The teaching in the Senior Years promotes, values and delivers through:

• Manaakitanga (belief and care for learners)
• Mana motuhaka (high expectations)
• Whakapiringatanga (well-managed learning contexts)
• Ako (effective teaching strategies,
• Whakataunaki (evidence based learning)
• Whai pikinga (accelerating improvement)

to ensure strong learning relationships.

Values, dispositions and competencies are nurtured and grown through coaching, pastoral care and strong quality teaching and leadership based on a belief in, and dedicated practice of, culturally responsive and relational pedagogy.

An important space for our students to build these learning relationships is in both their Kauri Group and in Senior Independent Learning Time.

Kauri Group and SILT are planned lessons just like any other, and the expectation is that all students will participate in the activities just as students would be expected to do in any other lesson.

The purpose of Kauri Group and SILT is for students to work on developing their learning dispositions (such as self-management, problem-solving and self-reflection) and to explore their understanding and practice of our school's KAURI (Kindness, Achievement, Unity, Respect and Identity) values - in a way that is appropriate for young people in the senior school.

Is an extension of Kauri Group time and has a particular focus on supporting students to develop their independent learning skills. During SILT, as in Kauri Group, students are required to participate in learning activities intended to support the development of learning dispositions and independent learning skills.

Students are given time to put these skills into practice by spending some of the time making a start with their independent learning, depending on the goals and priorities students have set and discussed with their teacher. This independent learning does not happen in SILT alone - students are expected to apply these skills in their other classes and to put them into practice during their home learning.