I am the land and the land is me

This term, we have been immersed in an inquiry all about compost; what it is, how it works, and why it matters. We began with a provocation to spark curiosity, a deep dive into our school rubbish. We quickly realised how much organic waste could actually be composted. We explored the science of composting next. Through our 'compost in a jar' (thanks for all the jars by the way!), we created mini compost systems, carefully layering greens and browns and observing changes over time. To make good compost, you need a mix of 'greens' (fruit/veggie scraps, clippings etc) and 'browns' (dry leaves, shredded paper, cardboard). The greens give moisture and nutrients, and the browns add air and help stop it getting stinky. When everything is balanced, the compost pile warms up. Over time, the scraps break down into dark, crumbly soil which can then go back into the garden to help plants grow strong and healthy. We then mapped the journey of compost using diagrams. For those ready to go further, some extended their thinking through research-based tasks like designing idel compost systems or investigating worm farms. We learnt that healthy soil is the foundation for everything we grow and that getting it right takes time, care, and patience. We are really looking forward to applying this knowledge to our soon-to-be renovated school composting system..keep your eyes peeled!

Drama and storytelling

On the first night of camp we had to provide our own entertainment. But instead of turning on the TV we had an opportunity to learn some Drama games to create our own travel show.

Drawing on Carl's many years of theatresports we took the time to learn a game called Slideshow. The premise of the game is that teams of 4-5 players present a series of still slides to the audience. One player has their back to the rest of the team who get themselves into interesting positions that the first player then needs to justify as they share a story to explain the other players 

It was a whole heap of fun but the best part was the way that everyone got involved and got up on stage in front of an audience to play. Drama games like this help to build confidence and encourage risk taking. Performing together also helps to build trust and positive relationships with our fellow players.

We shared this game at assembly this week and when I suggested it as our item I had so many volunteers who wanted to perform for our school community. We will continue to learn new activities like this and find more opportunities for all our learners to engage with performance and teamwork.

Camp Kaitoke 2026

Our Seniors have just returned from an unforgettable few days at camp, and what a week it was! The Year 5 and 6 students spent two nights away together, while the Year 4s joined us for a big day in the middle. Camp is such a special part of school life and is a chance for students to learn outside the classroom, challenge themeselves, and grow in ways that are hard to recreate back at school. The Camp programme was packed with activities designed to stretch students both physically and mentally. There was hut building, team logic challenges, crate stacking, rock climbing, abseiling, the giant swing and the ever popular super fox. One of the best parts of camp is seeing the kids discover what they're capable of. For some, that meant stepping off the platform for the giant swing. For others, it was perservering through a tricky team challenge. These moments are when reselience grows, when students realise they can keep going even when something feels hard. Challenge through choice! There was also time for the simple joys of camp life, cricket matches every afternoon during 'free time', and the annual campfire with John, Steph, and Beth joined us for singing and toasting marshmallows. Camp might be over for another year, but the memories and lessons will be sticking around.