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Lemonwood Grove School – An emerging culture and curriculum

The design of Te Uru Tarata / Lemonwood Grove School has been heavily influenced by research carried out by educator Dr. Julia Atkin and interior designer Mary Featherstone on Innovative Learning Environments.

Stephenson and Turner, the New Zealand architectural firm that designed the school created smaller, more personalised learning settings within the large ‘learning landscapes’. The new learning environment reflects the school’s belief statement:

“We believe that by providing a landscape of possibilities, people will connect and ideas will flow in challenging, collaborative and creative ways.”

Establishing a strong school–community culture

The people in the school consider themselves to be a part of a wider ‘Community of Learners’; engaging with others to learn, grow, and develop together. Daily practice focuses on getting to know students, building relationships, understanding needs, interests and passions, and personalising learning accordingly.

There is a strong sense of trust and students call staff members by their first name. The emphasis on trust, relationships, collaboration, and a positive, strengths–based approach allows people to work together, innovate, and take risks.

The school's cultural narrative

Rolleston is located within the takiwā of Te Taumutu Rūnanga, one of 18 Ngāi Tahu Papatipu Rūnangā, based at Ngāti Moki Marae, Taumutu. The takiwā is centred around Te Waihora (Lake Ellesmere) and extends across the central part of the Kā Pākihi Whakatekateka o Waitaha (the Canterbury Plains) to Kā Tiritiri o Te Moana (The Southern Alps) to the west, the Waimakariri River in the north, and to the Hakatere (Ashburton River) in the south.”

The school’s cultural narrative was gifted by the local Taumutu Rūnanga with the support of local advisor Christine Brown. It is obvious and highly visible as soon as you walk into the school. Imagery shows local native birds flying through the lemonwood grove leading to the mountains.

Each learning landscape and learning level has its own specific whakataukī and images. These are on display in different forms around the school. They help reinforce a strong sense of belonging and reflect the school’s overall approach to student well-being, teaching, and learning.

Vision, values, and beliefs

The Board of Trustees (BOT) and staff spent six months working together, researching, visiting other schools and investigating good practice to develop the school’s vision, values, and beliefs. This was done in consultation with their emerging community. It was based on the principle of ensuring that every learner (including staff and whānau) will reach their highest potential. The school’s vision is:

“The best of you, as you”

The values and beliefs help shape relationships, experiences, teaching, and learning at the school. These are:

“Grit, Integrity, Responsibility and Thinking”

An emerging curriculum

The development of Lemonwood Grove’s curriculum has been guided in part by Australian educational researcher Dr Julia Atkin’s thinking, as outlined in her article From Values and Beliefs about Learning to Principles and Practice. Lemonwood Grove staff and BOT have shaped this thinking into ‘Why?, How?, What? circles’, as seen in Dr. Atkin’s approach. E.g.

Why? – core values and beliefs around teaching and learning.
How? – the principles that support the values.
What? – the practices that describe what learning will look like at Lemonwood Grove School.

The circles are are displayed and referred to in the school 'Grove’, a shared collaborative space beside the hall and gym.

The 7 Principles of Learning from the OECD report The Nature of Learning help design how learning will occur, and inform the school’s vision. Lemonwood Grove’s emerging curriculum has also been guided by a range of different researchers and practitioners. These include:

Ewan Mcintosh/NoTosh – Design Thinking
Sir Ken Robinson – Creativity
Michael Absolum – Clarity in the Classroom
John Hattie – Visible Learning
Kath Murdoch – Student Inquiry

The curriculum has an emphasis on students owning their learning. The leadership team works to ensure that whānau know about and understand the curriculum by making it authentic and relevant to the community. They will continue to review and refine the curriculum so it is continually informed by student, whānau and community needs.

“Our core focus is around empowering learners and allowing them to develop agency. In order to allow this to happen, we are continuously reviewing programmes to meet students’ needs passions and interests.”

Find out more about the school's emerging curriculum here »

Principal Sean Bailey and his team are endeavouring to create an environment that caters for a diverse range of students and their whānau. Staff seek to nurture, engage, and inspire their students, as well as prepare them for the their future.

“Lemonwood Grove symbolises both nurturing and protection as well as the strength that comes from being part of a community. Each member of the school whānau will be valued for the unique strengths, interests and talents that they bring. We learn together and from one another.”

It will be an exciting space to watch grow.

Nā tō rourou, nā taku rourou ka ora ai te iwi.
With your basket and my basket the people will thrive.