Boulcott Primary School & Community Emergency Hub - Boulcott

Pumanawa (Te Reo for ‘strength in learning’ or ‘gifted’) is our specialist enrichment and extension learning programme at Boulcott School. Like-minded students learn in small groups and workshops with a specialist teacher (Ruth Olds) to continue to enhance, enrich and extend their learning. At Boulcott School we have a broad definition for gifted education and students can be identified throughout the year with a holistic approach including input from parents, teachers (past and current), learning abilities, strengths analysis and social behaviour. Students can participate in a variety of short and long term workshops (sometimes more than one) that are flexible towards the needs of the participating students.

To date, Pumanawa at Boulcott School has included; Junior Pumanawa for 5 and 6 year olds that enriches curiosity, exploration and questioning; Literacy Workshops for Senior and Middle students that have a focus on making connections in our literary world; STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) workshops for Middle and Senior students that explores the world of maths and science in a problem solving way; Journalism workshops, Creative Writing workshops, Production and Script Writing and Year Book Committees.

The Pumanawa teacher is a part-time position at Boulcott School that is Board of Trustees funded. It is now it it’s 10th year. We are enthusiastic to give our students as many opportunities as possible. These include; Tournament of Minds (awarded Honours in 2019 and 2020), Mathswell, ICAS Competitions, KIWI exams, guest speakers, trips and visits, submissions to Toitoi (Boulcott School has had many students published in this prestigious Journal of Young People’s Writing and Art) and other writing competitions and the Hutt Science Student Challenge (1st Place 2019, 2nd Place 2020).

If you wish to learn more about Pumanawa at Boulcott School, please contact our Principal. 

I like to work with people at my level, you get different opportunities to the ones in class.

Pumanawa Student

Kids are excited to be part of it; provides an extension of the curriculum; allows kids to work with like minded peers; offers out of school opportunities to compete with other like minded individuals.

Parent of Pumanawa Student

The teacher is amazing and really gets to know the children and often helps to direct their learning in line with their interests. My child comes home excited about new concepts she’s learnt and with tools to enable her to self direct and extend her thinking and her curiosity.

Parent of Pumanawa Student

Challenging, fun, enriching, appropriate for the age group and talent of the student.

Parent of Pumanawa Student

Mrs Olds encourages us. Reading and writing is everywhere! We learn about possibilities like submitting stories to get published. Cosy and perfect space for the subjects we do there. Introduces me to new ideas.

Pumanawa Student