West Gore School

Key facts

About West Gore School

West Gore School is a state-funded, Year 1–6 primary school located in West Gore, Southland. It is designated as a decile 6 school.

The school organises its teaching and learning across three specialist areas, grouped by age and stage. Te Kākano caters for students from new entrant to Year 3, with a focus on the transition from early childhood education. Te Puawaitanga covers the senior school years. A third area, Whanaungatanga groups, brings together students across all levels each Friday for flexible, often project-based learning through Kapahaka, Choir, and Whānau Groups.

The school's stated pedagogical approach centres on Learning through Exploration and a framework it calls Skills for Growing, which is based on the key competencies of the New Zealand Curriculum. Student self-advocacy and agency are explicitly taught, with students expected to identify their own learning progress and next steps.

West Gore School operates as a Positive Behaviour for Learning (PB4L) school, using restorative practices as part of its approach to student wellbeing. Provision for students with special learning requirements includes specialist classrooms, teacher aides, gifted and talented programmes, and access to outside agencies.

Co-curricular Activities and Sports

West Gore School offers the following named sports and co-curricular activities:

• Touch — Years 1–6, held at Newman Park on Wednesdays, cost $25
• T-Ball — Years 1–6, held at Gore Showgrounds, no cost
• Superstar Cricket — Years 1–6 boys, held at Hamilton Park, cost $25; Cricket Southland runs skills sessions at school during school hours
• Girls Smash Cricket — Years 1–6 girls, held at Hamilton Park, cost $25; Cricket Southland runs skills sessions at school during school hours
• Superstar Advanced Cricket — Years 5–6 girls and boys, held at Hamilton Park, cost $25; Cricket Southland runs skills sessions at school during school hours
• Athletics — whole school, held at Newman Park each February; students aged seven and above may qualify for Eastern Southland Athletics
• Rippa Rugby Tournament — Years 5–6 girls and boys; West Gore enters a mixed team in the annual Rugby Southland carnival held at Rugby Park in Invercargill
• Netball Tournament — Years 5–6 girls and boys, no cost; number of teams entered depends on available volunteer coaches
• Netty Festival — Years 5–6 mixed team competing in Invercargill; organised independently of the school
• Hockey — information advertised via the school app and social media; not organised through the school

Student Support and Pastoral Care

West Gore School provides the following named student support services:

• Speech Language Therapist: Provided through the Ministry of Education, this service supports students with the diagnosis of and assistance for speech difficulties. Referrals are made by the principal, teachers, and parents. The service is limited due to high priority given to students under five years of age.
• Whanaungatanga Groups: Held every Friday, these groups bring together students of different levels and learning styles to foster relationships and a sense of community. Learning within these groups is flexible and often project-based, responding to needs in the school and wider community.
• PB4L (Positive Behaviour for Learning): A school-wide programme used to foster student wellbeing alongside restorative practices, bullying prevention, and social skills programmes.
• Learning Support (special learning requirements): Includes specialist classrooms and teachers, gifted and talented programmes, access to outside agencies, teacher aides, and individualised programmes to support children with special educational requirements.