WELCOME TO MARSHLAND SCHOOL  

Welcome to our Marshland Intermediate prospectus. We hope that it will give you an insight 

into our great new school and the wonderful array of opportunities on offer for our 

Intermediate aged students in 2021. 

 

I see our school’s strengths as being able to provide a fun, engaging and motivating 

intermediate teaching and learning programme that caters for individual needs in a family 

friendly environment. Our school provides many more opportunities for leadership than a child 

would get at an Intermediate School and a seamless transition to High School for students. We 

are committed to providing a very broad range of exciting extracurricular activities in a 

beautiful new learning environment that is the cutting edge of New Zealand education. 

 

We have a very positive reputation as a high quality school that fully utilises the benefits of an 

innovative learning environment to provide a variety of options for individual students. We 

believe in stretching every student, by providing challenging, engaging and motivating 

programmes that will help them gain the learning dispositions they need to succeed now, at 

high school and beyond. We have a close relationship with the High Schools in our area, and 

work closely with them to ensure our Year 8 programme prepares children well for Year 9. 

 

We are very well placed to target the needs of 11 – 13 year old children for what is recognised 

as a key stage in human development. Early adolescence is a unique time of significant physical, 

emotional and physical development. Our school is a fun and stimulating place for young 

adolescents to learn and thrive. We want every student to be the best they can be by providing 

specialized intermediate teachers and specialist teachers to meet the needs of this unique 

group of children. We provide a wide range of learning opportunities in academic areas, the 

arts, sport and leadership along with opportunities to be role models and mentors to younger 

children. 

 

We welcome and appreciate your interest and look forward to assisting you in any way we can. 

I look forward to meeting you and showing you around our new school. 

 

Jacqui Pascoe (Principal) 

M.Ed., Nat Dip Leadership and Management, Dip Tch, Cert Speech Language Therapy 

 

 

OUR VISION 

 

“Success for every child” 

 

Marshland School believes that success encompasses 

academic success, social success, physical and mental 

wellbeing. It is about each child having a growth mind-set: 

feeling happy, hopeful, valued and knowing what to do when 

they are not successful. It is about every child making 

progress whatever his/her current functioning level is. 

 

Vision for a Marshland Graduate: 

 

Marshland School graduates will have developed the learning dispositions to enable them to become self-motivated, self-regulated learners throughout life. 

 

Learning Dispositions: 

 

Building learning skills in Reading, Writing and Mathematics to enable and to access further 

learning  

 

   

OUR LEARNING HUB 

At Marshland School intermediate, we recognise 

that not all students learn in the same way. We 

cater for these unique differences by providing 

individual learning pathways for each child. Our 

students will learn in a specialized learning hub approximately 320 square meters in size. This 

includes a mezzanine floor and a range of different learning spaces for different purposes. Our 

Intermediates have their own Maker Space alongside the newest of our learning hubs. This is 

used as a creative space for technology, and the arts. 

 

Every term we have a hub ‘Celebration Assembly’ to share and recognise the learning that has 

taken place. This is an early evening event to make it easier for our families to attend. 

 

   

OUR TEACHING WILL INCLUDE: 

● Inquiry Learning based classes where children are able to have a major input into what 

and how they learn, which makes a greater allowance for learning styles, and puts 

more onus on the student to own and be responsible for their learning. 

● Accelerated Learning programmes for children who need an extra boost in Literacy 

and Mathematics. 

● Extension groups for students with faster learning rates in mathematics, and literacy. 

● Learning Support for all students with identified specific needs through small group or 

individual teaching. 

● Biennial production 

● Anywhere, anytime reporting to parents throughout the year rather than twice yearly 

(Hero) 

● English as a Second Language programmes for students who are new to New Zealand 

or speak another language at home. 

● Learning with digital technologies 

● Marshland School is committed to the delivery of the New Zealand Curriculum, 

including its vision, principles, values and key competencies. All students will receive 

the full breadth and depth of the curriculum as outlined on the next page.  

●  

OUR CURRICULUM 

Marshland School offers an integrated curriculum, following a chosen concept each year. 

Concepts have included Change, Enterprise, Sustainability and Power. Each term, students are 

exposed to a range of themes within different curriculum areas. These are chosen each term 

depending on children’s interests and what is going on in the world.  

The concepts provide contexts for students to reflect on the world around them and how it 

works. The themes, ideas, challenges and ways of thinking which they are exposed to within 

the concepts, are transferable to everyday life and will help them to prepare for successful and 

rewarding lives now and in the future. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ALL STUDENTS WILL STUDY: 

Literacy – oral, written 

and visual English and 

reading (ability groups) 

Mathematics (ability 

groups) 

Outdoor Education 

Science 

Te Reo Maori 

Social Sciences 

Health and Physical 

Education 

Social Skills, Information  

Technology (including robotics and computer coding and multimedia) 

BYOC programme – Digital Technology including Cyber Safety 

E-Pro 8 

Problem Solving and Cantamath 

Second Languages 

Careers Education 

 

CURRICULUM: 

Mathematics (extension and accelerated groups) 

Physical Education 

Sports 

Music 

2nd Languages; te Reo Maori, Spanish, French, Samoan 

Visual Art 

Sexuality Education- Nest Consulting 

 

Technology: Hard materials – Metal, Plastics, Wood Technology 

Soft materials – textiles 

Food technology 

Developing designs for 3D printing 

 

 

 

 

Optional areas for students to study: 

● Instrumental Music- including rock band, itinerant and private tuition. (keyboard, guitar, violin, trumpet, drums, ukulele, recorder, glockenspiel) 

● Gardening Club ● Choir ● French ● Drama club ● Jump Jam 

   

 

 

SPECIAL FACILITIES INCLUDE: 

Science and technology Maker Space 

Multi-purpose hall (for Arts and Basketball) 

Music room 

Art area 

Cooking/creating facilities 

Learning support breakout spaces (including ESOL) 

Hub library 

Multimedia area  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

LEADERSHIP 

Leadership Opportunities: 

 

Head Girl 

Head Boy 

Deputy Head Boy 

Deputy Head Girl 

Leadership Team 

 

 

 

 

Year 8 students are involved in our leadership programme. They are all involved in organising 

whole school events such as sports tabloids, discos, fairs, fundraising and Book Week. 

They also attend a National Young Leaders Day each year. The Leaders also fundraise and go 

on a trip to Wellington and visit parliament each year. 

 

Tuakana teina programme:  

Our Intermediates have the opportunity to act as a peer tutor to new entrant children working 

with them on writing, reading and mathematics skills. We find this programme to be mutually 

beneficial to both parties, and a real vehicle for developing confidence in our Intermediate 

children who become excellent citizens. This programme has been the subject of interest to 

other schools who have come to observe it. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

OTHER OPPORTUNITIES: 

 

Police Competency test 

Careers Education 

Girls Self Defense 

Epro8 Challenge Competition 

Coding and Robotics 

Kapa Haka 

Literacy Quiz 

Chess Club 

Cantamath Competition 

ICAS Competitions 

Peer tutoring opportunities 

Zone Athletics, Swimming and Cross Country 

Huxster Mountain Bike race 

Digi Club 

 

 

SPORT 

Marshland offers a full range of sporting opportunities, in both team sports and individual, our 

students have a proud history of great results. 

All students participate in sport either at school or at another venue. Sports may include: 

● Athletics, basketball, cross country, cricket, surfing, football, hockey, rippa rugby, 

skiing, swimming, tennis, table tennis, touch rugby, Korfball, water polo, gymnastics, 

Flag Football, trampolining and mountain biking. 

 

We value parent involvement in supporting and enhancing our sporting programmes. 

 

Outdoor Education: Year 7 and 8 students experience outdoor education through camp and 

through outdoor education week. Yearly activities include skiing and surfing. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SUCCESSES AND ACHIEVEMENTS 

 

Speech Competitions: Marshland School has traditionally done very well in the Belfast Speech 

Competitions. For the last 5 years, we have always finished in the top 3 places. 

ICAS: Our students have achieved Merit level through to Distinction within the testing areas 

of Written language, Science and Mathematics.  

EPro8 Challenge (Science and Technology problem Solving) Our Year 7 and 8 came first in the 

semi-finals in 2017 and fourth in the finals. 

Water Polo Competitions: Marshland School students are part of a weekly competition at 

Jellie Park and compete in the annual South Island championships. 

Basketball Competition: Our students make excellent use of our multi – purpose hall and 

basketball court. 

Korfball: Some of our students have been selected for the Canterbury junior Korfball squad 

Aims Games: During the last 3 years, we have put contestants in the Aims Games with pleasing 

results. 

Cantamath: Our teams have done well in this competition. 

Chess competition: Our teams have made it through to the Canterbury Finals many times. 

Sports: We enter the full range of sports competitions including swimming, athletics, cross 

country, duathlons, triathlons and cricket.  

PCT: National Police Competency test. 3rd and 1st placings in recent years. 

 

 

TOROA STAFF 

Carolyn Davies 

Team Leader: Experienced intermediate teacher    

 

Strengths include: 

Inquiry learning. 

Collaborative teaching. 

Gifted and Talented programmes. 

Visual Art 

Learning Support. 

Outdoor Education. 

Literacy and Mathematics, Spanish, Science. 

Post Grad. Certificate in Digital and Collaborative Learning. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kellen Gillstrom 

Strengths include:  Literacy, Mathematics, Science 

Learning with Digital Technology. 

STEM 

Collaborative teaching 

 

Teacher: Intermediate experience 

 

 

        

Mason Shaw 

Strengths include: 

 

Literacy  

Outdoor Education 

Sport 

Collaborative teaching 

 

Teacher: Intermediate experience   

 

 

Bex Osborn 

Teacher: Experienced Intermediate teacher 

 

 

Strengths include: 

 

Leaders programme 

Drama 

Literacy 

Mathematics 

Learning Support  

Collaborative teaching 

The Arts 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Caitlin Mummery 

Teacher Aide: Intermediate experience , 

Learning Support experience