Gifted & Talented Programme (GATE)

The Gifted and Talented Education (GATE) Programme at Whangārei Boys’ High School is a chance to accelerate the learning and sharpen the skills of our best and brightest students. The programme also has streams for those students who are talented in public speaking and non-academic areas, like sports, visual or performing arts. Year 9 – The GATE programme is available to selected Year 9 students. It is hoped, though, that the sound support these boys will get this year will put them in good stead over the rest of their time at WBHS. The support of gifted students at WBHS has been enhanced and we hope that this new programme will help participants really thrive, and add to the reputation WBHS has of being one of the top academic schools in the North. The number of boys eligible for the entry is about 30. These boys will join the program for an hour a week of high-intensity and rigorous academic acceleration and they will be encouraged to participate in various regional, national competitions such as Science Fair and international competitions such as ICAS Examinations. The extra support they will receive will be immeasurable: participation in this programme will mean their grades in NCEA should be significantly higher than if they had not taken part. Indeed, it is expected that a student who is part of the GATE programme will consistently gain assessments in the senior school with a grade of Achieved with Excellence.  Year 10 onwards– The GATE program for the boys from Year 10 to Year 13 will comprise of various regional competitions such as Science Fair and international competition participation including the Brain Bee Competition. The programme also includes field visits and regular guidance from guest speakers. Further, those boys who achieve NCEA (1), (2) Endorsed with Excellence/Merit are closely monitored and their academic goals are regularly reviewed by both the GATE Co-ordinator and the Headmaster. Students will also be expected to complete assignments to stimulate their minds and advance their thinking, to be active members of their communities, and to be as fully involved in the wider life of the school as possible. WBHS views participants in the GATE Programme to be both academic and social leaders in the school, and we hope to give them every success possible. Should you have any questions, or you wish your son to be assessed for eligibility, please contact Harrisson Jull –  Gifted and Talented Education Coordinator [email protected]

Supported Learning

Our Supported Learning classes have smaller numbers which allows for a more individualized learning approach.

The emphasis is placed on literacy and numeracy and allowing students to achieve success at their level.

We endeavour to provide students with the same teacher for English, Mathematics and Social Studies as we recognise the vital role strong relationships play in student engagement and motivation.

Write that Essay

Introduced in 2013, this programme is a highly effective way to improve academic writing skills.

 

Mathsbuddy

www.mathsbuddy.co.nz is an online e-learning resource that is designed to improve your son in the areas of self confidence relating to Mathematics.

In 2012 the Maths Department replaced homework books for Y9 and Y10 with a subscription to Mathsbuddy. Each pupil is given a “username” and a “password” so that he is able to log on to the Mathsbuddy site. This entitles him to cover go over the topic covered by the teacher in class (if he missed school for some reason) or if he needs to revisit the topic because of an understanding problem. The teacher is able to set homework tasks on line and the pupil is required to complete the work at home. The answers to the task is submitted and immediately marked and will provide an analysis to the pupils. He can rectify these answers and re-submit them as many times as is necessary. The teacher is able to monitor the pupil’s work. Teachers are very positive about Mathsbuddy. Some of the features that this programme has are:

  • More than 200 full lessons relevant to your son’s school Maths programme each covering a separate concept, with a virtual tutor and numerous examples of varying difficulty.
  • Every lesson has a pause and rewind facility to help students grasp concepts at their own pace.
  • Every lesson has an accompanying printable summary and worksheet to consolidate the concept, with full worked solutions provided also.
  • A student’s ongoing use and progress in the program is stored for theirs and their teacher’s perusal at any time.
  • The program can be accessed from any internet ready site, not just at school.
  • The entire Level 1 to Level 8 New Zealand Mathematics Curriculum is available to every student, not just their particular year group or course.
  • Parents can receive automatic weekly reports on their child’s programme use and Mathematical progress.

The program doesn’t replace the wonderful work that our mathematics teaching staff already do, but is used as a support/supplement to the classroom teaching/learning experience.