Glenbrook School has a long and proud history of serving families in the Franklin District, a history where the former school motto of “faith and work” resonated in our families and community, forming the backbone of our school heritage.

Glenbrook School is bound strongly to our rural community and we are very passionate about our school.

Our purpose: We are realising potential as learners through learning as an action.

Our learners are friendly, aspirational and engaged. They love coming to school and they love learning.

• At Glenbrook School we develop the whole learner.
• We aim for excellence in English, Mathematics and Science.
• We provide a range of opportunities and experiences for all our students across all curriculum areas- including in sport, outdoor education, culture, STEAM community events and the Arts.

Effective learning practice is driven through our Spiral of Inquiry and our curriculum is balanced within our Glenbrook Model of Inquiry. Senior learners are able to discover pathways within our Careers Education programme whilst our younger learners explore the importance of play and discovery within learning.

High expectations are held for every learner and we love to celebrate success. We use Qualities of Learning to describe our thinking and learning as an action.

We are respectful and show this through our respect for others, learning, environment and self (ROLES). Glenbrook School is an inclusive school where the well-being of all is key, and contributes towards our aspirations.

Vision    “Realising Potential”

At Glenbrook School we want all learners to be able to realise their own potential.

This means we provide the environment and opportunities where all our learners can achieve to the best of their potential. We believe that through learning as an action, our learners have the tools to articulate their needs, wants, goals, successes and failures. When learners can identify how, what and why they learn, then they are able to realise their potential in every environment and moment in time.

This includes Maori being able to achieve as Maori, Pasifika, gifted and talented, and students who need additional learning support.

Our vision of Realising Potential was first developed in 2012. After extensive consultation with our community in 2015 it was identified that Realising Potential still encapsulates our vision for Glenbrook School.  Throughout 2017, our community, Board and staff worked collaboratively to create our Strategic Plan 2018 – 2021 to identify how Realising Potential is developed in action within the learning environment.

Glenbrook School has four values of Manaakitanga, Whakawhanaungatanga, Mana and Ako.

Our values underpin our teaching, learning and wellbeing. Our values are……

Whakawhanaungatanga:          We work as a community together.

Manaakitanga:                             We care for and value people and the world.

Mana:                                             We are respectful, strong and resilient.

Ako:                                                We are all learners.

Everyone in our community has a voice. We are all partners in learning at Glenbrook School, where connections and relationships are important. At the centre of our partnership is Ako, learning.

Learning is central to our school purpose. We are focused on learning as an action, where our Qualities of Learning give us the key competencies for a connected, life-long successful future whilst retaining our rural heritage.

The Glenbrook School Korowai of Learning brings together our Vision, Values and Qualities of Learning where our vision for the future and our history are threaded together.

The framework of the Korowai has been represented in a graphic way, using elements that are familiar to our community.  It tells our story whilst identifying our goals, initiatives, objectives and measures for the next three years.

By representing who we are as a school in this Korowai, we are ensuring that our Charter and Strategic Plan are living and breathing documents which reflect who we are as a community, and forms a strong base and direction for our school curriculum.

At Glenbrook School, we continue to make connections from our past, while preparing in our present and for our future selves.

Glenbrook School Kapa Haka Group 2017

At Glenbrook School we acknowledge the partnerships, protection and participation of Te Tiriti O Waitangi.  We review our cultural responsiveness annually with all. We recognise Ngati Te Ata, who are mana whenua and we ensure that Maori are succeeding as Maori.

Each year we ask our Maori whanau what we do well and what we can do better. As a result:

• Every student and teacher shares their mihi.
• Each day students and staff begin the day with a non-denominational karakia.
• We provide Kapa Haka and waiata weekly for our whole school.
• Tikanga me ona reo are planned for and taught weekly.
• Staff are developed professionally in the kaupapa of Ka Hikitia, Ta Tataiako and Te Tiriti of Waitangi to continuously build capability and understanding.
• School Evaluation Indicators concepts of Whanaungatanga, Manaakitanga, Ako and Mahi Tahi are identified in all action plans that evaluate the learning and wellbeing of Glenbrook School.
• Board of Trustees review the cultural responsiveness of Glenbrook School annually.
• Consultation and whakawhanaungatanga occur through hui, kanohi ki te kanohi and korero.
• Our Glenbrook Values- Whakawhanaungatanga, Manaakitanga, Mana and Ako – are deliberately planned for and delivered in our lessons.
• Each year we participate in Cultural Exchanges with other schools.
• Each year we participate and are represented at the Franklin Cultural Festival.
• The learning data of Maori students is shared with Whanau and steps are taken to ensure Maori student outcomes are accelerated as priority learners and tangata whenua.

The relationship between Glenbrook School and Maori can be further explained through the carving that sits above the entrance to the Glenbrook School hall.

It was carved by local kaumatua George Flavell from Ngati Te Ata,  as the gateway to our hall where we all come to meet as a school, as a community and as a whanau.

The story within this carving describes our connections to Te Ao Maori and the development of the whole learner.

The kete of knowledge relates to fostering the attitudes, skills and knowledge of each child upon which life-long learning is built.  This reflects our value of Ako – we are all learners

The koru locked together reflect our partnerships with our students, staff, whanau, community and others. This is our value of Whakawhanaungatanga. – at Glenbrook School we work as a community together.

Nga-hau-e-wha or the four winds,  depicts the four corners of the earth and the diverse learners attending Glenbrook School. It reflects our values of Manaakitanga and Mana.

The ends of the “cross” reflects our commitment to hauora, wellbeing. For Maori they are;

Taha Whanau: Family Health                                 Taha Tinana: Physical Health   

Taha Wairua: Spiritual Health                                 Taha Hinengaro: Mental Health

At Glenbrook School we develop the whole learner to Realise Potential.