EPRO8, Chess Club, Hall Tech, Community and Service Groups, Kapa Haka, School Plays and Productions, and School Bands.
-Supplied by Waihī College
