Learning Teams

At Victory Primary School we are a dual pathway kura with both Māori Medium and English Medium options, across four vertical learning teams.

Our four learning teams that are named after significant landmarks in our school pepehā (Maungatapu, Te Aorere, Maitahi, Ngā Mana Kākano o te Wairepo) and we have an exceptional team of kaiako (teachers) and kaiāwhina (support staff) who are committed to providing the best education for our tamariki and community.

We use whānau/vertical grouping to structure our learning teams, meaning that each team has a mix of ages to form a learning pathway from when tamariki start with us at VPS through to when they leave. This structure ensures that relationships are at the forefront of what we do and the strength of relationships between tamariki (children), kaiako (teachers), and whānau (family) form the foundation of our learning journey. Specific details of the classroom structure within each team is listed below.

All of our classrooms are designed with flexibility in mind and have internal doors that can be opened to connect with another class for collaborative work or closed for more focused small-group learning. All classes are composite classes (they have more than one year group in them), which allows us to cater for a range of needs and also means that children are with their teacher for more than one year, increasing our knowledge of the learner and reducing transitions in the process. The year group composition of classes varies and may change from year to year depending on numbers of children.

As a dual pathway school, we teach from the New Zealand Curriculum in our English Medium learning spaces and Te Marautanga o Aotearoa in our Māori Medium learning spaces. All classrooms are supported by Māori Language Resourcing Funding, therefore Te Reo Māori me ōna tikanga forms a significant part of our teaching and learning programme across the whole school. 

Explore our Learning Teams

  • Maitahi

    Maitahi is our specialist Year 0/1 English Medium team and provides a solid foundation of learning and well-being for our youngest tamariki as they transition into Victory Primary School. It consists of two classes, Mahitahi and Akotahi, which provide a combination of learning experiences that focus on building the necessary skills, confidence, independance, and learning tools to set our children up for success when they move into one of our vertical teams in Year 2. The staff in Maitahi are highly-skilled and experienced with this age group and provide a nurturing classroom environment full of opportunities for learning and development. The breakdown of the classes is as follows:

    Akotahi: Year 0/1
    Mahitahi: Year 0/1

  • Maungatapu

    Maungatapu is one of our English Medium vertical learning teams and consists of four classrooms ranging from Year 2-6. The teachers in Maungatapu work closely with one another to ensure that all children are supported, challenged, and engaged with their learning. Our curriculum is purposeful and motivating and there are plenty of opportunities for collaboration, tuakana-teina, and focused learning specific to individual needs. The breakdown of the classes is as follows:

    Room 14: Year 2-4
    Room 13: Year 2/3
    Room 12: Year 4-6
    Room 11: Year 4-6

  • Te Aorere

    Te Aorere is the other English Medium vertical learning team and it consists of three classrooms ranging from Year 2-6 and one additional Year 1 classroom that has been introduced in 2023 because of our growing numbers in the junior school. The teachers in Te Aorere work closely with one another to ensure that all children are supported, challenged, and engaged with their learning. Our curriculum is purposeful and motivating and there there are plenty of opportunities for collaboration, tuakana-teina, and focused learning specific to individual needs. The breakdown of the classes is as follows:

    Room 19: Year 1
    Room 18: Year 2/3
    Room 17: Year 5/6
    Room 16: Year 3/4

  • Ngā Mana Kākano o te Wairepo

    Ngā Mana Kākano o Te Wairepo is our Māori Medium learning team and consists of three akomanga and six kaiako. Kaupapa Māori, mātauranga Māori and marau-a-kura (localised curriculum) sit alongside our āhuatanga o te ākonga (learner profile) to form the backbone of our teaching and learning programme. Tākaro ki ako (learning through play), tuakana-teina, pūrākau, and Kapa Haka all play a significant role in providing our NMKOTW tamariki with a holistic education through a Te Ao Māori worldview. The breakdown of the classes is as follows:

    Whānau Koromiko: Year 0-2
    Whānau Tī Kōuka: Year 2/3
    Whānau Harakeke: Year 4-6