Academic Curriculum

All St Michael’s students receive an hour of daily instruction in Reading, Writing and Mathematics.

The school utilises structured literacy and numeracy approaches to support the delivery of the New Zealand Curriculum.

Religious Education is taught four times per week, with children attending a Meditation session with Father Tony Dunn each Monday morning.

Specialist Classes will be introduced in 2026 with specialist teaching for Music, Science and PE. Enrichment and Garden to Plate programme is offered once a week for limited selected groups.

MITEY

The school is currently implementing the Sir John Kirwan Foundation’s “Mitey” programme to build the vital skills, knowledge and understanding students need to nurture their emotional wellbeing and improve their mental fitness.

E-Learning

Our Year 5-6 classes are blended e-learning environments, where students use a combination of pen and paper and devices. Students are encouraged to bring their own device to school to support this, however we do have limited school devices available where necessary.

Homework

Home learning at St Michael’s Catholic School. Children will have home learning in:

Reading

Junior: a reader taken home Monday – Thursday
Senior: children should read every night for pleasure and information. This can be supported by whanau asking questions about the text being read.

Mathematics

Year 0 – 2 students have a subscription to Mathseeds
Year 3 – 6 students have a subscription to Mathletics
Encourage learning of basic facts and times tables.

Spelling
If you would like to set your child Spelling, please use the Essential Word List as a guide - Essential-Word-Lists-1-8

Learning Opportunities

At St Michael's, learning goes beyond the classroom. Alongside a strong curriculum in literacy, mathematics, and inquiry, we offer a wide range of enriching experiences that nurture creativity, critical thinking, and leadership. Students engage in academic challenges like ICAS and PAT, explore digital learning and Religious Education, and take part in exciting initiatives such as ePro8 engineering, coding, speech competitions, and art exhibitions. We celebrate talents through chess, music, dance, and swimming, while fostering growth through leadership training, Year 6 retreats, and our vibrant new library. With upcoming programs in enrichment, creative arts, and more, we ensure every learner has opportunities to discover, innovate, and thrive.