Our school uses the New Zealand Curriculum to guide mathematics teaching, providing clarity about what students need to know, understand and be able to do. Oxford Maths supports delivery through clear learning pathways, quality resources and a structured approach that builds consistency across year levels. Teaching also emphasises mathematical discussion, reasoning, problem-solving and explaining thinking. Together, these approaches support a coherent maths programme where students build strong knowledge and apply their understanding in different ways.

Across the school, our literacy teaching is aligned with the New Zealand Curriculum and supported through the Better Start Literacy Approach (BSLA). Learners from Year 0–8 experience daily, structured teaching in phonology (sounds), orthography (spelling) and morphology (meaning), providing a clear and systematic approach to reading, spelling and writing. Shared approaches and expectations help build greater consistency across year levels, ensuring teaching is explicit, connected and progressive as students move through the school. 

Our learning support systems are designed to help every learner be their best at school. For students with additional learning or wellbeing needs, this means ensuring the right support is in place so they feel included, confident and able to succeed. Our SENCo helps coordinate this by supporting teachers, working alongside whaanau and liaising with outside agencies. More individualised support may include targeted planning, regular monitoring and coordination with staff and specialists, with a focus on each learner strengths, needs and progress.

Our Mathematics Acceleration Programme supports students in Years 3–8 who need additional help to strengthen key number knowledge and strategies. Led by our Maths Acceleration Teacher, students work in small groups and receive explicit teaching with supported practice across place value, addition and subtraction, multiplication, division, fractions and decimals. The programme is overseen by our Learning Support Coordinator to ensure support is targeted, monitored and responsive to student progress.

Our Structured Literacy Acceleration Programme provides additional support for students who need further teaching following BSLA Tier 2 intervention and ASLA. Led by our Structured Literacy Teacher, students work in small groups and receive explicit, targeted teaching with supported practice in the key skills needed for reading, spelling and writing. Teaching is carefully matched to student need and builds on classroom learning. The programme is overseen by our Learning Support Coordinator to ensure support is targeted, monitored and responsive to student progress over time.

Our school values are an important part of daily learning at Takaanini School. Whanaungatanga, Manaakitanga and Maatauranga are explicitly taught, discussed and modelled so students understand what they look like in the classroom, playground and wider school community. These shared expectations help create a positive and supportive environment for learning. Our values also guide how students learn, contribute and relate to others, helping build belonging, responsibility, respect and pride as students move through the school.