Ministry of education support

Check out the new information provided by the MoE on modern learning environments. There are some good examples of new builds and re-modelled builds which are more pertinent for our school situation.
http://www.mle.education.govt.nz/

On Tuesday 6 May (the first week of term) there will be a parent information/q & a session in the hall at 7p.m. Our guest speakers will be Lorraine Moss from the MoE and Murray Robertson from Stephenson & Turner Architects and Engineers. All welcome.

Greater Canterbury Education Renewal Property Programme

On 14 November 2013 the Minister of Education, Hekia Parata, announced an investment of over $1billion to renew and rebuild 115 schools in greater Christchurch over the next 10 years.

The education renewal programme is not only about rebuilding and renewing property, it is also about supporting schools and communities to raise the student achievement levels of students...When the renewal process is complete modern learning environments will be common throughout greater Christchurch.

What does this mean for students and teachers?
When the transformation process is complete:

• ChCh students will be learning in modern, flexible and digitally connected classrooms
• teachers will have up-to date facilities and teaching tools at their disposal
• schools will be working together in clusters providing students with flexible, personalised learning options.

The investment in infrastructure will support new ways of teaching and learning based around learning communities, small groups of schools providing flexible and personalised learning for students in their local area. 

For more info:

http://www.minedu.govt.nz/NZEducation/EducationPolicies/Schools/PropertyToolBox/CSR/CSRNews/Issue1.aspx

So,what does this mean for Shirley Primary School?

We are one of 58 schools due for a moderate upgrade to the value of $5 million. 

The BoT and staff are working with the Ministry of Education and their appointed architect to begin planning what this will like. We are very keen to provide students and the community with the opportunity to input their ideas and vision for the future too.

Over the past one hundred years when schools and classrooms were built they did so to reflect thinking in education that a ‘one size fits all’ model of teaching and learning was best and schools were designed as single classrooms with the teacher at the front of the room. While there are still times that the teacher may work with the whole class we know that knowledge about how we learn best has moved on from then. We want to improve on our current effective practices and make our learning spaces accommodate the range of ways students learn.....and teachers teach!