Category Archives: Weekly Newsletters

School Newsletter, Friday 28 July, 2023

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Principal's Patch

Kia ora koutou

With Week 2 now finished, Term 3 is well underway! 

Thank you all for your patience with the muddy and wet state of our front entrance area on Sandwich Road. We have been in urgent communication with the council about the leak that has sprung up once again next to the crossing, and I see that yesterday the area was fenced off, so hopefully they have managed to sort that issue.

Richard Scott (Board of Trustees) and I recently met with representatives from the City Council to discuss options at our front entrance to extend the bike storage area and to make improvements to the 'grass' that is currently 'mud' at the main entrance. These conversations have proved to be very positive so far, so we are hoping to be able to get permission to make some positive changes here in the very near future.

Readathon

Hopefully everyone is well underway with their reading and their collecting of sponsorship. There are two more weeks of the Readathon, culminating in Book Character Day on Friday 11th August where children (and adults) can come to school dressed as their favourite book character. The PTA and the school appreciate your support of this fundraiser as it is a major part of the PTA's annual fundraising, and all PTA funds are used to support the school in a range of different ways.

Ngā mihi nui
Sandy Hastings
Tumuaki - Principal

Important Dates

NB You can find our Community Calendar on our school website. You can choose to embed this calendar into your own digital calendar and stay up-to-date with events and information.

Tue 1 Aug - 7:00 - 8:00pm - Year 7/8 Open Evening
Wed 2 Aug - Keeping Ourselves Safe - Parent information session 2-3pm Staffroom
Fri 4 Aug- PTA Discos - see below for details
Fri 11 Aug  - Book Character Day - final day of Readathon
Fri 11 Aug - 10am Celebration Assembly
Fri 18 Aug - School Closed - Staff Only Day
Wed 23 Aug - 5:30pm - BOT Meeting - Staffroom
Wed 23 Aug - 7:30pm - PTA meeting - Staffroom
Fri 25 Aug - Final day for returning Readathon Money
Fri 25 Aug - 10am Celebration Assembly 
Fri 8 Sep - 10 am Celebration Assembly
Thu 14 Sep - am - Year 8 entrance testing at Cashmere High
Fri 15 Sep - School Photos
Wed 20 Sep - 5:30pm - BOT Meeting - Staffroom
Fri 22 Sep - 10am Celebration Assembly
Fri 22 Sep - final day of Term 3

Term Dates: Click here to view 2023 & 2024 term dates

Citizen of the Week

Maya Pauley - Year 7

Maya, you are such a bouncy and enthusiastic ray of sunshine in the Kauri Hub. You love to embrace challenge and ask questions to ensure your success across the curriculum. Thank you for being such a kind and caring individual who looks out for others and makes a difference. Tino pai Maya!

School Notices

Keeping Ourselves Safe programme and Parent Information Session

From 7th August the New Entrant to Year 6 teams will be teaching the personal safety programme by New Zealand Police - Keeping Ourselves Safe. Years 7/8 will be doing a combination of the 'Keeping Ourselves Safe' and Choices' programmes. We cover this programme every two years as part of our Health curriculum. 
Parents and whānau are strongly encouraged to support Keeping Ourselves Safe.
You can:
  • attend a meeting at school to find out more about Keeping Ourselves Safe on Wednesday 2 August at 2.15 pm in the staffroom
  • find out about abuse and what to do if you think a child you know is being abused
  • talk to your child about what they have learnt in Keeping Ourselves Safe.
  • set safety guidelines with your family
  • help young children with the Keeping Ourselves Safe activities they bring home
  • give the same safety messages as the school is giving
  • look at the whānau section of NZ Police Keeping Ourselves Safe for more information and frequently asked questions
More information about the programme can be found on our school website

Help Needed

Are You a Welder?

We have a basketball hoop outside Koru that needs to be modified so our students can use it.
If you have welding skills that you are able to offer us we would love to hear from you.  A small piece of metal will be required to make the modification - we are happy to pay for this.
Please contact Tony Lee, our caretaker, or Jacky in the office.

Flag Fixer - sewer needed

As you will be aware we fly a flag every school day as part of our acknowledgement of the different nationalities and cultures represented within our school.
Some of these flags (14 in total) are beginning to show signs of wear and tear, specifically around the holes where the flagpole string goes.
We are looking for someone who is able and keen to sew a small patch over the holes that no longer have an eylet / metal ring on them.  This will enable another sewer, who has already volunteered, to put a buttonhole in this area and thus extend the life of the flag.
Please contact the office if you are able to offer your help with this flag fix-up! office@beckenham.school.nz, or 3371404.

Staff Profiles

At the end of Term 2, we welcomed Denise Colville to our staff, working as a Teaching Assistant in the Koru, New Entrant Team. Denise is a trained teacher from Germany and we are delighted to have her skills in our team, as she waits for her New Zealand teacher registration to be confirmed.

Student Council News

This term the Student Council are running "Kete Value Fridays". Each Friday there will be activities for the students to take part in. 



  • Last week we made Thank You cards and bird feeders to show We Care
  • This Friday the activity that we are running is an obstacle course on the left side of the hall presuming the weather is suitable. This will represent We Love Challenge. 
  • Next week (Week 3) is going to be We Love Learning, and we will teach origami. 
  • We won't run an activity in Week 4 because of Book Character Day. 
  • Week 5 will be We Make a Difference, the activity we will run is a school rubbish raid. 
  • In Week 6, for We Get There Together, we will run a doodle wall. 
Please encourage your child to participate - We Get There Together!

PTA News

It's Disco Time!

Get your dancing shoes on, as the PTA Disco will be happening next Friday, 4th August.
Entry by Gold coin donation.
NE/Y1/2 children will each be given a scoop of popcorn and there will be no other snack sales available.
Y3-8 Discos will have the option of purchasing popcorn or chips, priced between 50c and $2



Community Notices

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

Information regarding new Metro bus fares.

On 1 July the fares on Greater Christchurch public transport, buses and ferry, changed. The 50% fare discount funded by the government has now ceased. Environment Canterbury have now implemented a new fare structure with some exciting changes.

Single zone – all metro buses are a single zone. The same fare is now charged wherever you board or disembark in Greater Christchurch.
Cash fares are $4/adult and $2/child (under 19)
Metrocard bus concessions are $1. These apply for people under 25yrs as well as people with a Community Services card, a Total Mobility card or who attended a partnering Tertiary provider. For more information see - https://www.metroinfo.co.nz/travel-and-fares-info/new-fares-from-1-july-2023/
 
What do your students need to know?

Your date of birth on your Metrocard activates the ‘Under 25’ concession. If a student paid child fares on their Metrocard pre-July , they will receive this  concession automatically.
All other Metrocard benefits such as free transfers and capping remain
 
What about free fares for under 13 yrs that the Government announced?
Canterbury has not yet implemented free fares for under 13yrs. We will be providing an update of the timing of this when details are confirmed.











Beckenham Te Kura o Pūroto School Newsletter, Friday 21 July 2023

Posted on by

Principal's Patch

Kia ora koutou



Another big 'Thank-you' to our PTA for the Mid-Winter Breakfast and to the Student Council for the City Mission Food Bank Can-collection this week. It was wonderful to see so many happy faces enjoying the porridge in the hall on Wednesday, and the huge collection of nearly 500 cans of food that was able to be delivered to the City Mission to supplement its Foodbank. As our roll hit 500 children this week, that is nearly one can per student! Thank you everyone who contributed to 'Make a Difference' for others in our community!

Readathon begins on Monday...


On Monday, another important PTA Fundraising activity begins - the annual 'Readathon'. Your child will bring home a Readathon card, which will invite you to help them to get sponsorship for engaging with Reading every day over the next three weeks. The aim of this is to both raise funds for the PTA to use to support the school with trips and equipment, AND, to encourage a daily reading habit for all of our children.
The final day of the readathon will be Friday 11th August, when there will be a 'Book Character Day' and everyone is invited to come to school dressed as their favourite character from a book. 
During the following two weeks, until Friday 25th August, the PTA will be collecting in the Readathon cards and money. This is one of the biggest fundraisers that our PTA does each year, and your support of it is very much appreciated.

Year 7/8 Open Evening - Tuesday 1 Aug, 7 - 8pm



Our Year 7/8 Team will be hosting an Open Evening on Tuesday 1st August, from 7:00 - 8:00pm. Whilst this is particularly targeted at the whānau of our current Year 6 students, all are welcome to come along and find out more about learning opportunities in our Year 7/8 Team.

Keeping Ourselves Safe programme and Parent Information Session

From 7th August the New Entrant to Year 6 teams will be teaching the personal safety programme by New Zealand Police - Keeping Ourselves Safe. Years 7/8 will be doing a combination of the 'Keeping Ourselves Safe' and Choices' programmes. We cover this programme every two years as part of our Health curriculum. 
Parents and whānau are strongly encouraged to support Keeping Ourselves Safe.
You can:
  • attend a meeting at school to find out more about Keeping Ourselves Safe on Wednesday 2 August at 2.15 pm in the staffroom
  • find out about abuse and what to do if you think a child you know is being abused
  • talk to your child about what they have learnt in Keeping Ourselves Safe.
  • set safety guidelines with your family
  • help young children with the Keeping Ourselves Safe activities they bring home
  • give the same safety messages as the school is giving
  • look at the whānau section of NZ Police Keeping Ourselves Safe for more information and frequently asked questions

Finally...

I will be away from Friday 28th July - Thu 3 August, attending the Australian Primary Principals' Conference, in my capacity as president of the Canterbury Primary Principals Association. Jo Smith and Sue Leadbetter will be sharing the leadership of the school in my absence.

Ngā mihi nui
Sandy Hastings 
Tumuaki - Principal

Important Dates

Upcoming Events

Mon 24 Jul - Readathon begins - cards come home
Fri 28 Jul - 10am Celebration Assembly
Tue 1 Aug - 7:00 - 8:00pm - Year 7/8 Open Evening
Wed 2 Aug - Keeping Ourselves Safe - Parent information session 2-3pm Staffroom
Fri 4 Aug- PTA Discos - see below for details
Fri 11 Aug  - Book Character Day - final day of Readathon
Fri 11 Aug - 10am Celebration Assembly
Fri 18 Aug - School Closed - Staff Only Day
Wed 23 Aug - 5:30pm - BOT Meeting - Staffroom
Wed 23 Aug - 7:30pm - PTA meeting - Staffroom
Fri 25 Aug - Final day for returning Readathon Money
Fri 25 Aug - 10am Celebration Assembly 
Fri 8 Sep - 10 am Celebration Assembly
Thu 14 Sep - am - Year 8 testing at Cashmere High
Wed 20 Sep - 5:30pm - BOT Meeting - Staffroom
Fri 22 Sep - 10am Celebration Assembly
Fri 22 Sep - final day of Term 3

Term Dates: Click here to view 2023 & 2024 term dates

Citizen of the Week

Vienna Aldridge - Year 4

Vienna, you bring such positivity and exuberance to all you do. Your energetic nature and your ability to help others both in and out of the hub is striking, and you always ensure you finish what you begin. You maintain motivation in all areas of learning, and take pride in all you do. Self-confident, able and kind...thank you for the energy you bring to our school, Vienna!

School Notices

Lucky Book club Issue 5


This lucky book club issue is out now.  Click on the link to see what is available.

Staffing Update

It was lovely to welcome Jenny Diggle back this week from her Refreshment leave during Terms 1 & 2. Jenny returns to the Year 7/8 kauri Team and Sarah Junghen will be starting in the Koru Team with our third New Entrant class later this term.

Jenny Diggle - Kauri Team - Year 7/8

The Board of Trustees have reluctantly accepted the resignation of Elizabeth Drummond in her permanent position as a full-time teacher at Beckenham, effective at the end of this year. Elizabeth has been on our staff since Term 1 1996 and there may even be one or two parents now at Beckenham who were students in her class when they started school! However, we are delighted to be able to confirm that Elizabeth has agreed to return in a fixed-term capacity during 2024 when we are ready to start our third New Entrant class, so we are not losing her skills and smile for good!

Elizabeth Drummond - New Entrant Koru Team

Sports News

Cyclocross


Two of our students competed in a Cyclocross event held recently. Isabella placed 5th in the U13 girls South Island Schools champs and Zac placed 3rd in a club race.
Get in touch with jenny.diggle@beckenham.school.nz if you would like more details about this sport which takes place outside of school hours.

PTA News

Midwinter Breakfast

Another successful Midwinter Breakfast is done and dusted. Looking forward to seeing everyone again next year and thank you to our extra helpers! 

PTA Meeting

We have our Monthly Hui next Wednesday 26th July, at 7.30pm in the staff room. All welcome! 

Readathon: July 25th - August 11th

Look out for Readathon cards that should come home on Monday 24th July. Please support your child to get sponsorship for reading each day during the Readathon. The Readathon finishes with Book Character Day on Friday 11th August. Cards and sponsorship money should be returned in the two weeks after that. 

Book Character Day - Friday 11 August

August 11th - dress up as your favourite book character to celebrate the last day of the Readathon

PTA Disco - August 4th

New Entrants and Year 1/2 2 - 2:45pm
Year 3/4 4 - 4:45pm
Year 5/6 5:10 - 6:10pm
Year 7/8 6:30 - 7:30pm

PTA Second-hand Uniform Shop

A reminder that the second-hand uniform shop is open each Tuesday from 2:45-3:15pm and Fridays from 8:45-9:15am.



As well as uniform items, we also have a large selection of gumboots which are absolutely needed in this very wet weather we are having!

Community Notices

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




Mainland Pouākai/Basketball




The Mainland Pouākai want you to be a part of the action this year as they take the floor in what will be an exciting season. For the games listed below, we are offering your school an exclusive 10% discount on tickets which will be a great night out for the whole family!  Get yours your tickets today! 

Mainland Pouākai vs Northern Kahu Home Game - Sunday 20th August, 3:00pm at Cowles Stadium


Mainland Pouākai vs Whai Home Game - Sunday 27th August, 3:00pm at Cowles Stadium


If you are interested in purchasing tickets to other home games, please click the link:


T2W10 Final newsletter of Term 2

Posted on by

Principal's Patch

Kia ora koutou

Sun and soup - a wonderful way to end the term today! We were grateful to Rebecca from the PTA for coming in today and heating up the frozen soup that was leftover from the Matariki Hui last week. We had 18 litres of soup left, and it was all very keenly consumed at lunchtime today. We were very impressed at how many children love vegetable soup!

Cybersafety - especially over the holidays

We encourage families to monitor children's social media activity closely, especially over the holiday period. We know that device time can be a real obsession for some of our children and we also know that many children are not yet able to navigate the wide range of social media platforms that they may have access to. 
Please be especially vigilant of SnapChat. This is a popular platform among many of our children. The recommended age for SnapChat is 13, and one of the very real challenges of this platform is that ANYONE, whether known to your child or not, can make contact through SnapChat and can invite a user to interact with them. This feature alone makes SnapChat a highly unsafe environment for children to be in without very close supervision. Children can also invite their friends into groups, and groups that start as friendly places for communication, can easily and often become toxic if not carefully managed and monitored.

Wheelchair Rugby - Students vs Staff

As part of our schoolwide learning theme of "Innovation", your Year 7 & 8 team have been looking at innovation in the design of sports equipment for people with disabilities. We were fortunate to be able to access the wheelchair rugby chairs, courtesy of Parafed. As well as spending time looking at the design, and trying out the incredibly maneuverable wheelchairs, the students challenged the staff to a 'no holds barred' game of wheelchair rugby in the hall yesterday! Probably due to the fact that there was no running involved, the students' fitness advantage disappeared and the staff were the winners on the day!


From all of our staff, have a safe and restful holiday. We look forward to seeing you all at school again on Monday 17 July.

Ngā mihi nui
Sandy Hastings - Tumuaki

Important Dates

Upcoming Events

Mon 17 Jul - Term 3 starts
Wed 19 Jul - PTA/Student Council Mid-winter breakfast 8:00 - 8:45am - all welcome (see blurb below)
Fri 21 Jul - 9:15am - Welcome Assembly
Fri 28 Jul - 10am Celebration Assembly
Fri 4 Aug- PTA Discos - see below for details
Fri 11 Aug - 10am Celebration Assembly
Fri 18 Aug - School Closed - Staff Only Day
Wed 23 Aug - 5:30pm - BOT Meeting - Staffroom
Wed 23 Aug - 7:30pm - PTA meeting - Staffroom
Fri 25 Aug - 10am Celebration Assembly 
Fri 8 Sep - 10 am Celebration Assembly
Thu 14 Sep - am - Year 8 testing at Cashmere High
Wed 20 Sep - 5:30pm - BOT Meeting - Staffroom
Fri 22 Sep - 10am Celebration Assembly
Fri 22 Sep - final day of Term 3

Term Dates for next year

At our Board Meeting this week, our Board confirmed the Term Dates for 2024. If you click on the link below, you will be able to view them, and you can also download a printable copy if you want one for the fridge!

Citizen of the Week

Ruvi Lawrence - Year 5

Ruvi, you are motivated, energetic, outgoing and fun! We are lucky to have you as a positive role model in our hub. You have an inquisitive mind and are highly engaged, embracing any challenge with enthusiasm. You have the self-confidence and persistence to make anything possible and regularly make interesting connections in your learning. Ka pai tō mahi, Ruvi.

School Notices

Picking up students from school

From time to time we get advised that a person, other than a listed contact for a student, will be picking them up from school. In these instances, we would really appreciate having the contact details for this person to ensure that we are able to contact them if there is any confusion around pick-up time/place for a student.
In these instances please phone the office on 03 3371404 or email office@beckenham.school.nz

Amber's home group - rescheduled Learning Conferences

We are very pleased to have Amber back at school again, and have rescheduled her home group Learning Conferences for Thursday 20th July, Week 1 of next term.  To book, please go to www.schoolinterviews.co.nz and put in the code: wca24

School Donations and Tax rebates 

Claiming back 33% of your School Donations and Contributions from the IRD
A reminder that via the IRD you may be eligible to claim back 33.33 cents for every dollar you donate to the school. This includes both school donations and contributions towards camps.

On the main IRD website https://www.ird.govt.nz/ you can search ‘submit a donation receipt’ to find out more.

You are now able to produce your own Tax Donation Receipt from your Hero Login, for the tax year ending 31st March 2023.
Note you will need to do this by signing in through your browser, not in the app.

Please follow this link for instructions. Your receipt will be downloaded to your device for you to print or attach to your online IRD donation claim.

Rachel, our account officer, will be sending out statements through HERO early next week. Thank you to everyone who has made contributions to the school donation already. We rely on your donations to be able to provide the many different supports to the curriculum that we do.

If you have any other queries please contact accounts@beckenham.school.nz or phone the office on 337 1404.

PTA News

Midwinter Breakfast - Wednesday 19th July

Get your PJs on for the return of our annual midwinter breakfast!
Come to school in your pyjamas (or uniform) from 8am on Wednesday 19th July for warm porridge or weetbix. Don't forget to bring a bowl and a spoon! Whānau welcome. Please bring a can of food to donate to the City Mission.


PTA DISCOS



Friday 4th August is the new date for the PTA Discos
Bring a gold coin and come along and boogie the afternoon/evening away.
Whānau welcome
New Entrants and Year 1-2, will have their disco from 2.00-2.45.  
Year 3/4 -  4.00-4.45 
 Years 5/6 - 5.10-6.10 
 Years 7/8 -  6.30-7.30

BOT Update



Our Board are working on developing a new Strategic Plan that will take us into the next two years. To support the thinking that is happening on this, we invite you to contribute your feedback, if you haven't already. Some of you have completed paper forms, and the feedback can also be submitted through this online form.

Community Notices

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






Exciting Opportunity for Aspiring Junior Chefs!

Introducing the Junior Chef Course, designed to unleash your child’s culinary potential!

Course Details:
Duration: 5 days
Start Date: 3 – 7 July 2023
Time: 9am – 12pm (8 – 12 year old)
         1pm - 5pm (13 - 17 year old)
Location: International Culinary Studio Training Kitchen, 1/57 Warrington St, Christchurch.

Give your child the gift of being self-sufficient in the kitchen! They’ll learn essential culinary skills, techniques, and gain hands-on experience under the guidance of experienced chefs.

Bring your own electronic device, such as a laptop or tablet, to fully engage with digital resources and take our learning to the next level.

Total Cost: $300 per student

Lecturers: Cheryl and Chef Andy will be teaching the kids a great set of skills. Below are some details of what they will be teaching the kids during the 5 day programme.

Day 1: Create the Perfect Pizza with Toppings.
Learn different Icing Techniques for Icing a Cupcake.
Day 2: Learn to make Shaped Bread Rolls
Make a Country Vegetable Soup.
Day 3: Learn to make Fresh Pasta and a Tasty Beef Sauce.
Day 4: Stuff, Roll, Crumb and Roast a Chicken Thigh
Serve with a Vegetable Skewer.
Day 5: Create Home-made Cookie Dough to make five different flavoured Cookies.
Learn to make a range of Handcrafted Filled and Shaped Chocolates.

Empower your child with culinary expertise that will last a lifetime.
Whether they aspire to be the next MasterChef or simply want to enhance their
cooking skills, this course is a stepping stone to their culinary dreams. This course will also help them with their mathematics, reading and social skills.
To reserve your child’s spot, sign them up here: https://www.internationalculinarystudio.com/events.
Limited spots available, so don’t miss out!
Join us at the Junior Chef Course and watch your child blossom into a talented chef.
Enroll today and ignite their passion for the Culinary Arts!

We will only run the course if more than 10 people register.
T & C’s Apply






Play Baseball in Christchurch

Christchurch Astros
The Christchurch Astros are looking for neighbourhood teams to play in the upcoming 2023/24 season
Start your own neighbourhood team (including coach) and we will help you coordinate competitive games against teams from around Christchurch.
If you cannot find enough players for a team, the Astros can help with the combination of programmes near to you.

- Starting school term 4
- Age groups ranging from 5 - U16
- No prior experience needed
- Limited coaching sessions available to help get started
- Equipment available for competitive games
- Practices to be held locally but games occur bi-weekly at Avonhead Park

Please register your interest by emailing: christchurchastrosbaseball@gmail.com


Beckenham Te Kura o Pūroto School Newsletter Friday 23 June 2023

Posted on by

Principal's Patch

Kia ora koutou

Thank you to all of you who participated in our Matariki Whānau Hui! What a wonderful evening of whanaungatanga - connection, manaakitanga - hospitality and generosity, and ako - learning. Matariki is a time of rememberance and a time for communities to come together and celebrate - which we certainly did!
A huge thank-you to Jason Orchard and the PTA for enhancing the manaakitanga by providing delicious hupa huawhenua - vegetable soup.

Whānau Feedback

Over the next couple of months, our Board will be developing a new strategic plan to take us through the next two years. As part of this process, we will be engaging with our community, asking for your feedback and suggestions about what we do and focus on at Beckenham.

You may have already filled out a feedback form at the Learning Conferences, or at the Matariki Hui, and these forms are also available at the office, and will be around outside some afternoons at pick-up time.

We appreciate and value all of the feedback we get and are keen to talk to you if you have anything you might want to discuss, rather than write down. If that is the case, pop that on the form, and someone will contact you.



Alternatively, you can comment by clicking this link.

Ngā mihi nui
Sandy Hastings
Tumuaki

Important Dates

Upcoming Events

Mon 26 Jun - Year 7/8 Basketball - Hillview Christian School 9:00am - 12:30pm
Tue 27 Jun - 12:30-2:30pm - Y0-4 Zone Cross Country - Hillview Christian School
Wed 28 Jun - Board Mtg - 5:30pm Staffroom                                                                                
Wed 28 Jun - PTA Mtg, 7:30pm Staffroom       
Fri 30 Jun - 10am - Celebration Assembly                                                                                 
Fri 30 Jun - last day of term 2                                                                                                             
Sat 1 Jul - School Holidays begin                                                                                                     
Mon 17 Jul - Term 3 begins

Term Dates

Citizen of the Week

Myka Orchard - Year 3

Myka, you are an incredible role model in the Kōwhai hub, the way you consistently show all of the school values. You are a conscientious learner, keen to do your best, and you are highly organised, thinking ahead and making sure you are prepared. You are also an extremely caring friend, always looking out for others and helping where needed. Myka, you are an absolute star!

School Notices

Kids Fest event: Native tree planting at Beckenham Ponds. Wed 5th July 10-11.

Our tamariki from Year 5/6 have been working very hard over the past few years at the Beckenham Ponds on restoration and planting. These holidays, there is a KidsFest Event happening at the Ponds.

Congratulations!

Beckenham Te Kura O Pūroto - Music Festival Audition Results

Following the recent auditions for the Representative Groups of the Christchurch Schools’ Music Festival, we wish to advise you of the audition results for pupils from Beckenham Te Kura O Pūroto. 

Nearly 600 pupils auditioned for the 330 places this year and we have been impressed by the high standard of many of the pupils applying. 

The number of children applying for positions in the Representative Groups may mean that some children who were in groups in a previous year may have missed out in a getting a place this year.  We regret this but, to be fair to all children auditioning, we need to treat everyone openly and fairly.

Freyja Schoeler: Senior Choir 
Isabelle Parrett: Concert Band - French Horn
Mia White: Junior Choir

Sports News

Our Cross Country team represented Kura at the Canterbury Cross-Country Championships this week. These were held at Ngā Puna Wai. 
A special mention to Jack Sayer who placed 6th out of nearly 200 Year 7 boys. Well done to the other 7 students who gave it their all! What a great experience!

Community Notices

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

Community Pharmacy Minor Ailments Service

This winter, between Monday 12 June and Saturday 30 September, participating community pharmacies in Canterbury will provide a Minor Health Conditions Service for Māori and Pacific people, children aged under 14 years, and community service card holders.

The service allows pharmacists to have a clinical consultation and provide advice as well as medication if needed for a select set of minor ailments at no cost to the patient.
It also includes whānau members of a child with similar symptoms. For example, if the pharmacist determines your child needs treatment for scabies and they have older brothers or sisters, or you yourself also have symptoms, they may provide advice and medication for all of you.
The following health conditions are included in the Minor Health Conditions Service:
  • Acute diarrhoea
  • Dehydration
  • Eye inflammation and infections
  • Scabies
  • Headlice
  • Pain and fever
  • Eczema/Dermatitis
  • Minor skin infections
If your condition needs further support, the pharmacist can tell you the best place to go for your condition to get further help.
Participating pharmacies can be found by going to HealthPoint and searching “Minor Ailments”. You can also find a list here www.tewhatuora.govt.nz/go-well.  



Have a Go Swimming Event

Swimming Canterbury West Coast is excited to announce our second dedicated "Have-a-Go Carnival" event for 2023.
The event is open to any swimmer (of any age) who is not currently registered as a club or competitive swimmer with Swimming New Zealand and is capable of swimming 25m without assistance.
Participation is free, and registration is on the day. Swimmers are welcome to swim in 25m, 50m, kick, and relay races!
Please share with anyone looking to explore swimming as a sport, or recreational activity.
For more information, head to our website:
Event Page: t.ly/hGo3
Event Information Booklet: t.ly/fvyT
Event Poster A4: t.ly/blSz




Matariki Around the World

Matariki around the World, a beautiful musical journey exploring the Matariki star cluster around the globe, based on the book written by Professor Rangi Matamua and Miriama Kamo, illustrated by Isobel Joy Te Aho-White, and published by Scholastic New Zealand.

We will be holding x2 performances at the James Hay Theatre in the Town Hall on Wednesday 5 July - 10.00am and 11.30am. 




T2 W8 – Fri 16 Jun

Posted on by

Principal's Patch

Kia ora koutou

Matariki Whānau Hui, Kapa haka & Soup - Wednesday 21 June from 5pm


We would like to invite you to our first Whānau Rōpū hui of 2022 next Wednesday.

Matariki is the start of the Māori new year and a time of reflection, connection and planning for the year ahead. We would like to celebrate with you and your whānau on the 21st of June from 5pm.

5:00 pm - Welcome & Performance in Māpuna, the Hall - Te Whānau Mahi Tahi

5:20 pm - Matariki activities begin in Hubs

6:10 pm - Matariki activities finish in Hubs

6:20 pm - Performance by Pōhutukawa and Kōwhai joint kapa haka rōpū in Māpuna, the Hall

6:40 pm - Free Soup and Bread in the hall for all - bring a mug/bowl and share kai together.

Nau mai, haere mai.

Sandy Hastings
Tumuaki - Principal

Important Dates

Wed 21 Jun - Whānau Matariki Hui, followed by PTA Hāngi
Wed 28 Jun - Board Mtg - 5:30pm Staffroom
Wed 28 Jun - PTA Mtg, 7:30pm Staffroom
Fri 30 Jun  - last day of Term 2
Sat 1 Jul - School Holidays begin
Mon 17 Jul - Term 3 begins

Citizen of the Week

Timon Spill - Year 8

Timon, you are an active learner who asks questions and explores different ideas to extend your knowledge. You are focused during learning times and use your knowledge to support others willingly. You put your hand up for leadership opportunities, and we all appreciate your ICT prowess! Thank you for being a willing and capable helper. You make Beckenham Te Kura o Puroto a better place.

Learning from our Hubs

Pond Restoration - Year 5/6 Team - movie

The Beckenham Ponds is a special place to the community and of course the namesake of our kura: Beckenham te kura o Pūroto. As a school, we have been working alongside the Christchurch City Council with a shared vision of the restoration of these taonga. For the past several years Beckenham students have been planting and maintaining native plants at the ponds, and using the environment for place-based learning opportunities. You may have seen some recent work being done. We hope you enjoy this short movie about this, and why this has our students excited!

Staffing Update

Welcome to Amanda Kay



Amanda started this week working three mornings a week in our Kahikatea Year 1/2 team as a Teaching Assistant, whilst Nathalie is away. Amanda has previously worked as an Occupational Therapist, and has two young children. Spending time with her family and baking take up most of her time!

Farewell to Sonya Watson



We are very sad to be farewelling Sonya Watson in her role as a Teaching Assistant this coming Friday. We wish her all the best as she moves on to a new position.

Congratulations to Sarah Junghenn


We are delighted to be able to confirm that we will hold on to the skills and professionalism of Sarah Junghenn. Sarah has been teaching in the Year 7/8 team for Terms 1 & 2 whilst Jenny Diggle has been on leave. Jenny will be returning next term to Year 7/8.
Sarah has agreed to take the next New Entrant group. She will start full-time in the Koru team in the early part of Term 3.

Community Notices

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

Cashmere Kea’s for 5 to 8 year olds: 

Spaces available for next term onwards. Fun and friendship are the cornerstones of the Kea programme. It is filled with a little bit of everything: outdoor activities, games and crafts. 

Meeting Place: Scout Den, Hackthorne Road, Cashmere, Christchurch Meeting time: Monday 5.45pm – 6.45pm Info about prices / contact details for Cashmere Kea’s https://scouts.nz/groups/cashmere-scout-group/ More info about Kea’s in general: https://scouts.nz/keas/

BushFarm School - Final holiday programme

Kia ora e te iwi,

Some sad news to share unfortunately, Bush Farm will be closing on the 6th Oct this year. As such, this will be the last lot of holiday programmes we will be offering to the public. www.bushfarm.org.nz

Please do contact us if you have any questions about the holiday programmes, or about our closure.



Diamond Futsal. 

We are the first and only futsal-specific program in Christchurch.

We have designed this program to engage the community and to increase participation in the game of futsal. We are open to all participants of all abilities that are wanting to give our program and the sport of Futsal a try. 

What is futsal? Futsal is a fast-paced indoor variation of football/soccer that is played inside on a hard court with a low-bounce ball. Futsal emphasizes skilful footwork, quick passes, and close control due to the smaller playing area and fewer players on each team. It promotes agility, technique, and creativity while also developing teamwork and decision-making abilities. Futsal is known for its dynamic nature, high-scoring matches, and exciting displays of individual and team skills.

We have attached our flier for the program we plan to run in term 3 and also included a link to a form that students can fill out if they are interested. 
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd3hY_Ek8ClqIpgNzv-szRops84m1RtYgMJLxUE60AQI9MEEg/viewform?usp=sf_link