THE YEAR IN REVIEW 2012
The 2012 school year has been yet another successful year. We have continued with our three main targets this year to show student progress but students have also been encouraged to enter a variety of competitive situations outside the classroom. In doing so, we are providing opportunities for many students to enjoy successes. Our plan is to grow our opportunities
In addition to the successes recorded by our high performing students, evidence is provided in this report to indicate the progress made by other students. Data also indicate improvements with students who identify as Maori, Pasifika and those who find learning more challenging. Data distinguishing gender is also represented. Support programmes are in place, giving assistance to those students identified as not being successful in their learning.
Some of the year’s more significant successes and extra curricular programmes are highlighted below. There are many others of an individual nature that can only be tracked through by looking at individual records of achievement at the classroom level. The School Yearbook provides detailed evidence of progress and achievement in a number of areas. It indicates the breadth of programming offered at Bucklands Beach Intermediate.
Academic Achievements:
1. University of New South Wales Testing Centre
Students are invited to enter into the Maths, Science, Computer, Writing and English ICAS examinations administered by the Educational Assessment Australia, UNSW.
In addition to individual benefits for the students, data returned allows us to monitor areas of strength or need within each curriculum area. We are also able to see our own performance as measured against all other entered New Zealand schools.
Results of BBI students in these external tests continue to be of a very high standard. We have continued our record of having a student who has been top in New Zealand in at least one subject area every year since we first entered in 1992. It would be a challenge to find a school anywhere to match this record!
1992 Top in Maths and top in Science
1993 Two students top equal in Maths
1994 Top in Maths
1995 Top in both Y7 and Y8 Maths and top in English
1996 Top in Science
1997 Top in Y7 and Y8 Maths
1998 Top in Y8 Maths and Y7 Science
1999 Top in Y7 Science and Y7 Computer Studies
2000 Top in Y7 and Y8 Maths and Top in Y8 Computer Studies
2001 Top in Y7 English
Top in Y8 Computer Studies (2 students equal), Top in Y7 Computer Studies
2002 Top in Y8 Maths
2003 Top in Y7 Computer Studies (2 students equal), Top in Y8 Maths
2004 Top in Y8 Science
2005 Top in Y8 Maths, Top in Y8 Computer Studies
2006 Top in Y8 Maths, Top in Y8 Science
2007 Top in Y7 Computer Skills, Top in Y8 Computer Skills
Top in Y8 Maths (2 students equal)
2008 Top in Y7 Computer Skills
2009 Top in Y8 Computer Skills
2010 Top in Y8 Computer Skills
2011 Top in Y7 Computer Skills, Top in Y8 Computer Skills
Top in Y7 Maths, Top in Y8 Maths, Top in Y8 Writing
Top in Y8 Science
2012 Top in Y7 Math, Top in Y8 Maths
2. Science Fair
Twenty-two science fair investigations were selected to enter the Manukau Science and Technology Fair where they gained a second, a third and three highly commended. Certificates were presented at a formal ceremony held at Mission Heights Junior College.
3. Learning Support Programmes
ESOL Support
2012 has been a busy and productive year for the ESOL programme. Three teachers and one teacher aide taught English for the full year. Altogether, one hundred students were involved in the programme throughout the year.
Literacy Support
This year we continued a literacy support programme for Year 7 and 8 students who required additional support in reading and writing.
Fifteen Year 7 and fifteen Year 8 students were selected for the morning Literacy Support classes at the conclusion of baseline testing. One teacher and a teacher aide gave this support. These students worked through a programme that supported their individual needs and assisted them with their classroom work.
Regular testing by the teacher and teacher aide monitored the progress of all of these students and changes were made during the year. Three Year 8 students in the Literacy Support classes had made significant improvements by mid-year and were moved back to their homerooms for literacy for the remainder of the year. Four other Year 8 students who required support were added to the class for varying lengths of time. One Year 7 student moved back to homeroom for literacy at the end of Term 3.
4. Extension Academic Programmes
Mathex
As well as covering the NZ curriculum to an extended level, the focus in the groups is largely on problem solving, applying the use of maths in authentic concepts and participation in Mathematical challenges and competitions.
There was an average increase of 1 sub levelThis year, 33% of Year 8 students achieved Asttle levels of 6A and greater. In 2011, 43% of the Year 8 group reached or exceeded this level.
Maths Extension Competitions
Two ongoing problem solving competitions take place through the year for both Year 7 and Year 8 extension Maths groups: Otago Problem Solving and Australasian Problem Solving Mathematical Olympiad. Additionally, BBI extension Maths students participated in the Australian Maths Competition, organized by AMT, and in the Auckland Mathex Competition, held in ASB Stadium, Kohimarama.
Selected BBI students formed the Mathex teams who competed in 2012. At the annual Auckland Mathex competition, all four teams scored the maximum 100 points within the allotted time – BBI being the only school to achieve this standard. BBI teams finished 3rd and 4th in the Year 7 competition, and 2nd and 3rd in the Year 8 category.
5. Literature Quiz
The Kids’ Literature Quiz is an annual competition to test the literary knowledge of young readers. This year, two teams from BBI participated. Both teams acquitted themselves very well.
6. Speech Competitions
In Term 3, the school held the annual speech competitions. Each
student presented a prepared speech to the class. Class finalists
competed at syndicate finals and the best two contestants from each
team presented their speeches to the school. A voluntary impromptu
speech competition was also held. BBI came second in both the
prepared and the impromptu sections of the Eastern Zone speech
competition.
A group of students prepared speeches in Mandarin, Cantonese and Korean. BBI hosted and had students placed in the APPA Cantonese speech competition.
7. Life Education Programme
As part of the Health Education programme, the Life Education mobile
caravan visited the school in Term 3. The learning intentions for the
programmes were:
- Year 7: Keeping a Balance – Dealing with stress in a positive way and understanding how our bodies function.
- Year 8: From the Shadows – Understanding the importance of the brain and improve students’ drug knowledge and the impact of drugs in society.
8. ASB Get Wise Programme
A successful ASB Getwise Programme for Financial Literacy for all students took place, covering areas such as banking, managing finances, budgeting and saving.
9. Bring your Own Device Programme
BBI has continued the programme to allow student owned devices (laptops, tablets, ipads) to be used at school as a way to enhance student learning.
10. Mathematics Holiday Workshop
The purpose of the maths holiday programme is to provide students
with a ‘boost’ in maths. We would like the students to develop greater
confidence and understanding in basic number knowledge.
This year we offered the programme to all students identified as ‘school wide Target students in maths’.
11. 2012 Maths Intervention Programme
In Terms 3 and 4, BBI was involved in a Ministry of Education mathematics intervention project (Accelerating Learning in Mathematics) to lift the achievement of target students in mathematics.
12. End of Year National Standard Testing Outcomes:
At the end of the year teachers will decide on OTJ (Overall Teacher Judgement) as to where a student is placed against National Standards in the areas of Reading, Writing and Mathematics. This report will show the progress of students in Y7 and Y8 in all 3 learning areas, and will show where the students stand against the National Standards, numbers and proportions of students at, above and below or well below the standards, including by Maori, Pasifika, and by gender (where this does not breach privacy).
Assessment in the areas of Reading, Writing and Mathematics is moderated across teams and year levels to ensure consistency.