F A Q

What are our school hours?

Our school operates on a four term year following dates set nationally by the Ministry of Education.
Classes begin: 9:00am
Morning break: 10:40 – 11:00am
Lunch: 12:30 – 1:30pm
Classes end: 3:00pm

Do the children get homework?

Yes.  We believe homework should be manageable and balanced with the commitments of family life. All children are expected to read each night.  Children in their first three years of schooling will be given ‘home readers’ to bring home.  Other types of homework include spelling words and basic maths facts such as times tables.

Do we have a uniform?

No, with the exception of a royal blue school polo shirt for students representing our school in sporting and cultural events.  These are available from the school office.

Does our school request a school donation (school fee)?

Our school requests a financial donation from parents annually.  This allows our school to provide quality resources and learning opportunities for the students.
Payments can be made annually or per term, with a reduced rate for families with more than one child at the school.

Can lunches be bought at school?

We do not have a canteen, although lunches can be bought at school each Monday through Subway and Friday through Kindo.

Does our school have religious instruction?

No.  

Do the classes go on school trips and visits outside the school?

Yes.  We promote learning in places outside our school.  We are proud of our EOTC Programme, which incorporates overnight experiences and experiences during the school day.  Sometimes these will incur a cost but we try to ensure the costs are kept to a minimum. 

Is after-school care available?

After-school care is not provided on-site or by our school but families from our school use the following after-school providers as they also provide transport between our school and their facility.  Parents are to make arrangements directly with their preferred provider.

YMCA (OSCAR): Ph (06) 349 0197
SKIDS: Ph (021) 0206 5622

What access have we to a dental clinic and health nurse?

A mobile dental clinic is on-site at our school for one term.  For appointments outside this time, parents are to phone the service directly on (06) 343 7138.

We also have a Public Health Nurse assigned to our school, who visits on a regular basis.  Parents are also able to contact the Public Health Service/Nurses directly regarding issues around family and child health – ph (06) 348 1796.

How do we report to parents on their child’s progress and achievement?

We have a comprehensive reporting programme which includes:

• Term One – 3 Way Learning Conferences (Child/Parent/Teacher conference)

• Term Two – Mid year written progress update and recent work shared through Seesaw

• Term Three - 3 Way Learning Conferences (Child/Parent/Teacher conference)

• Term Four – End of year written teacher comment and recent work shared through Seesaw

Parent/Teacher communication is encouraged and parents are able to contact teachers at any stage to discuss their child’s progress.

What decile is our school?

There is no decile system any more. We were previously a decile 8 school. 
N.B.  A school’s decile is not related to it’s effectiveness or performance and is only a funding tool used by the Ministry.