School Description

This is a brief outline of how we perceive our school, based on the feedback we receive from parents, children and visitors to Parakai School. 

Parakai is a friendly welcoming school where children tell us they feel happy and enjoy learning.  The children are spontaneous, well behaved and treat adults and each other respectfully and with tolerance.  We encourage input from our parent community and act promptly on issues they raise.  There is stable, cohesive staff with a mix of experienced and younger members.  We are the Base School for the Resource Teachers Behaviour and Learning, the Supplementary Learning Support Teachers and the Resource Teacher:  Literacy, for the Kaipara area 

Location and Context: Parakai School is a full primary school of 170 pupils located in a semi-rural area 3 km north west of Helensville.  The school was built in 1958 and currently has 8 classrooms, a Hall, Learning Centre, ICT suite, Teacher Work rooms and a Library.  The buildings surround a netball court and hard play area which can accommodate volleyball/padder tennis type games.  There are two football fields and an adjoining grass area for free play.  There is a covered Adventure Playground. Substantial refurbishment and new building projects will be taking place in 2009. Many of our children come from rural lifestyle blocks, some from Haranui Marae and the remainder live in Parakai Village.  We also have a group of children who live in Helensville and other areas but who choose to attend Parakai School. The local population tend to be employed in farming/horticulture/service industries in the local area or commute, to Auckland for employment.  After a period of significant unemployment in the area, there now appears to be a diminishing number of people on benefits. 

Significant Achievements: We concentrate on analysing learning progress and adapting programmes to achieve better learning outcomes for children.

• School Wide Aggregated Assessment in Reading, all STAR and Running Record results with analysis of gender and ethnic achievement as well as cohort tracking over a 5 year period with results communicated to the parent community.
• The school is under contract with the Ministry for Literacy professional development. All staff receive extensive professional development to lift students achievement in reading and writing.
• Use of additional assessment tools – asTTle and STAR to analyse progress in reading.
• Curriculum committees set up in 5 broad teams – Language/Maths/Science/Arts/ P.E. to analyse curriculum progress and develop expertise in their fields
• School wide Thematic planning with one integrated theme each year
• Otago problem solving testing in mathematics programme
• Diagnostic mathematics testing
• Portfolio assessment for children – Digital Portfolios for Yrs 7-8
• Internet facility school wide. 
• A Literacy programme for children with identified needs
• Bi annual Science Fair
• Participation in North West Cluster and Kaipara sports & cultural events on a regular basis
• Open Days each term based on the term’s theme
• End of Year Assembly/concert
• Health Promoting School – Student Health Team
• Social Skills Club
• GATE programmes (special ones as required) eg Spanish and Multimedia in Term 2, 2009
• Lunchtime sport
• Senior classroom block is developed into Learning Centre – 4 classrooms surrounding an open flexible teaching space including a computer suite and art area
• RTLB, SLT, RT: Literacy attached to school
• Action research undertaken by all staff as part of Professional Development.
• ICAS – Australasian School Competition
• Opening of Maori Medium Education Unit in Term 2, 2009.