Author Archives: Reihana Dougherty

Beckenham Te Kura o Pūroto Schoolwide Newsletter, Rāmere (Friday) 3 May 2024, Week 1

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Principal's Patch

Kia ora koutou

Welcome to Term 3! It has been lovely catching up with everyone this week and hearing about holiday experiences.

Staffing Updates

A few staffing updates to share.

Teaching Assistant
On Monday we welcomed Tim Cleland to our staff. Tim has a background in outdoor education and has volunteered at Beckenham over the past few years. It's great to have him join the team. Tim will mostly be working in the Kauri team.

Charlotte Verity - Year 3-4
Congratulations and farewell to Charlotte! Charlotte has been appointed and has accepted a Teaching Position at another school in Christchurch. Charlotte will take up this position in Week 8 and her last day at Beckenham will be Friday 14 June.
We will be sad to see her go and we wish Charlotte all the very best with this new career adventure.

Temporary cover for Sue Leadbetter & SENCO duties
Sue is currently on sick leave after having had back surgery this week. She is feeling good all things considered, and is now in recovery mode after a successful surgery. We wish Sue all the best for her recovery and look forward to welcoming her back in a few weeks.

Whilst Sue is on leave Laura Williamson will join the SLT team in a SENCo support role. 

Team Blogs

The school newsletter and team blogs alternate each week. The team blogs are a great way to see what your child's team have been focussing on and learn about what is coming up. Sitting with your child looking at the photos and sharing the news provides a conversation starter to hear more about what your child has been learning and doing at school. We encourage you to take the time to sit with your child each fortnight and talk through the learning and events. 

Ngā mihi nui
Jo Smith - Tumuaki (Acting Principal)

Important Dates

(you can also find the Community Calendar on our website here)

Tue 14 May - School Cross Country 
Wed 22 May - BoT Meeting, 5.30-7.30PM, Staffroom
Fri 24 May - Book Character Dress Up Day
Wed 29 May - PTA Meeting, 7.30-9.30PM
Fri 31 May - Staff Only Day (kura/school closed)
Mon 3 Jun - King's Birthday (kura/school closed)
Tue 25 Jun - Matariki Evening at Kura
Wed 26 Jun - BoT Meeting, 5.30-7.30PM, Staffroom
Wed 26 Jun - PTA Meeting, 7.30-9.30PM, Staffroom
Fri 28 Jun - Matariki (kura/school closed)
Fri 5 Jul - Last day of Term 2

Term Dates: Click here to view  2024 term dates

Citizen of the Week

Ophelia Holton - Year 4

Ophelia, you are an extremely kind, caring and enthusiastic member of the team. You are self-motivated, trustworthy and a wonderful team player. You show all of our school values every single day. Thank you for always being such an outstanding role model. Well done, Ophelia!

School Notices

Food Allergy Guidelines

Across our school, we have a number of children with different food allergies.

To support the wellbeing of these students we have the following guidelines in place which we ask you to follow
  • All students should only eat lunches and snacks that have been provided by their caregivers.  
  • Bottles, other drinks, and lunch boxes provided by caregivers should be clearly labelled with the name of their child.  Home group teachers and caregivers will decide where the children’s bottles and lunch boxes will be kept during the day to ensure no cross contamination occurs.
  • Parents are asked not to bring food into school to be shared with other children.  Whilst we understand that there are times you want to celebrate special events for your children with their friends at school, e.g. birthdays or being awarded prizes, by bringing food and treats for them to share, we have a policy of children only eating the food that their whānau have prepared and sent with them.  We have a number of students with food allergies and also need to respect the wishes of some families who want to monitor what their children are eating and prefer their children just to eat food they have prepared. From time to time, there may be an event that teachers have organised that will involve food (cultural or learning activities) and they will have advised families in advance that this will be happening.  
  • At the beginning of each year caregivers will need to check the expiry dates on any medication to be held at school.  
  • On the first day of school, caregivers will need to bring their child’s medication to the school office.  Caregivers will need to sign a medicine authority form (School Docs).  The responsibility of monitoring the expiry dates of medications rests with the parent.
  • Caregivers may be asked to come and talk to staff about their child’s specific health needs and ways we can support them at school.
We will inform you during the year if specific guidelines for your child’s hub change. 

Our full allergy policy and guidelines are available on the Beckenham Te Kura o Pūroto website under “Information - Policies - SchoolDocs, then search ‘allergy’. (Username: beckenham - Password: pride)

If you have any questions or concerns, please discuss them in the first instance with your child’s home group teacher.

Coffee Car Update

A message from Amber & Gyaltsen: "The Wheel Coffee car is now up for sale! We will no longer be selling coffee on Monday and Friday mornings. 
We sincerely appreciate all the support from the staff who have been regular customers and the Beckenham community. 

Kindest regards, Amber & Gyaltsen"

On that note - if anyone in our community has connections with a Coffee Van or Cart, who may wish to work with us to continue providing a school gate 'pick me up' service a couple of times each week, we would be interested in hearing from you. 

Welcome Assembly

Thank you to everyone who joined us at the Welcome Assembly today. Together we welcomed new students and staff, who have joined us since our Term 1 Welcome Assembly, into our Beckenham whānau.

Reminder Period Products Available Here

Ikura | Manaakitia te whare tangata: Period products in schools, aims to provide access to free period products for children and young people in all state and state-integrated schools and kura across New Zealand.

In 2020, Ikura | Manaakitia te whare tangata started with a trial phase in 15 schools and kura across the Waikato, to understand more about providing period products in schools and kura.

In February 2021, the Government announced the expansion of the initiative to all state and state-integrated schools and kura across New Zealand on an opt-in basis. Schools and kura have been able to access products for students since June 2021 with funding secured until June 2024.

Providing free ikura products in all state and state-integrated schools and kura aims to:
  • reduce barriers to school attendance and sports involvement
  • improve child and youth wellbeing
  • reduce financial strain on families and whānau, and
  • promote positive gender norms and reduce stigmatisation of menstruation.
Beckenham Te Kura o Pūroto opts in to this program. If you have any questions about the availabilty of product, please email or speak to the Office.

Scholastic Issue 3 Out Now

Issue 3 ordering closes - Friday 28 June 2024. Please click the link below to view, and place orders:


PTA News

PTA School Disco

The PTA will be running the disco(s) on the 7th June and the PTA needs you. We are running 4 x Disco (timing below) for the tamariki on the 7th June, these are based on their home groups.

We need 10 x Helper per disco to make sure the tamariki are safe.

If you can help at just one or all of the disco that great. Without your support, we can't run the disco.

The timing of the disco are:

NE - Year 1&2 2pm -2.45pm

Year 3&4 4:00-4:45

Year 5&6 5:10-6:10

Year 7&8 6:30-7:30

If you want to help please contact: Jason Orchard 027 4444-888 [PTA Chairperson] or email us at pta@beckenham.school.nz with when you can help out and some contact details.

Readathon 2024!

Look out for the readathon sponsorship forms coming home from school. This is a great opportunity to help encourage your children’s reading as well as raising some money for the school. The readathon runs for two weeks and we will be collecting forms and sponsorship money and giving out bookmarks during the week of 20th May. There will be spot prizes on Book Character day - Friday 24th of May! 

Keep in touch with the PTA

To stay up to date with the PTA, please check out our Beckenham Te Kura o Pūroto PTA Facebook page, linked here. Or come along to one of our meetings - all welcome.

PTA meeting dates can be found in the fortnightly School Newsletter, or on the school calendar - linked here. These meetings are usually held twice a term on a Wednesday night 7.30-9.30pm. 

Sports News

Cross Country

Our whole school cross-country event takes place on the afternoon of Tuesday the 14th of May. The children have been out practising this week, developing perseverance and resilience; it is wonderful to see how they encourage each other. You are invited to join us to spectate and cheer on our tamariki. We start with Year 8 races at 1:30pm. 

Children race in their year groups. 

The courses vary. The older the children, the longer the course. Years 0 to 4 have courses set on Beckenham Park. Years 5 to 8 have a course that includes Beckenham Park and a loop of Eastern Terrace, Fisher Avenue and Norwood Street. 

Children run in their house top or their school polo. Please make sure that your child wears suitable running shoes. Trainers are ideal. 

If you can help out on the Year 5 to 8 course as a marshal, please fill in this form. 

Winter Sport

We are still looking for adults to help with winter sport. 
We are in particular need of adults to help with Year 5/6 and Year 7/8 football and Year 5/6 and 7/8 hockey. 
If you can help out on Thursday afternoons starting on Thursday 30th May, please fill out this form. If there are people within your whānau who have the time and enthusiasm to help, please pass on the invitation. 

BOT Update

Dear Beckenham Te Kura o Pūroto School Community,

We have an update to share with you regarding our school leadership. As you know, at the start of this year, our Principal Sandy Hastings, entered a secondment as Leadership Advisor with the Ministry of Education. Sandy has decided that the time is now right to step away from her permanent role at Beckenham Te Kura o Pūroto.

Since joining us in May 2011, Sandy has played a pivotal role in guiding our kura through numerous challenges and achievements. Her dedication and leadership have left a lasting impact on our community, and we are incredibly grateful for her years of service.

We will find a special moment to bid farewell to Sandy, celebrate her contributions and wish her all the best for the future. In the meantime, as a Board, our attention will now turn to the process of recruiting a new Principal before the end of the school year.

Thank you for your continued support.

Regards,

Marcel Frei
Presiding Member of the Beckenham Te Kura o Pūroto Board of Trustees

A message from Sandy Hastings:

Having started as principal at Beckenham in May 2011, just after the major February earthquakes, the role has included much more significant change management than I could have ever anticipated. The first two years included managing our way through aftershocks. We experienced the loss of the school library through a fire (2012), and have gone through several years of rebuilding (2015-2018) including the addition of two new roll-growth classrooms (2021) and significant landscaping and playground improvements. Alongside this physical change, I have had the privilege of working with 33 Trustees including seven Board Chairs (Presiding Members), seven Deputy Principals, and over 145 staff. It has always been a privilege to work alongside and lead with these people and our community through changes that also included 13 years of pedagogical shift and changes in government educational priorities. During 2018 our staff supported one another and our ākonga through the tragedy that was the Mosque shootings, and then, in 2020, changed gear to navigate our way through a pandemic. In 2015, we also celebrated the Centenary of the school which was an important milestone.

At the end of last year, the opportunity to take up a secondment in the Ministry of Education as a Leadership Advisor felt like a timely and appropriate opportunity for me, to share much of the learning that I have had over nearly 19 years of principalship with my colleagues in the wider Canterbury and Chatham Islands region. I have now been in the role for a term, and I have been given the opportunity to continue this role for another year, which I have accepted. At the end of that time, I will review what my next steps might be. In the meantime, I am also about to become a grandmother for the first time, to twins who are due to be born sometime in the next eight weeks, and will be coming to live in our home. This has also contributed to my decision to formally step away from the role of principal, to allow me to be more present and available in my new family role.

I have enjoyed, appreciated and loved my time at Beckenham, serving the school community and working with the most amazing people to try and always put our tamariki at the very centre of our decisions, and ensure that each of them achieve the very best possible outcomes. I would like to thank every one of our Board members, staff past and present, and the whānau of the hundreds and hundreds of children who have been through Beckenham during my tenure there, for their support, and for the challenges and opportunities, that have enabled me to grow both professionally and personally. I wish all of you, every success for the future.

Ngā mihi nui
Sandy Hastings

Community Notices

(Notices placed here are contingent on space and do not reflect the views or opinions of the school.)






Beckenham Te Kura o Pūroto Schoolwide Newsletter, Rāmere (Friday) 5 April 2024, Week 10

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Principal's Patch

Kia ora koutou

Staffing update
Congratulations and thanks to Amber Donovan. Amber will be the Acting Team Leader for the Kahikatea team for the remainder of 2024, while Katie McFarlane is the Acting Deputy Principal. Amber is excited to support the team in this role.

Next week is the last week of Term 1 and then it is the April school holidays (2 weeks). The Beckenham team wish all the tamariki and their whānau a safe and restful holiday ready for the start of Term 2 on Monday 29th April. 

Ngā mihi nui
Jo Smith - Tumuaki (Acting Principal)

Important Dates

(you can also find the Community Calendar on our website here)

Fri 12 Apr - Last day of Term 1
Mon 29 Apr - First day of Term 2
Fri 3 May - Welcome Assembly, 9.15-9.30am, Hall
Tue 14 May - School Cross Country TBC
Wed 22 May - PTA Meeting, 7.30-9.30PM
Wed 29 May - BoT Meeting, 5.30-7.30PM, Staffroom
Fri 31 May - Staff Only Day (kura/school closed)
Mon 3 Jun - King's Birthday (kura/school closed)
Tue 25 Jun - Matariki Evening at Kura
Wed 26 Jun - BoT Meeting, 5.30-7.30PM, Staffroom
Wed 26 Jun - PTA Meeting, 7.30-9.30PM, Staffroom
Fri 28 Jun - Matariki (kura/school closed)
Fri 5 Jul - Last day of Term 2

Term Dates: Click here to view  2024 term dates

Citizen of the Week

Jensen Greig - Year 6 

Jensen, your kind and caring nature is noticed on a daily basis. You have a love for learning new things and for sharing your vast array of awesome knowledge. You bring laughter and fun to the Pōhutukawa hub. Your ability to talk things through sensibly is admirable. Ka mau te wehi!

Citizen of the Week

Briana Kokkinidis - Year 8

Bree, you are such a deep thinker and we so appreciate the richness you add to discussions in our hub. You are full of sparkle and creativity. Organisation, empathy and courage shape you into the wonderful person you are. Ka rawe, Bree!

School Notices

Cheese Rolls

Thank you to everyone who ordered cheese rolls! This fundraiser supports the various Education Outside the Classroom activities planned for Year 7 and 8 this year. Thank you also to the high functioning team who made the rolls, a tremendous effort! We hope you enjoy eating them.

Parking

3min area on Sandwich Road

A reminder please, that the stretch of road adjacent to the Admin building on Sandwich Road is a 3 minute drop-off zone from 8:30-9:30am and 2:30-3:30pm, on school days. This means drivers are not able to sit in their cars from 2:30pm waiting for children, or to park cars in this area and go into school. If you arrive early and wait for children, or if you need to get out of your car and come into school, please find an alternative place to park. Having this area just for drop-offs means that the traffic on Sandwich Road moves smoothly before and after school, and this is much safer for our children.

Eastern Terrace

Please be considerate to bus drivers, and other road users by ensuring you are not parking in the signposted areas that are reserved for bus parking during certain hours. 

BOSCO School Holiday programme

Monday 15th April – Friday 26th April

Closed for ANZAC Day

For all bookings, please follow the steps on bosco.aimyplus.com
New families will need to register as a new parent following the simple steps.
Any issues or questions please don’t hesitate to call or email.

To see an enlarged version of the above Holiday Programme Schedule, please click here.

Remembering the ANZACs

Next week the student council will be selling ANZAC biscuits, with all money going to the RSA. Children bring a gold coin donation on Thursday morning to order their ANZAC biscuit from in front of the hall before school. They will receive their biscuit on Friday in time for morning tea. A lot of fun was had deciding on the perfect recipe! A gluten free option will be available to order. There will also be a poppy badge making activity at lunchtime on Thursday for those who would like to take part.

PTA News

Keep in touch with the PTA
To stay up to date with the PTA, please check out our Beckenham Te Kura o Pūroto PTA Facebook page, linked here. Or come along to one of our meetings - all welcome.

Meeting dates can be found in the fortnightly School Newsletter, or on the school calendar - linked here.
These meetings are usually held on a Wednesday night 7.30-9.30pm.

Community Notices

(Notices placed here are contingent on space and do not reflect the views or opinions of the school.)

ACTT's Mandarin Parenting Seminar

Arts Centre April School Holiday Fun Programme

Methven Scarecrow Trail: Saturday April 13 – Sunday April 28, 2024

The Methven Scarecrow Trail is a hugely popular and fun family event run in the April school holidays. It is suitable for all ages!

Every year, members of the Methven community build scarecrows to a particular theme and these scarecrows, usually around 30+ in number, are scattered around the town for families to find and try to identify the name of the character.  This year's theme is Children's Movie - Animated Characters. Families or small groups purchase a Trail Map/Entry form from the iHub Information Centre and there are sponsored prizes for the most correct entries and for the most popular scarecrows.

Don't forget to like the Scarecrow Trail FB page if possible - this is where we post messages and the results - https://www.facebook.com/MethvenScarecrowTrail/

Starting May 1 free bus fares for 5-12 year olds no longer available

Upcoming fare changes mean 5–12 year olds need to top up their Metro card.

As of 1 May, 5-12-year-old's will no longer travel for free on the bus following the government’s changes to its Community Connect concessions scheme. This is a nationwide change, decided by the new government. Children 4 years old and under will continue to travel for free without a Metrocard. 

Children 5-12 will now need to top up their Metro cards in order to pay the $1 bus and $2 ferry concessions as part of the half-price Under 25 concession from May 1. The Council had already planned for the continuation of the Under 25 concession in its 2022/23 Annual Plan, as part of its flat fare trial.   

All other Metro concessions for Greater Christchurch will remain the same including Community Services Card holders, tertiary students, and Total Mobility customers.

All Greater Christchurch Metro fares can be viewed here.   


April School Holiday program being run by 'Thrive in Sport'

Here is the registration link for people interested in attending.
https://form.jotform.com/Bell_Matt_matt/SHPApril24






Beckenham Te Kura o Pūroto Schoolwide Newsletter, Rāmere (Friday) 22 March 2024, Week 8

Posted on by

Principal's Patch

Kia ora koutou

In the assembly this week we had a celebration for how 'We Make a Difference'. The support the tamariki are showing each other in so many ways across our kura is humbling. What a team!

As a kura (school) we have been receiving communications from the Ministry of Education about attendance. As a country, low and non-regular attendance is a challenge being faced by schools. To give it some context we have included some of this communication below. 

If a student misses one day of school every two weeks, they miss a whole year of school by 16 years of age. As a parent or caregiver, you, alongside our school, play a key role in building strong habits of regular school attendance.

All students are legally required to attend school every day and it is a shared responsibility to make sure students attend and engage in learning from when they first start school. As we enter 2024, every day of school matters.

You must let the school know if your child is going to be absent for a day or intends to be absent for a portion of the school term for whatever reason, like a tangi or medical procedure.  Family holidays or taking time off for extracurricular activities (not organised by school) are not acceptable reasons for being absent.

If you would like to talk about your child's attendance and how we can support please contact your child's Homegroup teacher in the first instance.


In the spirit of We Make a Difference, we are sharing this incredible photo that one of our whānau took from a plane, with Beckenham Te Kura o Pūroto front and centre in the foreground. Can you find it?

We Make a Difference in an emergency. Each term we practice how we evacuate the school safely in the event of an earthquake or fire. We will have an evacuation drill before the end of the term.

Ngā mihi nui
Jo Smith - Tumuaki (Acting Principal)

Important Dates

(you can also find the Community Calendar on our website here)

Wed 27 Mar - Canterbury Swimming
Wed 27 Mar - BoT Meeting, 5.30-7.30PM, Staffroom
Wed 27 Mar - PTA Meeting, 7.30-9.30PM
Fri 29 Mar - Good Friday (kura/school closed)
Mon 1 Apr - Easter Monday (kura/school closed)
Tue 2 Apr - Easter Tuesday (kura/school closed)
Fri 12 Apr - Last day of Term 1
Mon 29 Apr - First day of Term 2
Fri 3 May - Welcome Assembly, 9.15-9.30am, Hall
Tue 14 May - School Cross Country TBC
Wed 22 May - PTA Meeting, 7.30-9.30PM
Wed 29 May - BoT Meeting, 5.30-7.30PM, Staffroom
Fri 31 May - Staff Only Day (kura/school closed)
Mon 3 Jun - King's Birthday (kura/school closed)
Tue 25 Jun - Matariki Evening at Kura
Wed 26 Jun - BoT Meeting, 5.30-7.30PM, Staffroom
Wed 26 Jun - PTA Meeting, 7.30-9.30PM, Staffroom
Fri 28 Jun - Matariki (kura/school closed)
Fri 5 Jul - Last day of Term 2

Term Dates: Click here to view  2024 term dates

Citizen of the Week

Siunipa Latu - Year 8 

Siunipa, you have a gift for motivating and encouraging others through your positive energy and words. You have a strong set of personal values and your actions at kura exemplify teamwork, respect and integrity. Siunipa, you enthusiastically participate in learning across the curriculum and embrace opportunities to share your knowledge and skills with others. Tino pai tō mahi, Siunipa! 

Citizen of the Week

Terence Lee - Year 4

Terence, you are an exemplary role model in the Kōwhai hub, approaching each day with a positive, can-do attitude. In all areas of your schooling, you are self-motivated and consistently strive to do your best, no matter how big or small the task. Ka rawe, Terence! 

School Notices

Last Chance for Cheese Rolls

Year 7 & 8 are fundraising for outdoor education days by making cheese rolls. These delicious cheese rolls are made with the traditional Southland recipe! Please click on this link to place your order.  The form must be submitted, by Friday March 22nd.

Many thanks for your support. Orders will be made up on Thursday, April 4th and will be ready for collection after school. If you would like to supply your own container (and we very much hope you do), please clearly name it and drop it off in the collection box outside the hall from Monday, March 25th. 

Easter Holiday Clarification

There have been some questions from whānau about why school is closed on Easter Tuesday. All schools, primary and secondary, across the country are closed on Good Friday, Easter Monday and Easter Tuesday, and always have been, for as long as anyone can remember. We're not sure what the historical rationale for this is - it is just always the way it has been. When schools used to have three, 13 or 14 week terms a year, Easter always fell during the first term, and the 5 day weekend was a very welcome break during a long term.

When schools moved to four, 10 week terms a year in 1996, the Easter break has mostly fallen within the school holidays at the end of the first term. However, in some years - 1997, 2005, 2008, 2013, 2016, 2018, 2021 and now in 2024 - Easter has fallen during the first term, rather than during the holidays.

You can see the Ministry of Education guidance around setting School Terms and Holiday Dates here.

Road Patrol

Our wonderful Y6 Road Patrollers had a refresher training course this week, this was run by Constable Meg. Constable Meg was very impressed with how much they had retained. They had great timing and nice loud, clear commands. A wonderful display of team work, 'We Get There Together' and 'We Make a Difference'.
Thank you to our Road Patrol Team for keeping everyone safe!

Christchurch Schools' Music Festival Representative Group

If your child is an instrumentalist or singer interested in auditioning to be part of one of the representative groups for the 2024 Festival, applications are open now and will close on Monday, April 1st.

The representative groups are Senior Choir (Years 7 & 8), Junior Choir (Years 5 & 6), Orchestra (Years 5 - 8), and Concert Band (Years 5 - 8).

The Festival team are looking to select the very best singers and musicians from across Christchurch for the Representative Groups of the Music Festival, so tamariki have to pass an audition to get in, even if they have been in a Representative Group previously.

More information about the groups and auditions can be found via this link.

If you have any questions, please get in touch.

Ngā mihi
Thomas 
thomas.woodfield@beckenham.school.nz

Student council ANZAC Biscuits!

This term the student council is planning activities and messages to commemorate ANZAC day. We are going to be making ANZAC biscuits that children can order with a gold coin on Thursday 11th April, and collect from their teacher on Friday 12th April at morning tea time (one biscuit per person), gluten-free options are available. The money that we collect will be given to the RSA.

BOT Update

Our Beckenham Te Kura o Pūroto Board of Trustees met at the end of February, and said a huge thank you and bid farewell to Sampson Karst, our Appointed Whānau and Iwi (Ngāi Tahu) Trustee. Sampson has served our kura on our Board since 2019, and his presence and expertise have quietly made a significant impact on outcomes for whānau and ākonga. Tēnā rawa atu koe!

Term 1 Policy Review

In term 1 we are reviewing topics in the Governance and Management, Parents and Whānau, and Documentation and Self-Review Policy sections. 
Who reviews our policies and procedures?

All reviews are open to board, staff, students, and the school community (parents/caregivers/whānau).
Anyone can review any policy/procedure that has a review button. The board is responsible for board-level overarching policies. 

To start reviewing, click on a topic name above, then click the Start your review button. If a link is inactive, our school doesn't have the topic.

When we review our policies with SchoolDocs, we are reviewing each policy for its content as well as how well the school implements it. To share your comments and rate its implementation, click the "Start your review" button, or see detailed instructions below.
  1. Visit the website https://beckenham.schooldocs.co.nz/1893.htm
  2. Enter the username (beckenham) and password (pride).
  3. Follow the link to the relevant policy as listed.
  4. Read the policies up for review.
  5. Click the Start your review button at the top right-hand corner of the page.
  6. Select the reviewer type.
  7. Enter your name (optional).
  8. Follow the prompts to show that you've read the topic and enter your feedback if you'd like to comment.
  9. Agree to the privacy statement and click “Submit review”.
If you don't have internet access, school office staff can provide you with printed copies of the policy and a review form.

Community Notices

(Notices placed here are contingent on space and do not reflect the views or opinions of the school.)

Te Kura o Huriawa Thorrington has a Cybersafety Parent Workshop on the 27 March and would like to extend the invitation to the wider community. Tickets are available via Eventfinda and are $5 each.

Want to play rugby this winter? 

Join Sydenham Rugby Club - a family oriented club.

Registrations can be done on the club website - sydenhamrugby.co.nz 

A sizing morning/weigh in will be held on the 24th March at the Sydenham Rugby Club (Sydenham Park, Bowling Club).

Any questions please ring the office 332 8875 or email srfc@xtra.co.nz

AKOTECH CodeCamps April School Holidays - EARLY DISCOUNTS

Our holiday camp allows children from the ages of 7-12 to develop 21st century skills in a fun and action packed environment. Create and train your own AI Avatars, make games, code robots & go to work for a simulated Tech Gaming Studio to build games for a big pretend client.  

Develop confidence & initiative through design, creativity, solving problems, presenting & collaboration. Create your own games, worlds and apps to make our world a better place.

We also have Literati Lab just for girls

Venues: Canterbury Uni & STAC
Dates: 15th - 18th & 22nd - 26th April 
Book Now at www.akotech.nz

EarlyBird Save Up to 21% Until 22nd March
Siblings Save 6%

Needing extra academic help?

Spaces available at locally owned & operated Burwood Education Centre (www.nztutoring.org). We have been working alongside schools in assisting struggling Year 2 - 11 students in Maths / English / Reading / Spelling / Comprehension & Extension Tutoring over many years, resulting in greater student confidence and improving educational results. Call Paul on 027-460-3765 for a free student assessment. 

Cashmere Technical FC



Registrations are closing for the 2024 season on 31st March - please register via this link now.

High School Old Boys Junior Rugby Club


Calling all last minute registrations for players Year 1- 8! Come join us at HSOB Rugby
Places available in all teams 
Jump online and register prior to 30 March to receive a boot bag and Training T-Shirt. 

Register here:

Beckenham Te Kura o Pūroto Schoolwide Newsletter, Rāmere (Friday) 8 March 2024, Week 6

Posted on by

Principal's Patch

Kia ora koutou,

We Care
We are now halfway through Term 1 and officially it is Autumn! Although we are having some cooler days as a SunSmart school we are still officially in a hat wearing term. The staff are reminding all children to wear their school sunhats during outside play. Please support this by checking with your child that they are bringing their hat to school.

We Love Learning
For the first part of the term, teams have worked on building connections, routines and expectations. Teams are now moving into the learning timetable, groupings and programmes for the year. As always please contact your child's Homegroup teacher if you have any questions or things you would like to share.

We Make a Difference 
Thank you to the Road Patrol volunteers. You contribute to the safety of the community by ensuring a safe place for everyone to cross Sandwich Road.

We Get There Together
We have been advised that the Christchurch City Council will be working on an urgent repair to the sewer system on the street front outside Tahaki (Kōwhai). Some of you may have seen the plumbers on site a couple of weeks ago. This was caused by a blockage in the pipe on the street front. The work will take place on Tuesday 12th March for the day. This means there will be very little parking on Sandwich Road and the drop-off area will be closed. Please consider using alternative entries on this day, Eastern Terrace and Norwood Street. There will be a temporary footpath that will run along the bike stand area.

Ngā mihi nui
Jo Smith - Tumuaki (Acting Principal)

Important Dates

(you can also find the Community Calendar on our website here)

Mon 11 Mar - Zone Swimming, 9-12.30PM, Wharenui Pool
Wed 27 Mar - Canterbury Swimming
Wed 27 Mar - BoT Meeting, 5.30-7.30PM, Staffroom
Wed 27 Mar - PTA Meeting, 7.30-9.30PM
Fri 29 Mar - Good Friday (kura/school closed)
Mon 1 Apr - Easter Monday (kura/school closed)
Tue 2 Apr - Kura/School closed
Fri 12 Apr - Last day of Term 1
Mon 29 Apr - First day of Term 2
Fri 3 May - Welcome Assembly, 9.15-9.30am, Hall
Tue 14 May - School Cross Country TBC
Wed 22 May - PTA Meeting, 7.30-9.30PM
Wed 29 May - BoT Meeting, 5.30-7.30PM, Staffroom
Fri 31 May - Staff Only Day (kura/school closed)
Mon 3 Jun - King's Birthday (kura/school closed)
Tue 25 Jun - Matariki Evening at Kura
Wed 26 Jun - BoT Meeting, 5.30-7.30PM, Staffroom
Wed 26 Jun - PTA Meeting, 7.30-9.30PM, Staffroom
Fri 28 Jun - Matariki (kura/school closed)
Fri 5 Jul - Last day of Term 2

Term Dates: Click here to view  2024 term dates

Citizen of the Week

Korell Carlyle - Year 8 (Week 5)

Korell, you have shown yourself again and again to be a true upstander. You have strong morals and stand up for what you believe in. You help others and are not afraid to speak up in support of your peers. You are quiet, kind and humble and we love having you as part of our Kauri team, you make a difference. Keep shining Korell, you are a star!

Alex Straker - Year 6 (Week 6)

Alex, your caring, thoughtful and resilient nature shines in all that you do. You have a positive and enthusiastic attitude towards all areas of learning and you are a fantastic role model to other students. You are self-motivated and you constantly strive to be the best you can be. Tino pai tō mahi, Alex!

School Notices

Request for Annual Donation

You will have received a link to your Financial Statement in mid February, with our annual donation request.

We greatly appreciate all contributions you are able to make towards donations. These go a long way towards providing a rich and diverse programme for our tamariki.

If you need any assistance logging into Hero to view your statement or wish to find out more about the school donation or setting up payment instalments, you can refer to our website https://www.beckenham.school.nz/ and follow the “Finances and Annual Donation” link in the “Information” dropdown menu. 

You will also find information about applying for Donation Tax Credits from the IRD on this page. This scheme entitles you to claim back 33% of your donation payments, if you meet the eligibility criteria. Receipts for donations payments (including camp donations) made to us before 31st March this year, can be submitted as part of your application for the financial year ended 31 March 2024.

Payments may be made in part or full to the school bank account -

ASB Beckenham Te Kura o Pūroto Board of Trustees,  12 3148 0131641 000 using the child's name as a reference. The school office also has Eftpos facilities available.

If you have any queries, please email accounts@beckenham.school.nz

Celebrations

We know that within our community many different celebrations happen for whānau and friends. One we often hear about at school is birthdays. From time to time discussions about birthdays do arise and staff explain to the tamariki that all whānau celebrate differently. Some have small or large parties, some celebrate with just their family and some choose not to celebrate. We encourage invitations to be given outside of the school setting.  If invitations need to be given out at school we recommend that whānau contact their child's Homegroup teacher so that this can be done with discretion.

Arriving early to school

The doors to hubs are opened at 8:30am and school starts at 8:55am.  We have noticed a growing number of children arriving at school as early as 8:10am. There is no supervision for these children.  We strongly suggest that children do not arrive at school until 8:30am to ensure that children are kept safe.

If your child needs to be at school before 8.30am, please enquire with BOSCO, our on site before and after school care.

Cheese Rolls

Year 7 & 8 are fundraising for outdoor education days by making cheese rolls. These delicious cheese rolls are made with the traditional Southland recipe! Please click on this link to place your order.

Many thanks for your support. This form must be submitted or the paper form completed and handed into the Office, by Friday March 22nd. Orders will be made up on Thursday, April 4th and will be ready for collection after school. If you would like to supply your own container (and we very much hope you do), please clearly name it and drop it off in the collection box outside the hall from Monday, March 25th. 

Sports News

School Swimming Sports

We enjoyed a wonderful afternoon of swimming sports at Wharenui Pool with a group of our Year 5 to 8 students. The children showed awesome values as they embraced the challenges of their races and there was lots of amazing swimming on display. Thank you to the Year 8 leaders and whānau whose mahi made the event a success. In the house relay, Heathcote came out victorious in a very exciting and competitive race. 

A group of children are on their way to our zone swimming sports on Monday to compete against children from schools in our local area. All the best to them.

Staff Profiles

Best of luck... to our Year 7/8 Kaiako Thomas Woodfield, who will be debuting with Toi Toi Opera in their production of 'The Three Little Pigs', this Saturday the 9th of March. Read more about Thomas' mahi here.


Congratulations to... our Teaching Assistant Paul McKinnel, who won the Canterbury Pairs for bowls! 

PTA News

Weetbix TRYathlon

It was fantastic to see so many Beckenham kids and their whānau at the Weetbix TRYathlon. 

Thanks to the PTA for all the work getting the tent and banners up, along with the ice blocks, and having Sandy there! It was so great to have the school banner for families to gather by and have a meeting place. 

We had 62 students registered. Prebbleton won the most children registered with 65, as well as the school with the highest percentage of participants based on student roll. What about setting an aim to be the highest next year? We were very close. 

Hot Cross Buns

Don't forget order your yummy hot cross buns now! Orders close 15th March 2024.

The PTA are raising money to help update the Kapa Haka uniforms and replace the school's gazebo, which was broken last year.

We'll be collecting forms on Wednesday the 13th, Thursday the 14th, and Friday the 15th of March.
Or 
Paper forms can be returned to the box in the school office. Please make sure any cash is in an envelope, or note clearly the date paid.

Or - order online here.

Thanks for your support.
Jason Orchard (PTA Chairperson)

BOT Update

Congratulations to Marcel Frei on being re-elected as the Presiding Member (Board Chair) for 2024. 

Please click here to see the 2023 Te Reo Māori in our Teams update that was shared with the Board at the end of last year. Particular thanks to Steve Cooke for all his work in this space, and to all our kaiako who support the success of all our tamariki.

Community Notices

(Notices placed here are contingent on space and do not reflect the views or opinions of the school.)

Maths Club

Hi, I run a "Fun Maths" club on Wed afternoons, for students who enjoy maths, games and puzzles.
At present, I'm taking year 7 and 8 students on a Wednesday from 3.30-5pm.
I'm happy to run another class for younger students should there be enough interest.
We look at mathematical patterns, puzzles and problems, then after a short break for a snack, we play strategy games.
I'm a fully qualified and registered teacher of Mathematics.
I operate from home at the bottom of Cashmere Hills.
$20 per session.
Please feel free to contact me on 021 072 2939
Kirsty Frew



Get down to Te Matatiki Toi Ora The Arts Centre for the Off Centre arts festival on the 8 – 9 March. There will be loads of fun, free and low cost entertainment for tamariki and their whānau.
See the full programme and book tickets at artscentre.org.nz


Sharpen your game these April holidays with Rams & Pouākai basketball camps, coached by Tall Blacks Taylor Britt, Walter Brown and Max Darling, and Tall Fern Esra McGoldrick!

There are junior camps available for school years 5–8 and senior camps available for school years 9–13. Registrations close April 14th. 

Rams Camps: https://canterburyrams.basketball/camps/
Pouākai Camps: https://pouakai.basketball/camps/

Beckenham Te Kura o Pūroto Schoolwide Newsletter, Rāmere (Friday) 23 February 2024, Week 4

Posted on by

Principal's Patch

Kia ora koutou

On Tuesday we hosted a whānau workshop on 'Parenting in the digital age'.  Rory from an organisation called Attitude, spoke to whānau about supporting tamariki as they negotiate the online world: Social Media - messaging, scrolling or watching, and gaming. The overarching message was to take time to understand the forums your child wants to use, learn how they work and what works well and what are the challenges. Have coaching conversations with your child before they use social media about what would they do if...? How would that make them/others feel? Just as we teach our children to swim and be safe in the water, what do we need to prepare them for before the online world?

He also emphasised the importance of monitoring how long they have screen time. Just like eating food, what are our tamariki consuming/watching? What is too much or just right for your whānau? Screentime can affect the amount of sleep we get so where are devices kept at night time in your house? Do they have a centralised location to get them out of their bedrooms? What are the natural stopping cues in your house? Just like credits on a programme/movie what are the indicators that it's time to switch off? No phones at meal times, no phones before school, what else could you do before going on a device etc.

Rory shared online places to get support such as Netsafe and the Parenting Place websites. He also suggested a Digital contract that whānau could have together and shared this example which can be printed or used for ideas to come up with your own whānau contract about devices.

Overall, stay actively involved. As we coach our children through so many aspects of life as we prepare them for the world ahead, we need to do so with digital literacy.

Leadership Week
The Year 7 and 8 team have spent time this week learning about the 7 habits that can support leadership. They have had activities to support good communication and coming together as a team. Thank you to all the adults who supported these learners with the programme this week. We look forward to them sharing more about what they did and what they learned with the rest of the tamariki. 

Good luck to our tamariki who are taking part in the Weetbix TRYathlon this weekend. We have had just over 60 entrants from our kura alone!

Ngā mihi nui
Jo Smith - Tumuaki (Acting Principal)

Important Dates

(you can also find the Community Calendar on our website here)

Wed 28 Feb - BoT Meeting, 5.30-7.30PM, Staffroom
Wed 28 Feb - PTA Meeting, 7.30-9.30PM
Thu 29 Feb - School Swim Sports, 12.30-3PM, Wharenui Pool
Mon 11 Mar - Zone Swimming, 9-12.30PM, Wharenui Pool
Wed 27 Mar - Canterbury Swimming
Wed 27 Mar - BoT Meeting, 5.30-7.30PM, Staffroom
Wed 27 Mar - PTA Meeting, 7.30-9.30PM
Fri 29 Mar - Good Friday (kura/school closed)
Mon 1 Apr - Easter Monday (kura/school closed)
Tue 2 Apr - Kura/School closed
Fri 12 Apr - Last day of Term 1
Mon 29 Apr - First day of Term 2
Fri 3 May - Welcome Assembly, 9.15-9.30am, Hall
Tue 14 May - School Cross Country TBC
Wed 22 May - PTA Meeting, 7.30-9.30PM
Wed 29 May - BoT Meeting, 5.30-7.30PM, Staffroom
Fri 31 May - Staff Only Day (kura/school closed)
Mon 3 Jun - King's Birthday (kura/school closed)
Wed 26 Jun - BoT Meeting, 5.30-7.30PM, Staffroom
Wed 26 Jun - PTA Meeting, 7.30-9.30PM, Staffroom
Fri 28 Jun - Matariki (kura/school closed)
Fri 5 Jul - Last day of Term 2

Term Dates: Click here to view  2024 term dates

Citizen of the Week

Daniel McKean - Year 6 (Week 3)

Daniel, thank you for always being the best you can be! You encapsulate our kete values with your diligence, your determination, your curiosity, and your subtle sense of humour. You have tremendous mana amongst your peers and it's wonderful to see how you quietly lead the way for others to follow in our team. Tino pai rawa atu kia koe, Daniel.

Citizen of the Week

Daniel Crump - Year 3 (Week 4)

Daniel, you are a role model student, demonstrating the school values each and every day. You have a thirst for learning, an exceptional work ethic and work diligently to achieve goals. You are friendly. Ka pai, Daniel! Keep up the fantastic work!

School Notices

Kia Kaha Waitaha

Our Year 7/8 students decided to send a message of appreciation to the firefighters working in the Port Hills this week. Our thoughts are with them and everyone affected by the fires. 

Walk or Wheel to School Week


In week 6, from Monday 4th March to Friday 8th March 2024, our school is participating in Walk or Wheel to School Week, brought to you by Christchurch City Council. This fun and action-packed week is to promote walking and wheeling to school. There are daily themes and prizes up for grabs for students who participate. For more information head over to the Christchurch City Council webpage. We can’t wait to get started next week!

If students walk or wheel to school 3 mornings or more during the week they will go in the draw to win spot prizes.  Cards that students need to fill out if they are participating will be sent home (pictured below). Tamariki (children) need to write both their name and hub on the back of this card. 


PTA News

Request for help!

If you are available to help set up the tent at Jelly Park Stadium on Saturday night or Sunday morning for the Weetbix Triathlon, please contact Carol at: pta@beckenham.school.nz

Order your yummy hot cross buns now! 

Ordering for our fundraiser is up and running - Our PTA are raising money to help update the Kapa Haka uniforms and replace the school's gazebo which was broken last year.

You can fill in the paper order form which should be in your child's bag (spare forms will be kept in the school office).   Paper forms can be returned to the box in the school office,. Please make sure any cash is in an envelope, or note clearly the date paid.

OR - order online here.


If you have any questions please contact pta@beckenham.school.nz or via Facebook Messenger.

BOT Update

Term 1 Policy Review

In term 1 we are reviewing topics in the Governance and Management, Parents and Whānau, and Documentation and Self-Review Policy sections. 
Who reviews our policies and procedures?

All reviews are open to board, staff, students, and the school community (parents/caregivers/whānau).
Anyone can review any policy/procedure that has a review button. The board is responsible for board-level overarching policies. 

To start reviewing, click on a topic name above, then click the Start your review button. If a link is inactive, our school doesn't have the topic.

When we review our policies with SchoolDocs, we are reviewing each policy for its content as well as how well the school implements it. To share your comments and rate its implementation, click the "Start your review" button, or see detailed instructions below.
  1. Visit the website https://beckenham.schooldocs.co.nz/1893.htm
  2. Enter the username (beckenham) and password (pride).
  3. Follow the link to the relevant policy as listed.
  4. Read the policies up for review.
  5. Click the Start your review button at the top right-hand corner of the page.
  6. Select the reviewer type.
  7. Enter your name (optional).
  8. Follow the prompts to show that you've read the topic and enter your feedback if you'd like to comment.
  9. Agree to the privacy statement and click “Submit review”.
If you don't have internet access, school office staff can provide you with printed copies of the policy and a review form.

Community Notices

(Notices placed here are contingent on space and do not reflect the views or opinions of the school.)

Christchurch City Council Speed Changes 


Christchurch City Council have let us know they're making it safer for our ākonga (students) to get to and from kura (school) in our area. You'll notice speed signs changing to 30km/h in our area, as well as some changes to line markings in areas around our school neighbourhood.

It's important that everyone takes responsibility for safety on our roads. We can all do this by adjusting our speed to the conditions and speed limits, especially around schools and surrounding suburbs.

To learn more about this project, you can visit the Council's Safer speeds webpage, where there's also a map of which streets will have speed limit changes.




Sea Week is coming up, 2-10 March, and there are heaps of fun ways you can get involved. Activities and events range from creative craft sessions through to beach clean ups.
https://seaweek.org.nz/