10/06/2026
- P R O F E S S I O N A L. L E A R N I N G -
It gives me immense pride to share this post from Learning Matters Ltd.
At Hauroko Valley Primary School, our board, support staff, and teachers are committed to ongoing Structured Literacy learning and professional growth. By investing in our knowledge and practice, we are strengthening our ability to meet learners’ needs and accelerate progress.
I am incredibly grateful for the dedication, professionalism, and commitment our team shows in continually striving to provide the best possible outcomes for our learners.
Thank you to Coach Darnelle and Learning Matters for the incredible support they provide in strengthening our spelling and reading programmes, helping us to make a real difference for our learners.
Nestled in Western Southland, Hauroko Valley Primary School is a small rural school setting the standard of structured literacy practice pretty high!
Guided by their powerful motto, “Tonu tō tātou pai / Always our Best,” this kura has embodied a deep commitment to consistent, school-wide structured literacy practice over the past three years.
The dedicated team began with a focus on spelling, attributing their success to having the entire team involved in professional development right from the beginning. This has meant their learning support staff now have the knowledge and skills to confidently run small group interventions for both spelling and reading.
Fast forward three years, and the team has embedded both junior and senior decodable practices and is now consolidating their work with authentic texts. They also have a strong focus on Explicit Instruction, strengthening their content, design, and most importantly consistent delivery across the full primary.
The team at Hauroko Valley School are an asset to the Western Southland region, with teachers frequently asking to visit and observe their practice, especially in the Year 7 & 8 learning space.
When reflecting on what has made structured literacy sustainable, they highlight the ease of access to resources on the platform, the ongoing evolution of their practice, the Learning MATTERS team being one step ahead, and the strong relationship built with their Implementation Coach, Darnelle Darlison.
Principal Julia Waikato also mentioned the ability to grow leadership and coaching capabilities with staff as Literacy Leads has allowed staff to be truly reflective on their practice.
This is a school where commitment, clarity, and collaboration come together to achieve the very best for every learner.
