Education Outside The Classroom (EOTC)
At Taipa Area School, we endeavour to offer authentic, hands-on, interactive learning experiences that complement and enhance classroom learning. Providers and the school work in partnership to ensure that programmes meet the learning needs of students and support classroom teaching and learning. The school offers outdoor education programmes that are sequential in nature, beginning with fixed camps and leading to camping and tramping in bush settings with aquatic experiences. The programme seeks to develop leadership potential of senior students as well as developing initiative, understanding of risk management skills and self-reliance in all students.
The following camps are offered:
Year 1 to 6 experience overnighter stays at school and bi-annually attend a 3-day camp off-site. It is a great opportunity to experience outdoor activities to boost confidence and work as a team. With the whole primary attending, there are further opportunities to show tuakana teina and teamwork.
Cooper’s Beach Christian camp boasts wonderful facilities and activities – kayaking, flying fox, water slides, adventure obstacle courses and swimming.
Students attend a trip to local camping sites, once every two years. On alternate years, we have day trips to explore our local area, relating to our learning focus and an end of year trip to Whangarei.
Marine studies
A short course is offered on learning about our marine environment. In this course, students learn how to snorkel dive and be confident in the water and will be snorkel diving in an open water setting. They learn how to identify and manage risk associated with snorkel diving and use equipment correctly. They will snorkel dive focusing on Taipa, Matai Bay and ending in a snorkel dive trip to either the Poor Knights marine reserve, or Leigh marine reserve near Warkworth, both of which are world-renowned and well-established reserves with an abundance of marine life. Students will have an understanding of different protection tools that can be used to protect the marine environment, and be familiar with numerous fish species, not always seen from fishing.
Project Predator
In this short course students will gain an understanding about the impacts of predators such as possums, rats, cats, mustelids weasels, ferrets and stoats), and hedgehogs have on NZ ecosystem. They will learn about ways that these predators can be controlled using trapping methods. They will learn about predator and prey relationships and be active participate in our local community by trapping these predators in the Taipa area.
Year 10 students have the opportunity to participate in an end of year camp in the Whangaroa Harbour. The focus on this camp is about mahitahi- team building- working and learning together before they start on their NCEA pathway. Students will take part in a variety of activities such as fishing. diving, tramping and learning about the local history of the area of Ngati Kahu ki Whangaroa. Students are away for 2 nights, 3 days in an isolated private campsite located in the western arm of the Whangaroa Harbour.
Students get into small groups and spend time learning knots, and designing a raft which they will race in the annual Whangaroa raft race.Year 11 PE students construct and participate in a raft race. Yr 12/13 PE students also engage in several day trips as well as a 3 day trip to Tough Guy and Gal Challenge in Auckland.
In Term 1, Adventure Tourism students attend local snorkelling sites at Taipa and Matai Bay before heading to Goat Island where they get to experience a marine reserve dive at Leigh, Warkworth. They complete their Snorkelling qualification, develop further confidence in the water and understand the safety requirements when in the water. It is a great team-building opportunity in a wonderful setting.
Those who show a keenness to further develop their SCUBA skills partake in further training in Term 4 to gain their open water diving certificate. Four days are spent learning how to use the equipment safely and culminates in two open water dives with PADI qualified instructors from DiveZone Waipapa.
Year 12 PE students are given the opportunity to participate in a 4 day, 3-night hike. This trip alternates each year. The Y13 students plan the trip and apply safety management strategies to ensure the safety of everyone. The Y12 then analyse these and their effectiveness as part of their assessment. The trips that the students can choose from including the Te Paki Coastal Track (From Spirits Bay to Te Paki Stream), 90 Mile Beach (From Te Paki Stream to Ahipara) and a loop track starting and finishing in Ahipara (Going south and around the coast to Herekino and back up.
In Term 2, Adventure Tourism students attend a 3 day camp in the Whangaroa harbour practicing camping skills when in a marine and bush setting. They become familiar with the Environmental Care Code and how to camp safely when in a historic reserve environment. They get to live together for 4 days; cooking, preparing and eating the fruits of their labour all while enjoying each other’s company in an idyllic setting.
Selected senior leaders get to experience a 21 day Outward Bound experience in the South Island’s, Tasman National Park. Students get to understand what it means to become a leader and work as part of a team. They learn how to inspire others and be a great role model, while getting in touch with their values and understanding how they guide personal decisions.
Senior students are also selected to participate in the R Tucker Thompson sailing trips every year. Students learn about Kaitiakitanga – GuardianShip, and other goals look to preserve the tradition of tall ship sailing, allowing those who sail in her to learn more about who they are, where they come from and where they are going. Lastly the voyages look to make a positive difference to the lives of those who come on board, whether for a day, a week or longer.
