Kōwhai News Term 3 Week 8

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Kia ora e te whānau,

Welcome to Week 8! Time is flying in the Kōwhai hub, and our days remain packed with energy, learning, and discovery. As Term 3 draws to a close, our students continue to be fully engaged and working hard right up to the finish line. 


Life Education

Harold the giraffe continues to inform and entertain our tamariki in the Life Education bus. The Kōwhai team have all attended our first session, with the second session focusing on interpersonal relationships coming up in Week 9. This programme complements the friendship lessons that we are currently teaching in class. With the aid of some wonderful friendship books from our library, we have facilitated some great discussion and reflection on what it is to be a good friend.


















Hip Hop Dance Lessons

We continue to enjoy learning and practising our hip hop dances in our home group classes. We are improving each time and are having fun along the way. We had planned to perform our dance at the end of Term 3. This has now been moved to the beginning of Term 4; more information about this will be communicated soon.


Kapa Haka Performance

A reminder that in Week 10, the Kōwhai team will be performing at assembly. Our tamariki have been working hard to put in the final touches on our performance and have worked hard to learn waiata. You are welcome to attend the Celebration Assembly in the hall at 10:00 am. We look forward to seeing you there to support our tamariki.


Maths In Action

Maths is fun when we can apply it in the real world. At the moment, all children in Kōwhai are learning and practising our measurement skills. We are enjoying measuring the length, weight, and capacity of classroom items as well as learning to tell the time, with lots of hands-on activities involved. 




Privacy and Social Media

Actively managing your tamariki’s privacy settings on the social networks they use can go a long way towards keeping control of their personal information.

Any information that is easily available online, whether it’s an email address, date of birth, or pictures, could end up causing harm if it gets into the wrong hands.

To help you navigate privacy on social media, Netsafe has put together a guide on How to Use Privacy Settings on Social Networks. 



Learning Languages: New Zealand Sign Language (NZSL)

We have been working hard in Term 3 to learn the basics of New Zealand Sign Language, which has been a good challenge and lots of fun! We are very lucky to have two members of the deaf community visiting us in the Kōwhai hub next week to talk to us about NZSL, deaf culture and the importance of being inclusive and respectful of different ways of communicating. 


Beckenham’s Got Talent

The final of Beckenham’s Got Talent is fast approaching! 

The Kōwhai team have held the semi-final auditions and have narrowed performances down to five acts. Next week, they will put on a whole hub performance where we will choose the top three acts to go through to the whole school show in Week 10. We certainly have some talented tamariki in our midst! 


Heritage Day: A Message From The Student Council

On September 18th, next Friday, the Student Council has organised a Heritage Day to celebrate our diverse cultures. 


Children are invited to come to school dressed in something to represent their family's heritage. This could be a costume, something special about the country, or simply wearing the colours from the country's flag. Please bring a gold coin for Big Brothers and Big Sisters. 


Big Brothers Big Sisters is an organisation that helps children and young people build confidence, resilience and positive relationships through mentoring. The programme matches young people with caring adult or older-youth mentors who spend regular time together, talking, sharing activities and simply being there. These supportive relationships can make a real difference to a young person’s sense of belonging, self-confidence and ability to navigate life’s challenges.



Have a great weekend!


From the Kōwhai team

Term 3, Week 8 – Kauri Blog

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Term 3, Week 8 - Kauri Blog

What a busy couple of weeks it has been in Kauri! We’ve packed so much into our days, from skiing and cricket to a fantastic performance at the Court Theatre, our school duathlon (and the Canterbury event), Koru Games training and a visit from the Life Education bus. In between all of the excitement, we’ve still managed to squeeze in plenty of learning, too! There’s certainly never a dull moment in Kauri, so here’s a look at what we’ve been up to.

Upcoming Dates

Term 3, Week 9:
  • Tuesday: Ohitahni Reserve Planting Day (select students)
  • Wednesday: CHOIR - Area Rehearsal @ Haeata Community Campus (select students)
  • Thursday: Pō Whakangahau Performance @ Cashmere High (Te Whānau Mahi Tahi)
Term 3, Week 10:
  • Monday: Long Jump practice at Hillview (all Kauri students)
  • Tuesday - Thursday: Koru Games at Foster Park / Lincoln University / Selwyn Netball Centre
  • Friday: Beckenham's Got Talent
Term 4, Week 2:
  • Monday: Year 8 fun and formal photos
  • Friday: BTKOP Athletics Day

Reminders from Kauri Kaiako:

  • Hats are required to be worn when outside in Term 4. Please take the time over the holidays to ensure your child has a hat. 
  • Year 8 High School - All year 8 students should now be enrolled into a high school for 2027. If you are needing support with doing this, please get in touch with your child's homegroup teacher or the office.
Have a lovely weekend and we can't wait to see your tamariki back on Monday for another jam-packed two weeks!

Ngā mihi nui,
Hugo, Kate, Sarah & Megan


BTKOP & PSC Duathlons

Over the last two weeks, we have had our school and Primary Sports Canterbury Duathlons. It has been fantastic to see so many students getting involved, challenging themselves and giving it their best effort. There were some impressive performances, with students showing great determination, resilience and sportsmanship throughout both events. We are incredibly proud of everyone who took part and represented BTKOP so well. A special congratulations to Zach who finished first overall for Year 8 Open.

Year 7 Open - 3rd Haydn, 73rd Lucas

Year 7 Girls - 11th Jayme, 22nd Clara, 68th Lily

Year 8 Open - 1st Zach, 6th Daniel, 11th Dylan, 20th Ben, 42nd Samson

Year 8 Girls - 8th Laura

Koru Games Trainings

With Koru Games in Week 10 fast approaching, we have already had two fantastic training sessions underway. We are so fortunate to have some incredible helpers and providers giving their time and expertise to help get our tamariki ready for the tournament. A huge thank you to Jacob from Kī-o-rahi Selwyn and Emma from Mixx Korfball, as well as our fabulous parent helpers Amanda, Roberta and Elise, for supporting our teams and helping build their skills and confidence.

The countdown to Koru Games is well and truly on, and we can’t wait for a fantastic week of competition, fun and plenty of Kauri spirit!











He Hura Kōrero: Court Theatre Performance

We were lucky enough to enjoy a special visit from He Hura Kōrero and the Court Theatre. The performance took us on a journey exploring the importance of precious taonga and the stories, people and connections that make them so meaningful. It was a wonderful opportunity for our tamariki to experience live theatre and engage with themes of whakapapa, culture and the things we value and treasure. We thoroughly enjoyed the performance and appreciated the opportunity to experience such a meaningful story right here at school.


Ski Trip - Mt Hutt

What a fantastic day we had on the slopes! It was wonderful to see our tamariki enjoying themselves, challenging themselves and making the most of the opportunity to get out on the snow. Unfortunately, the strong winds meant we had to finish up after half a day, but that certainly didn’t stop it from being a great day. A huge thank you to all our wonderful parent helpers and teachers who gave up their time to make the trip possible. We really appreciate your support!








Canterbury Cricket Sessions

We were lucky enough to have Dan from Canterbury Cricket visit us, with each class enjoying a 45-minute cricket session using the Smash Play format. It was a fantastic opportunity for our tamariki to develop their cricket skills while having plenty of fun along the way. There was lots of batting, bowling, teamwork and, of course, plenty of enthusiasm! A big thank you to Dan for coming along and getting everyone involved.




Life Education Bus (Harold)

This week, each class had their first session with Life Education and Harold. Our focus was on reputation and integrity, exploring what these words mean and how our choices and actions can shape the way others see us. It was a great opportunity for our tamariki to think about the kind of people they want to be and the positive impact they can have on those around them. We’re looking forward to our next session!

Competitive Jump Jam team

Our competitive Jump Jam team have been working incredibly hard over the past few weeks, and today they officially submitted their entry for Nationals! We are so proud of the dedication, teamwork and commitment the girls have shown throughout their preparation. A huge thank you to Kate Meder for all of the time, energy and hard work she has put into supporting and coaching the team. We can’t wait to see them take the stage!

Koru Team News Term 3 Week 8 (11/09/2026)

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Kia ora, e te whānau,

We warmly welcome our new tamariki into the Koru team, and to Beckenham Te Kura o Pūroto! Luca, Zoe and Ruby have all started school in the last fortnight and have settled beautifully into the team. We appreciate the wonderful help of our 'golden oldies' who are truly amazing at providing wrap around support, thereby demonstrating our school value, 'We Care'.

Life Education:

This week and next, the Life Education van, along with educator, Kirsty, and her support crew, in the form of Harold the Giraffe, are based at school with us. The Koru team have two lessons with Kirsty and Harold, the first of which was on Monday, and the second, today. Our broad focus is on Living Things, with questions relating to:

  • Where does our food come from?
  • Why do we need to eat a variety of food?
  • What do all living things need to stay alive? 
These lessons dovetail beautifully with our current Science topic, in which we investigate the questions:
  • What do living things need to survive (food, water, shelter, sunlight)?
  • How do plants and animals grow and change?
  • How can people care for plants, animals, and natural places?
Harold's 4 favourite letters!

Harold, being a little bit mischievous

Harold, singing his song about friendship

Some living things work together as a group


Working together as a group

Enjoying time with one of our Friday big buddies

Ordering numbers to 20



Sketching different types of plants around our school grounds


Making giraffe shapes with our hands

Student Council Heritage Day:

On Sept 18th, next Friday, the Student Council has organised a Heritage Day to celebrate our diverse cultures. Children are invited to come to school dressed in something to represent their family's heritage. This could be a costume, something special about the country or children could simply wear the colours from the country's flag. Please bring a gold coin for the Big Brothers and Big Sisters organisation.

Big Brothers Big Sisters is an organisation that helps children and young people build confidence, resilience and positive relationships, through mentoring.
The programme matches young people with caring adult or older-youth mentors who spend regular time together, talking, sharing activities and simply being there. These supportive relationships can make a real difference to a young person’s sense of belonging, self-confidence and ability to navigate life’s challenges.

A few items of note:
  • Kiss and Drop 💛 - as our Koru Team grows, our hub can get pretty busy in the mornings, and this can feel a little overwhelming for some tamariki. To help everyone have a calm start to the day, we’d really appreciate it if you could “kiss and drop” your child at the door, rather than coming into the hub with them. This gives tamariki a chance to come in, find their friends, unpack and settle into their morning independently. Thanks so much for your support with this — it really helps us keep the mornings calm, happy and settled for everyone! Please note that if your child is new to school and may well need extra support with the drop off, that is absolutely fine :)
  • Toys at school - we are trialling, with the tamariki, that if/when toys come into school, the toys then spend the day in the teachers' office, where they are able to sit up high enough to be able to see out through the window and each keep an eye on their child. We hope that this means that no toys end up out in the playground where they might inadvertently be lost or damaged, and also that they don't become a distraction during learning times. It would be really helpful if you could talk about this with your child, please. We do prefer that toys remain at home :)
  • Late pick ups - if you find that you're going to be late to collect your child after school, please phone our school office to let them know, and your message will be sent through to us in the hub. Any child who hasn't been collected from outside Tāhaki, by 3:10 p.m. will be taken over to the office by their Home Group teacher, so that teachers are able to be ready for any after school meetings which might be taking place - meetings generally start at 3:15 p.m.
We hope that you all have a lovely weekend (perhaps including the chance to visit our PTA Clothing and Book Sale, which is taking place on Saturday and Sunday in our school hall).
We look forward to seeing those beautiful, wide smiles back at school on Monday!

Ngā mihi mahana ki a koutou,
Stacey, Nicola, Kendall and Elizabeth

Pōhutukawa Team News Term 3 Week 8 2026

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Ngā mihi e te whānau, warm greetings to you all,

Read on for news and information about what has been happening around the hub in the last two weeks!. Have a great weekend everyone, kia pai ngā rā whakata.

Wow what a busy time we have had in the Pōhutukawa team! Over the last few weeks we have done Cycle Safe, Food for Thought Programme, Special Visit from Ross Meder (Volunteer Ambulance Officer), Kiwi Competition, Beckenham's got talent and many more! 

In class we have been learning about Body Systems. We got our hands on some clay and made some brains! What a fun wee hands on activity to focus in on the main component of our bodies here are some pictures of the creative outcome. 











Operation! 
We have begun the task of building our own version of the game Operation. We will be doing our own copper wiring, wiring it all up together and connecting it all to LED lights and a battery pack. This is how were getting on so far. 








Student Council News

On Sept 18th, next Friday, the Student Council has organised a Heritage Day to celebrate our diverse cultures. Children are invited to come to school dressed in something to represent their family's heritage. This could be a costume, something special about the country or simply wear the colours from the country's flag. Please bring a gold coin for Big Brothers and Big Sisters.

Big Brothers Big Sisters is an organisation that helps children and young people build confidence, resilience and positive relationships through mentoring.

The programme matches young people with caring adult or older-youth mentors who spend regular time together, talking, sharing activities and simply being there. These supportive relationships can make a real difference to a young person’s sense of belonging, self-confidence and ability to navigate life’s challenges.




Privacy and Social Media

Actively managing your tamariki’s privacy settings on the social networks they use can go a long way

towards keeping control of their personal information.


Any information that is easily available online, whether it’s an email address, date of birth, or pictures,

could end up causing harm if it gets into the wrong hands.


To help you navigate privacy on social media, Netsafe has put together a guide on

How to Use Privacy Settings on Social Networks. 


Have a lovely weekend, Ngā mihi nui. Kia Kaha.

The Pōhutukawa Teaching Team

Chris, Chloe, Nick, Kate, Rae, Megan and Laura

Beckenham Te Kura o Pūroto Schoolwide Newsletter, Rāmere (Friday) 4th September 2026

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Principal's Update

Kia ora koutou

We hope you have all had a good week. The students and staff have certainly enjoyed the warmer weather toward the end of the week!

Today, our staff engaged in professional development. These learning days are critical as they build our collective capacity to provide the best possible learning opportunities for our students. We truly appreciate the support of our families in keeping children home today, and we hope you enjoy the extended long weekend.

PTA Clothing & Book Sale

Next weekend is a significant event for our school, with the PTA’s annual Clothing and Book Sale taking place in our school hall on Saturday and Sunday. Our PTA works tirelessly for our kura, without their dedication, many of the additional resources and opportunities provided for our students simply wouldn't be possible. If you have time to drop by next weekend and make a few purchases, it would be greatly appreciated.

Ministerial Visit Update

Recently, Erica Stanford visited our school. Following her visit, we received a letter of thanks highlighting the great things she saw and how impressed she was by our students and teachers. During her visit, we discussed the classroom modification projects we have been involved in. Modifications for our two newest teaching hubs, Parenga and Tahaki, are in the pipeline; however, because these involve more complex retrofitting, we have been advised that we will be contacted in early 2027. We will keep the community updated as plans progress.

Shelter in Place Update

On Wednesday, we initiated a precautionary shelter-in-place procedure after several staff members and students reported a gas-like smell (similar to LPG) in the playground. In these situations, we always exercise maximum caution and follow our emergency response protocol. Emergency services attended the site and used monitoring equipment, confirming that the odour was not from a flammable gas. We were then able to resume normal school operations safely.

Thank you to our students for their excellent response during the shelter-in-place, and to our community for your ongoing support. Interestingly, a number of local parents reported noticing the same odour in the wider neighbourhood around that time.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Ngā mihi,
Cade

Principal / Tumuaki
Beckenham Te Kura o Pūroto

Important Dates

2026 & 2027 Term Dates - Linked Here

Upcoming EventsTerm 3
Mon 7 - Thu 17 SeptemberLife Education
Mon 7 SeptemberPSC Duathlon Event
Tue 8 SeptemberCashmere High School Testing Day (Yr 8)
Thu 10 SeptemberWhakanui Whaikaha - Disability Play Partnership
Thu 10 SeptemberCanterbury Cricket Sessions (Yr 7/8)
Fri 11 SeptemberCelebration Assembly (10:00-10:30am, Hall)
Sat 12 - Sun 13 SeptemberPTA Book and Clothing Sale (Hall)
Wed 16 SeptemberBoard of Trustees Meeting (5:30-7:30pm, Staff Room)
Wed 16 - Thu 17 SeptemberPSC Winter Tournament Event
Thu 17 SeptemberPō Whakangahau Performance (Cashmere High)
Tue 22 - Thu 24 SeptemberKoru Games (Yr 7/8)
Fri 25 SeptemberCelebration Assembly (10:00-10:30am, Hall)
Fri 25 SeptemberBeckenham's Got Talent (1:30-3:00pm)
Fri 25 SeptemberLast Day of Term 3
School Holidays
Mon 12 OctoberFirst Day of Term 4
Fri 16 OctoberWelcome Assembly (9:15-9:30am, Hall)
Fri 23 OctoberSchool Athletics Event
Mon 26 OctoberSchool Closed - Labour Day
Wed 28 OctoberBoard of Trustees Meeting (5:30-7:30pm, Staff Room)
Mon 2 NovemberSouth Zone Athletics (Yr 5-8)
Wed 11 NovemberSchool Chicken's 1st Birthday
Fri 13 NovemberSchool Closed - Canterbury Anniversary Day

Citizen of the Week

Ruby - Year 3

Ruby, you are a positive, caring and thoughtful member of our school community who always gives 100% to everything you do. You are a wonderful role model for others and consistently demonstrate our school’s Kete Values through your kindness, respect and positive attitude. You are always willing to lend a helping hand and look out for others, making you a valued and dependable member of the Kōwhai team. We love seeing your creativity shine and the enthusiasm you bring to everything you do. Keep up the fantastic work, Ruby! Ka pai tō mahi!

Indigo - Year 6

Indigo, you are a bright, respectful, and dedicated role model at our kura. By volunteering, supporting your classmates, and putting your best effort into everything you do, you lead with heart and humility. Your exceptional work ethic makes a huge impact on our school community. Ka pai tō mahi, Indigo—we are so proud of you! Ka pai tō mahi, Indigo.

School Notices

Medication At School - Reminder

If a child requires medication at school on a long-term or short-term basis, parents/caregivers need to complete a medicine authority form with Jacky, Alisa or Chloe in the office. Procedures are followed to ensure that it is kept securely and administered appropriately.

For any medication that is required to be kept at school on an ongoing basis, expiry dates need to be checked regularly by parents/caregivers. If the school notices an expiry date is due, parents/caregivers will be advised.

Parents/caregivers are asked to please update the school on any medical/health information about their child by contacting the school office.

Ikura | Manaakitia te whare tangata - Period Products in Schools

The Ikura | Manaakitia te whare tangata initiative aims to relieve financial pressures for whānau. 

The initiative supports ākonga in having ready access to products to take home during the school term and school holidays to cover their full menstrual cycle should they need them. 

We can provide these through the school office.

Product will also be available in the Kauri - Hangere and Pōhutukawa - Parenga hub toilet spaces, where students can discreetly access products without having to ask.

Please come by the office if you would like to collect products, or talk with someone (ask for either Jo or Chloe); or feel free to email: pa@beckenham.school.nz

Sports News

Kia ora koutou,

This section of our newsletter is dedicated to highlighting the successes and challenges our students are experiencing in sports outside of school. We love seeing our ākonga (students) showing our school values, especially We Love Challenge Nau Mau Te Wero in the community. If your child has had a sporting success that you’d like to share with our community, please email me with a short blurb and photo to: kate.mcgregor@beckenham.school.nz - We’d love to feature it in our next newsletter!

Ngā mihi nui,
Kate McGregor
Sports Coordinator

Beckenham Te Kura o Pūroto Duathlon

What a fantastic day at our School Duathlon! Our students showed great determination, enthusiasm and sportsmanship as they tackled the run, bike and run course. It was fantastic to see so many students getting involved, supporting each other and giving it their best. A huge thank you to our staff, volunteers and families for helping make the event such a success!

Congratulations to our place-getters:

Year 5
Champions: Jos & Amelia
Runners-Up: Hunter & Jess

Year 6
Champions: Corben & Laurien
Runners-Up: Leo & Chloe

Year 7
Champions: Haydn & Jayme
Runners-Up: Lucas & Clara

Year 8
Champions: Zach & Laura
Runner-Up: Daniel

Cycling Southern Tour

A fantastic weekend of cycling success for Zach and Daniel! Zach won the U14 age group, with Daniel finishing 3rd. At the National Criterium Championships on Saturday, Zach claimed Gold and Daniel took home Bronze.

It was a lovely sunny weekend with plenty of hard efforts across the two days. Well done, Zach and Daniel!

Chicken Chat

Special Moments from the Coop!

PTA News

Book and Clothing Sale 12th & 13th September

Thank you for all your donations! Donations close on Wednesday 10th September to allow for sorting. If you can help over the weekend, please complete this form. There will be loads of great stuff to buy at low prices, and this is an important fundraiser to support our school, so we'd love to see you all over the weekend!

Smeg Knives 

We’re still collecting New World stickers so that we can restock the hall kitchen. If you have spares, please drop them in at the office. 

Weetbix TRYathlon

It's great to see lots of tamariki signing up for this fun challenge.  Entries are still open, and you can click on this link to join our Beckenham te Kura o Pūroto School Group. Tamariki can also join our School Group by using the School Group search function when entering online. 

The TRYathlon is all about giving it a TRY and is a rewarding and fun day out for you and your child. Every child gets a t-shirt and medal. We will have the school gazebo set up at the domain so that children and parents can meet up before and after their event.  The PTA will have ice blocks for tired/hot participants!

Children 6 years old on event day can compete in the Splash & Dash!
Children aged 7-15 years old on event day can complete the TRYathlon as an individual or in a team of two. 
For more information visit tryathlon.co.nz 

Entertainment Book

The two for one offer finishes on the 7th September so order your entertainment book now!! Click here to order one today!

BOT Update

Term 3 Policy Review Now Open - SchoolDocs

  1. Visit the SchoolDocs 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 policy.
  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, our 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.)

Beckenham Tennis Club Hotshots 

Starting Saturday, 12th September, we are running a tennis programme called Hotshots at Beckenham Tennis Club. 
Key Dates:
Hot Shots starts 12th September 2026
No sessions 24th October and 14th November 2026
Term 1 starts back on 13th February 2027
Hot Shots: Learning tennis skills, having fun.
There are 3 sessions for Hotshots held on a Saturday during term time:
RED BALL: 5 to 7 year-olds, 9:15am to 10am
ORANGE BALL: 8 to 10 year-olds, 10am to 10:45am
GREEN BALL: 10 years plus. 10:45am to 11:30am


Any questions email: beckenhamtennis@gmail.com

Guardians of the Wild Wood: A Spellbound Drama & Puppetry Workshop

Looking for a creative school holiday activity for your child? Storybox Drama and Ipuppets are teaming up for a magical, hands-on drama and puppetry workshop inspired by the book Nettle’s Handbook for Hedgewitches by Claire Barker.

Children will step into the Wild Wood as Hedgewitches and Hedgewizards, make their own wand and forest folk puppet, learn puppetry skills, use drama and storytelling, and work together on a magical mission to save the forest.

Ages 5–7
Saturday 26 September | 10:00–11:30am
$30 per child
Parent/caregiver must accompany their child.
Book tickets: Guardians of the Wild Wood Ages 5-7

Ages 8–12
Saturday 26 September | 2:00–4:00pm
$40 per child
Book tickets: Guardians of the Wild Wood Ages 8-12 

Toi Auaha Community Arts Lounge: 5 Worcester Boulevard
Part of Tamariki Book Festival 2026: Spellbound.
With thanks to Creative Communities Christchurch for supporting this event.

Christchurch Art Gallery with Storybox Drama

Two special school holiday drama workshops at Christchurch Art Gallery!

The Story Feather
Wednesday 30 September | 10.30am–12pm
Ages 5–8 | $15
A magic feather has appeared in the Gallery, and those who believe in it can use it to talk to the birds! Explore Bird Land: Te Kāhui Manu through drama and movement in this immersive art adventure with Sam from Storybox Drama.

Meet at the front desk
Book tickets: The Story Feather Ages 5-8

The Case of the Silent Birds

Thursday 1 October | 10.30am–12pm
Ages 9–12 | $15
The birds have fallen silent… but they have a message to share. Can you uncover it? Become an investigator as you examine the clues hidden within the artworks and follow the mystery through imagination, movement and drama.

Meet at the front desk
Book Tickets: The Case of the Silent Birds

Feeling the pinch on lunchboxes? Free Lunchbox Planner

https://www.kiwilunchbox.co.nz is a free tool built by an Auckland parent. 
It plans a week of school lunches around whatever is on special at Woolworths and New World, shows what the week will cost, and gives you a prep plan. No account needed, nothing for sale. 

Kids Travel for $25 by Rail These Spring Holidays

Our school holiday deal offers travel one way for just $25 on our world-class rail journeys, including Coastal Pacific, TranzAlpine, and Northern Explorer, for children aged 14 and under. Valid for travel between 26 September and 11 October 2026, bookings are now open until 11 October 2026. Please note, children must travel with at least one fully paid adult. 
 
For full details and booking information, visit Great Journeys NZ.