Bucklands Beach Intermediate School

Bucklands Beach Intermediate School (BBI) is a two-year, co-educational school catering for students aged 11-13 years. Approximately 700 students currently attend our school.

BBI is recognised as a leading Intermediate School in New Zealand with a strong focus on student learning. We aim to develop truly independent learners who gain an understanding that they can make a positive difference for their own future. We expect students to realise that learning is a process in which they participate with learning being

seen as something they do, not something done to them. For more see curriculum pages.

The school is divided geographically into six teams, with usually four classrooms in each team. Between classrooms are courtyards with seating, planting and room for socialisation at lunch time.

A large information centre incorporates a

library and computer suite with a dedicated

room for media creation and the daily school broadcast.

Outside are two large courts for sports, a field and challenge course. Beside the school hall are a number of rooms devoted to specialist classes including a workshop, art facilities with a kiln and lino press, kitchens, drawing and airbrushing equipment. The performing arts centre is a widely used building for class presentations, arts practices, and has foldback tiered seating to allow the space to be used in a number of ways. For more see the facilities page.

BBI students always achieve highly in Australasian Schools Competitions and in 2008 had 20 High Distinctions in English, 11 in Science, 3 in Computing, and 19 in Mathematics. These represent being in the top 1% of students in New Zealand.

Six of the eight students who represented New Zealand in the Singapore Mathematics Olympiad (2006) were from BBI with Samantha Tan placing in the top 20 of competitors.

Every year students conduct science fair experiments with a select few going on to the Manukau Institute of Technology competition where they are compared with students up to Year 13. In 2008 Alan Watts gained a first prize with a project in the Physical & Material World category, Jenny Cao a 2nd in Environmental Science and Charlotte Parker a 3rd in Living World.

In the sporting arena achievements are no less frequent with teams gaining first place in Eastern Zone Table Tennis, first and third in Eastern Zone Chess competition, third place in Eastern Zone girls rugby, second place in year 7 girls interzone netball, second place in year 7 boys softball and third in year 7 girls softball. For more see the achievements page.