Beckenham School Moving Forward 2019-05-27 12:30:00

 Newsletter - Outdoor Spaces Update 3

26th March 2019

We held a community meeting to discuss the Pūkaki play area on 4th March. It was great to have so many people interested in this first project. This meeting highlighted the need for us to create a space for our school community to be able to easily access the information about the outdoor spaces development around the school and to keep informed of up and coming events.

A tab has been created on the school website for you to be able to access the newsletter updates that we send out all in one place, along with information about the processes we are following and the projects that are currently being working on.

We are aware that the development of the outdoor spaces is taking time as we have had to work with the MOE and having heritage trees on site. As a committee, we are committed to ensuring that we achieve the best possible outcomes for all. Having student voice and involvement is an important element of this process as the children are the ones who will be using the spaces and are our guardians of this land. We also want to ensure that the areas created across the school have a consistent ‘flow’. The school cultural narrative is our guiding theme. The cultural narrative is our story and what makes our space in the world unique. Here is our school cultural narrative if you are unfamiliar with it. It also explains the development and significance of our school logo and building names too.

We have developed a set of protocols to be governed by to ensure the developments across the school are equitable. These are the Beckenham Outdoor Spaces Committee Process Protocols as approved by the BOT:
Guidelines/Process
1.Gathering Ideas (Students) based on set criteria they must

  • Support our cultural narrative
  • Be accessible for all children
  • Support neurodiverse as well as neurotypical students (different spaces for different purposes; busy/quiet spaces)
  • Be achievable 
  • Be within the set budget (organised by the Outdoor Spaces team)

2. Refine ideas and put into 2-3 plans for consideration
3. Expert involvement (landscape architect and playground expert) of review of the plans
4. Confirm the plan- costings, timeline etc.
5. Ensure plans meet safety guidelines
6. Install the project

Here are our latest developments 

Pūkaki Play Space

The plans for the Pukaki play space are all ready to go. We are awaiting a tree report to understand the viability of working on and around the tree roots.

Junior Playground 

The children are currently being asked for their input into the refurbishment of this play area. We plan to repaint and repair damaged and worn areas on the current playground and will add new items to enhance what is already there. The children across the school will be asked for their ideas for what they would like to see updated and added. It is important that we have student involvement as they are the ones who will be using the area. We would like to begin this over the Term 2 holidays and complete this in the first few weeks of Term 2 so the children receive the greatest benefit.

Court Markings

We are aware that we need to add some court games across the school. The senior school are investigating what types of court markings that they would like to install across the school. This may include hopscotches, four square, twister, chess etc. We will send out the plans when they are developed. This will give the children more games to be able to play at break times and maximise the use of our court space.
Examples of court markings
Trees for Canterbury 
We are currently putting in an order from trees for Canterbury for us to use across the school.

Outdoor Spaces Committee

Outdoor Spaces Update 2

Newsletter - Outdoor Spaces Update 2

19 December 2018

The Outdoor Spaces team are currently working on developing a new play space at the end of Pūkaki, on the bark area, for the NE children. At this stage, when the newest members of our school start, the main playground is a distance from their hub and they only have direct access to the inner courtyard. For many, the sheer size of our school is quite daunting so creating a play area close to the hub will help to provide a safe area for them to play.

Over the past few weeks, the children in the NE team have investigated possible play items for this space and designed plans for this area. The children are very keen to have a sand pit (this needs to be covered to protect it from animals and the elements), a fort-like play structure (for their play-based learning and inquiry) and balance beams (for locomotor activities).

Examples of Student Designs

Last week the outdoor spaces team met to review the students’ designs and begin to plan this area. They identified some  potential limitations in the area due to the wonderful trees that inhabit the space. Keeping in line with our cultural narrative and the planting that has already occured in the school, the team now has a plan for this area which is ready for community consultation.

The committee is aware that this is one area of many across the school that require development, and will fund it accordingly. Below is the proposed design for the space.

Proposed Design Plan
We invite you to email Matthew McDonald matthew@odab.co.nz with any feedback regarding this plan by Friday 18th January. The aim will be to start this area at the beginning of Term 1 2019, so the children can utilise this space as soon as possible.

Beckenham Outdoor Spaces Committee




Newsletter – Outdoor Spaces Update 1

Newsletter - Outdoor Spaces Update 1
November 2018

An Outdoor Spaces Committee has been established to help guide and oversee the development of the outdoor spaces at Beckenham Te Kura o Pūroto. The PTA has done an INCREDIBLE job over the past 2-3 years dedicating their fundraising efforts to enable us to develop the outside areas across the school.

The committee comprises of: Matthew Macdonald (BOT), Paulette Newton (staff), Amanda Wolt (PTA), Natalie Doering (parent) and Carmel Wade (parent/architect).

The committee has been meeting each fortnight and so far has worked together to:
Develop a set of guidelines and processes to enable the school to achieve the best outcome for our students. 
Identified the purpose of the outdoor spaces so there is a natural ‘flow’ across the school. Criteria:

  • Reflect the school’s cultural narrative
  • Accessible for all
  • Fun and meet the needs of all students
  • Able to grow as the school grows. 

3. Identified areas across the school for development and begun to create a timeline for these.
4. Present and ask for school engagement in the process. We have met with the Student School Council about using the school logo - Matau (hook) - to influence the shape of the renewed play space at the centre of the school. They were very excited about this!

We understand that this will be an ongoing plan that will have a number of smaller projects within it. The costings for each of the projects will need to be worked through. The fundraising the PTA has done will be a wonderful contribution towards getting these plans underway, but we don’t assume for a moment that it will cover the total costs! We will be making grant applications and seeking further funding from a variety of sources. Ministry of Education operational funding that the school receives each year is not able to be used to support significant capital investments such as these.

As the children are the Kaitiaki (guardians) of the school grounds and will be the ones using the spaces, it is essential they have a strong voice in this process. Much of the planning and design work will be developed and generated by the students, which is an authentic learning experience. This is such an exciting opportunity, and one that we know will take time to plan to ensure we get the best outcome possible. 

The first area that we hope to develop with the students is Pūkaki (new entrants hub). The students have begun the process of generating ideas for this area. We hope to share the ideas before the end of term and work towards development early in term 1.

We will put regular updates in the school newsletter to keep you informed of proposed plans, and at times we will be seeking your input and ideas and offers of support for working bees as we action different areas across the school.





Hooray! Our First New Building is finished!

Very exciting days ahead - our first new building is finished!

How long have we been waiting for this moment! The cleaners have worked their magic on the new West Hub as part of the final preparation for us to begin to move in and use the new learning spaces. The underfloor heating is working and the internet is on. Security and fire alarms are working along with power and water. Now it needs people!


The final step, before we can move in, is to get a Certificate of Public Use (CPU) which needs to be issued by the City Council. The inspection has happened this week, and now we are just waiting for the paperwork to be reviewed and the certificate issued... and the time that will take is the unknown factor! You can be sure that we will let you know AS SOON as we have this!

Opening Ceremony - keep a very close eye on your emails!

When the CPU is obtained, we would like to have an Opening Ceremony the very next school day, so that we can begin moving in and using the space. PLEASE keep an eye on your emails - the opening ceremony will be at VERY short notice. It will be an 8am ceremony on a school day, with an opportunity to have a walk through the building immediately afterwards. This will allow the senior students to attend, and then to get on their buses to Champion St.

Tentative plans - first steps for the last three weeks of this term

Hub 5/6 - first to move

Our primary goal will be to move Hub 5/6 (Mike and Paulette's learning groups) into the Sandwich Road end of the new West Hub, as a temporary step (before they move to their final space in the East Hub. which will happen during the July school holidays.) Moving into the West Hub will allow them an opportunity to spread their wings a little. They have been working superbly well in the confined space of the old staff room and they are well and truly ready for a change. They are prepared to shift at a moment's notice and excited about being the first group in the new building.
Following the opening ceremony, we will be asking parents of that hub who are there (and any others who can lend a strong arm for half an hour) to go to Hub 5/6 and help carry over a piece of furniture, or a box of resources. We think that we can have the physical shift completed by 9:30am and then we can leave the teachers and children to explore how they will use the space for learning for the remainder of the term.

Hubs 1,2,3 & 4 moving gradually this term

During the last weeks of this term, the children and teachers of Hubs 1-4 will slowly move into their new teaching and learning space in the new West Hub at the north (Beckenham Park) end. They will keep you posted about the details of that move as they come to hand, and will ask for parent help as they need it.

During the July Holidays... lots more action will be happening

We are expecting to have possession of the new East Hub in the second week of the July holidays. There will be a call for volunteers to help move boxes and furniture on the Monday and Tuesday of that second week of the holidays.

Year 3/4 Kowhai team (Hubs 5/6/7/8 & 9)

...will all be moved into the new East Hub ready for the start of Term 3

New Entrants in Hub 10/11 

...will start Term 3 in their new location of the building that is currently Hub 8/9, over by the big adventure playground near the park. Elizabeth, Rowe and Gail will be packing up their space, and reassembling it in their new location during the holidays.

Ferndale School satellite class from Room 20 

... will be moving into their space in the new East Hub, ready to start teaching and learning there in Term 3

Sandy,  Michelle and Cath

...will be moving out of the Admin Building and will take up temporary lodgings for Term 3 in the East Hub, adjacent to the Year 3/4 team..

Jacky, Vicki and the Office

... will move into the West Hub at the Sandwich Road end, adjacent to the Y1/2 team.

Teacher Aides and Tony

...will move with the flow and go to where they are needed, as they always do! They will form part of the glue that helps to keep us all together as we navigate our way through this exciting time of change! Tony's garage stays where it is for Term 3

October Holidays

During the October holidays we will be undertaking the big shift of our Year 5-8 students, teachers and all of their resources, back to Beckenham from Champion St. The Year 5/6 Pōhutukawa team will move into the West Hub (at the Sandwich Road end) and the Year 7/8 Kauri team will move into the East Hub at the river end.
We expect to have the hall back in use again in Term 4 which will be fantastic! It will be amazing to have everyone back on site again!

More details about the October moves and Term 4 will be available once we get Term 3 underway!

Preparing for New Learning Spaces 3 June 2017

Preparing for New Learning Spaces

(from school newsletter 3 June 2017)

Our teachers are continuing to develop their practice and processes around collaboration as we work towards moving into our new learning spaces. Last week, the 5 teachers from the Y3/4 Kowai team spent a day together, visiting another school that has recently moved into learning spaces very similar to ours, spending time in our new building and then meeting to develop the systems and processes that will be important to have for the successful transition from our current spaces to our new spaces. They are considering the ways that our children learn, and ensuring that there will be consistency from all the members of the teaching team in the expectations and messages that are given to the children.

The West Hub continues to progress with lighting, plumbing, wall and floor coverings and joinery nearly all in. The underfloor heating system is being commissioned this coming week.

Our Year 1/2 teachers from Hub 10/11 had a similar day on Thursday, and the Koru teachers from Hubs 1-4 will have a similar day coming in the next couple of weeks. We appreciate that having a reliever in the class for day is not quite the same as having the teacher with whom the children are familiar, and we believe that giving the teachers sufficient time for this preparation is very important and will result in the best outcomes as we move forward.