Beckenham Te Kura o Pūroto Schoolwide Newsletter, Rāmere (Friday) 15th August 2025

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Principal's Update

Kia ora koutou

It has been a welcome change to see the weather brighten later in the week, allowing all our ākonga/students to enjoy the glorious sunshine. This week marks the halfway point of the term, and I would like to acknowledge the dedication and hard work our staff have put in to make it such a success.


My update this week contains three important components, and I encourage you to take the time to read them.


  1. PTA - Disco and Family Portraits

Thank you to the PTA for organising our school disco - another wonderful event that brought our community together in a fun and engaging way. You can find some photos from this fabulous event further down.

The PTA currently needs support in two areas:

Family Photographs – If you haven’t already, and would like to have family photographs taken, please register your interest using this link:

https://shorturl.at/pn7pg

Uniform Donations – Our second-hand uniform shop is short of school fleeces. If you have one you are able to donate, it would be greatly appreciated.

The shop is open Mondays 2:45pm-3:15pm and Friday mornings from 8:45am-9:15am.

     2. Strategic Planning


It was very encouraging to receive feedback from 88 families as part of our community consultation. Last week we also met with whānau of Maori ākonga/students at our school to seek their feedback. We are now beginning to shape our Strategic Plan based on all the feedback we received, our own internal evaluation and ensuring we meet all our educational requirements. A summary of the predominant themes we have received from both consultations is below: 


Community Consultation

Key themes identified from this consultation were:


Lifting Achievement

Strong literacy and numeracy foundations, visible progress, appropriate challenge and support for every learner, and purposeful (not excessive) use of technology.


Calm, Inclusive Spaces Where Students and Staff Thrive

Calm, supportive learning environments, clear behaviour boundaries, and targeted support for neurodiverse learners -  while maintaining opportunities for collaboration.


Community, Culture & Citizenship

Strong home-school partnerships, visible celebration of all cultures, and student-led service that makes a positive difference beyond the school gate.


Māori Whānau Feedback 

Key themes identified from this consultation were:

Key themes:


  • Support for Māori Educational Excellence


  • Strengthening Te Reo Māori Delivery and Learning


  • Increasing Kapa Haka Engagement


  • Further developing Mana Whenua and Marae Connections



3. Attendance


This year, as part of our annual targets, we have introduced a goal focused on increasing the percentage of students who attend school regularly. The Ministry of Education defines regular attendance as being at school at least 90% of the time.


As a school, we are required to have a Stepped Attendance Response Plan in place by the beginning of 2026. We have been working on this, and more information will be shared in upcoming newsletters.


As a lead-in, we would like to share the following information with you:


Did you realise...


If your child misses one day of school every two weeks, they will miss more than a year of school by 16 years of age. As a parent or caregiver, you, alongside us, 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 between home and school to make sure students attend and engage in learning from when they first start school.


Please let us know, by phoning the office on (03) 337 1404, if your child is going to be absent or intends to be absent for a portion of the school term for any reason, e.g., tangi/funeral or medical procedure.


NB: Family holidays or taking time off for extracurricular activities (not organised by the school or specifically supported by our Board of Trustees) are not recorded as justified reasons for being absent.


Knowing if your child is well enough to go to school can be tricky. Health guidance to support you to decide is available on the link below:

https://info.health.nz/keeping-healthy/healthy-homes-environments/knowing-if-your-child-is-well-enough-to-go-to-school-guidance-for-parents


If you are still unsure, get in touch with us and we can have a chat together to support your child.

If you are finding it hard to get your child to school, please talk with us so we can work together. We are committed to supporting your child to attend school.

We appreciate your support in helping us continue to build a culture that fosters attendance every day by having:

  • School staff who have strong relationships with students and families

  • A school culture that recognises your child and your family for who you are, where you come from, and what you value

  • A school whānau that takes all practical steps to make sure your child is at school and progressing in their learning

  • A school that is safe and welcoming for everyone in our school community

If you have any queries or wondering, please contact us so we can work together.


Have a fantastic weekend!



Ngā manaakitanga/With best wishes


Cade
Principal / Tumuaki
Beckenham Te Kura o Pūroto

Important Dates

Upcoming Events

WEEK 6
Fri 22 Aug - Cycle Safe Yr 5&6
Fri 22 Aug - Celebration Assembly (10:00-10:30am in the Hall)

WEEK 7
Mon 25 Aug - School Closes at 1:00pm (Teachers Union Meeting)
Mon 25 Aug - Fri 29 Aug - Cycle Safe Yr 5&6
Wed 27 Aug - Board of Trustees Meeting (5:30-7:30pm, Staff Room)
Wed 27 Aug - PTA Meeting (7:30-9:30pm)

WEEK 8
Wed 3 Sept - Mt Hutt Ski Day - Kauri Yr 7&8
Fri 5 Sept - Celebration Assembly (10:00-10:30am in the Hall)
Sat 6 Sept - Sun 7 Sept - PTA Family Photo Fundraiser Sessions

WEEK 9
Wed 10 Sept - Board of Trustees Election Day (4:00pm Poll Closes)
Fri 12 Sept - Staff Only Day 

WEEK 10 - Last Week of Term 3
Tue 16 Sept - Wed 17 Sept - Board of Trustees Election Results Declared & Board Takes Office
Fri 19 Sept - Last Day of Term 3
Fri 19 Sept - Celebration Assembly
Fri 19 Sept - BGT - 'Beckenham's Got Talent' Show

WEEK 1 - First Week of Term 4
Mon 6 Oct - First Day of Term 4
Thu 13 Nov - Staff Only Day

Citizen of the Week

Paige - Year 5

Paige, your positive disposition shines through in everything you do. In your learning, you approach tasks with a growth mindset and are motivated to do your best. You are also a keen helper and love to make a positive difference by doing jobs around the hub and looking after your classmates. Kia kaha tō mahi, Paige! 

Poppy - Year 3

Poppy, you are a kind student who always sets a great example for others in your work ethic and attitude towards learning. You radiate positivity and consistently show our school values both in and out of the classroom. Ka pai Poppy, keep up the good work! 

BOT Update

2025 Triennial Elections - Voting Open

Voting in our School Board elections has started and you are now able to vote in the election. We have had 12 candidates nominated for 3 spaces for parent representatives on the Beckenham Te Kura o Pūroto School Board. We have appointed Election Pilot as the Returning Officer for the election, and you will be receiving voting information directly from them.

Everyone who is eligible to vote in the election will receive voting instructions on how you can vote, as well as the candidate statements and photos that have been provided. 

If you have any questions about the election process, please contact the Returning Officer directly on 0800 VOTENZ (0800 868 369) or election@electionpilot.nz.

Don't leave things to the last minute, because elections close at 4pm on Wednesday, 10th September.


Term 3 Policy Review - SchoolDocs

  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 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, school office staff can provide you with printed copies of the policy and a review form.

Out of Zone Enrolment Process - Applications for Term 4 2025

Applications for out-of-zone places are now being invited for students who will be eligible to enrol in Term 4, 2025 (October 6th - December 16th 2025). 

We have up to 3 spaces available in our New Entrants area at Beckenham Te Kura o Pūroto. 

Please note: Siblings of current students at Beckenham Te Kura o Pūroto who live out of zone do not have automatic enrolment. Families in this situation must apply through the Out-of-Zone Enrolment Process.

Applications will be prioritised using the following groupings:

1. Siblings of current students
2. Siblings of former students
3. Children of former students
4. Children of board employees or board members
5. All other applicants

Each priority group is considered one at a time.

If there are enough places for everyone in a group, then all children in that group will be offered a place.

If there aren't enough places, a ballot (random draw) will be held, and all children in that group will be included in the draw.

Key dates and information as follows:

  • The deadline for receipt of applications is Wednesday, 20th August 2025.
  • Applications must be submitted using the official application form.
  • Ballot day (if required) will be Friday, 22nd August 2025.
  • You will be notified within three working days following the deadline as to whether your child has been successful for Term 4 entry.

Our Out of Zone Enrolment Application Form is available at the School Office.

School Notices

Reminder - School Closes at 1:00pm, Monday 25th August

A reminder, that our teachers who are NZEI members will be attending a Paid Union Meeting on Monday, 25th August at 2:00pm at the Christchurch Town Hall. 
To support their attendance, we ar asking that all student be collected at 1:00pm on this day, as we will not have sufficient staff on-site to run classroom programmes.
We will have limited supervision available until 3:00pm, and BOSCO will also open early at 1:00pm.
 
To ensure we are clear about your plans for your child/children on this day, we also that every family please complete the survey link here.

Absences From School

With the ongoing winter ills that many of our whānau are suffering from, it is really important to let the office know, in the first instance, when tamariki (children) are going to be absent from school.

If you wish to provide extra information to their home group teacher, please feel free to email them as well. On some occasions their home group teacher may not be the person who marks the roll, so it is very important to let the office know every time your child is going to be absent from school or will be turning up late.

If your child is unwell, please support their recovery and others' health by keeping them at home. If they have had the vomiting bug they need to be away from school for 48 hours.

You can email office@beckenham.school.nz, send a text 021 0279 4107, or leave a voice message on 03 337 1404.

Please note: when children are collected from school, whether unwell or not, they must please be signed out at the office.

Staff Only Days

Please note, we have two planned staff only days on Friday, 12th September (this term) and Thursday 13th November (during term 4, the day prior to Canterbury Anniversary Day) for the rest of 2025. On both days, our teaching staff will be on-site and fully engaged in professional learning, related to the refresh of the New Zealand Curriculum, with a particular focus on Mathematics.
We appreciate our community's support of our teachers' ongoing professional growth.

Parking in the 3min area on Sandwich Road

A reminder please, that the drop off and pick up area on Sandwich Road (by the bike stands) is a 3min 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.

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’.

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

Kupu Māori o te Wiki:

Give these a go! Nau mai te wero - We Love Challenge!


Kīwaha: Kia Tau! - this means relax, or settle petal!


Kupu: Kia tūpato - this means to be careful


Waiata: Korero, Parirau, Hopehope, Pakipaki


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ij7EaOyL6rA&list=PLB22Bmg9f4m3Q9JhCx452QV9vQZpncT-X&index=7&ab_channel=DelmaRae


If you are unsure of the pronunciation of a word, have a look at Te Aka (the Māori dictionary) where you can hear how the word is spoken correctly.

BOSCO

BOSCO is looking for new members to join our committee. If you are interested or have any questions, please feel free to reach out to Harriet Takamore via email or pop on in when you have the chance to chat.
You would be joining a lovely bunch of volunteers who are passionate about the service BOSCO provides and being a part of its future.
BOSCO currently has availability each day for before and after school care for regular or casual bookings.
If you have thought about using BOSCO for your tamariki but aren’t 100% sure what we're about or how we work, please feel free to pop in for a chat with Harriet or send through an email with any questions you may have.
A trial session is welcome if you would like your tamariki to give it a go first.
Harriet Takamore | Programme Leader | BOSCO Incorporated
office@bosco.org.nz | 027 645 6632

Sports News

Year 5/6 Volleyball Success:

The Year 5/6 Red volleyball team had an outstanding day, emerging as the winners of the Canterbury Championships. Many thanks to Lucy Story for coaching and supporting the team throughout the tournament. The players demonstrated excellent skill, teamwork, and determination, making it a proud achievement for everyone involved. It was a fantastic day of volleyball—a real example of hard work and dedication paying off. Ka pai to all the tamariki for their effort and sportsmanship. A great effort by our Year 5/6 Black team who finished off 5th. 

Year 7/8 Volleyball:

The Year 7/8 volleyball teams had a great day competing, with mixed results across both teams. A big thank you to Evan McLachlan for stepping in and supporting the players throughout the tournament. The day was filled with strong effort, teamwork, and valuable experience for everyone involved. Ka pai to all the tamariki for their dedication and positive spirit on the court.

PTA News

Disco - Thank you!

Thank you to everyone who helped out with our fabulous disco! A well-run evening with fantastic lights, enhanced by our fabulous new hall blinds. Thank you for supporting all our fundraising, which definitely helped make it a great night! 

Family Photo PTA Fundraiser

Over the weekend 6th and 7th September (Father’s Day) we will have a local photographer, Megan Cozzone of Green Melon Photography, here at School to take Family Photos. For $25 you get a 10-15 minute family photo session and a 10”x13” (253mmx330mm) studio quality, colour or black & white, family portrait, normally valued at $60.00. 


The full $25 fee comes back to the school PTA. 


During your session Megan will arrange a date to come back and view your photos. In addition to your 10”x 13” Family Portrait fundraiser, you can choose from an additional selection of prints or digital copies from each family sitting. There is no obligation for families to purchase these additional prints.


To book a session please complete this form and transfer $25 to the PTA account (Beckenham School PTA, account no. 12-3148-0244558-00) before 31st August.


Shortage of school polar fleeces at the Uniform Shop

If you have any outgrown school fleeces lying around at home they would be gratefully received at the Uniform Shop. They can be dropped off at the office at any time. 


Entertainment Book

We have joined up with Entertainment, an app where you can get Discounts off dining, activities and travel. The membership is for 12months from the date you activate it.

When you buy an Entertainment Membership this month for $70:

  • Get a FREE upgrade to a Multi City Membership (valued at $120!)
  • BONUS $30 Woolworths eGift Card (NZ).
  • The PTA receive 20% back.
That means for just $70, you’ll score access to up to 50% off dining, activities, shopping, and travel across Australia, NZ, and Bali.

It’s the gift that keeps giving all year round with over $20,000 in savings — from Rebel Sport, Supercheap Auto, BCF, and Shell fuel, to amazing dining deals Dad will love for Fathers Day — you’ll make your money back in no time (and maybe even use the savings to book your next holiday!).

To get your membership follow this link:


Community Notices

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

Join the Fun – Celebrate 100 Years of Cricket!

Southern Districts - your local Beckenham Park-based cricket club is celebrating 100 years of community cricket! We’re a small, family-focused club where everyone knows your name and every player matters. Our mission is to create a welcoming, inclusive environment where young people can learn, grow, and enjoy the great game of cricket. 

We offer programs for new players of all ages and skill levels, with fun, friendly, and supportive teams and coaching.

Register now and be part of the action!
https://www.southerndistrictscricket.co.nz/



Girls Touch Competition - Term 4 - Nunweek Park, Monday Nights

The Mike Greer Kōtiro Touch (formally Kōtiro Ātaahua Touch module) is the only ALL GIRL touch competition in Aotearoa, New Zealand! From 16 teams to 42 in only 3 seasons just proves that girls feel more confident and get more enjoyment playing touch in all girl teams. Our motto is “Girls need to have fun to win!”

What can you expect?
  • 9 rounds in Term 4 only: 13/10/25-15/12/25
  • Collective 15 minute warm up and skill session for junior teams, (grades Year 0-2, 3-4 & 5-6) run by our coaches
  • Round 1: warm up starts at 5pm and game at 5:30pm for Year 0-2, 3-4 & 5-6 
  • Round 2: game starts at 6:10pm for Year 7-8 & 9-11
  • All games are 2 x 15 minute halves
  • Match ball & whistle given to each team and the loan of a POD trophy to use for the season
  • $320 per team for the Term 4 season
  • Limited spaces so the first teams registered and paid for have priority.



Love Tennis is coming to Beckenham Tennis Club - Sunday, 7th September


Koru Team News Term 3 Week 4

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Kia ora e te whānau,

Welcome to Week 4 of the third term! 

We would like to extend a very warm welcome to Poppy Wallace-Bell. Poppy is with us for the final 7 week placement of her teacher training at the University of Canterbury. Please introduce yourselves to Poppy and help to make her feel at home with us here at Beckenham Te Kura o Pūroto.

There is so much wonderful learning taking place within our hub, including a focus on Calendar Art, a Digitech topic starting next week, amazing learning in Maths (including 2D and 3D shapes, repeated addition leading on to multiplication, skip counting forwards and backwards in 2s, 5s and 10s and learning the doubles, e.g., 3+3, 7+7, etc., all the way up to 10+10) and of course, our Structured Literacy group learning. Your children are fantastic learners and we're all very proud of them!

Eight of our Koru team members are going to be moving through to the Kahikatea team on Monday next week. We wish them all the very best and will miss them enormously. We know that as long as they continue to be guided by our Beckenham Values they are going to prove to the new Kahikatea team members that they are wonderful learners and loyal friends.

Maths Week Next Week!

To celebrate Maths Week, we will be having a daily joke and maths problem on a whiteboard, outside Hangere, for you and your child to solve! Come to school each day with plenty of time to spend with your child mulling over the joke and solving the problem together.

Mathematics & Statistics: Understanding your child's learning

The Ministry of Education's Parent Portal is a collection of resources for parents, families and carers. Here, you will find information about the learning your child is engaging in at school, within their year level, and how you can support them at home with their learning. Feel free to have a look and explore what you can do at home to support your child's Maths learning, while, at the same time, keeping it fun!

KOS:

Keeping Ourselves Safe

The Koru team will be participating in the Keeping Ourselves Safe programme during Weeks 6 and 7 of this term. Your child's homegroup teacher will teach six sessions and Constable Meg will teach two sessions.

What will children learn?

They will learn:

- to work out when their safety is at risk

- how to keep safe when they meet and mix with other people

- who and how to ask for help if they, or someone they know, is being abused

- to go on asking for help until someone does something to stop the abuse

- that it is important to make and follow personal, family, and school safety rules

Children will have some short activities to work through at home with you. Thank you for your support with this. Please click on this link for more information about Keeping Ourselves Safe.

Beckenham's Got Talent:

The Student Council members are organising a Beckenham's Got Talent event this term. If your tamariki are keen to sing, dance, play an instrument, perform some magic, drama or poetry, please sign them up by emailing your child's teacher. The maximum group size is eight people and the maximum performance time is four minutes. Auditions for the final event are in Week 8.

If your child wishes to audition for our school talent show, whānau are welcome to organise this with their child and/or a group of children. Any practices will need to take place at home after school. 

Structured Literacy:

Here are a few little video links below (some of which have been shared before, and are now being reshared for new families):

One of our teachers has recorded some videos to support our whānau with understanding what our literacy stages look like and what you can do to support your learner at home:

We hope you find these videos both informative and helpful as you support your child's learning at home!

And now for this fortnight's photo gallery:

Showing 'We Care', by helping with some planting in the Pūkaki play space.

Preparing the roots of this little tree for planting.

Wow - awesome building skills on display here!

More care and kindness being shown towards the environment.

Caring for this newly planted tree.

'We Get There Together'.

Wonderful teamwork, tamariki.

Inquiring into why our shadows change at different times throughout the day.


Making the link between repeated addition and multiplication.


...and learning that the multiplication sign 'x' means 'groups of'.


Beautifully formed letters at handwriting time.

Making the link between knowing the doubles and therefore knowing the two times table.





We know that a sentence starts with a capital letter, has spaces between the words and (mostly) ends with a full stop.



Learning about 2D shapes and their properties.
.
A hexagon...

A trapezium...

A parallelogram...

A triangle...

A pentagon...

A rhombus...

Showing 'We Get There Together' and 'We Care'.

More lovely teamwork.

Good friends working together on their project in the sandpit.

What a wonderful thing to do together in the warm sunshine - don't you just love a good book!

The audience grows...


Happy times with our Koru team friends!


We hope you all have a glorious weekend with your families and friends, and we look forward to seeing those gorgeous, wide smiles again on Monday!

Ngā mihi mahana ki a koutou,

Katie, Stacey, Niquita and Elizabeth


Kōwhai News Term 3 Week 4

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Kia ora koutou, 

We hope you have all had a good week. We have been busy bees in our hub! This week, our tamariki enjoyed watching the staff vs students netball game and there was a lot of excitement and cheering. We were also looking forward to a tug of war between the houses today but unfortunately, it was called off last minute due to bad weather. Hopefully, we can rearrange it for another time! 


Beckenham's Got Talent

The student council is excited to be running another talent show this year. There has been a lot of enthusiasm for this and lots of brainstorming amongst the students. At this stage, our students have been given the opportunity to sign up for this during our morning notices. Whānau can also email their child’s homegroup teacher to sign them up if they wish.

When the students are planning their act, it is important to note that the maximum group size is eight people. The maximum performance time is four minutes and we encourage students to be able to perform their act for at least 1 minute. Students will have the opportunity to organise and practice during Discovery time.

The auditions will held in week 8 within our hub. We will then narrow it down to 4 semi-finalists who will perform for the whole Kōwhai hub and 2 acts will be chosen to go through to the finals which will be held in the hall on Friday 19th of September. Good luck!



4 Square Tournament

A schoolwide 4 Square tournament is being held during Friday lunchtimes in weeks 7 and 8. Students have been signing up for the event and are practising diligently in preparation for this.



Maths Week Next Week!

To celebrate Maths week next week, we will have a daily joke and maths problem for you to solve on a whiteboard outside the Kōwhai hub. Please do check them out and see if you can solve the conundrums together. We Love Challenge!


Mathematics & Statistics: Understanding your child's learning

The Ministry of Education Parent Portal is a collection of guidance and resources for parents, families and carers. Here, you will find information about the learning your child is doing at school within their year level, and how you can support them in their learning. Feel free to have a look and explore what you can do at home to support maths learning, while keeping it fun!



PB4L (Positive Behaviour For Learning)

So far this term, we have been: 

  • Celebrating how our brains work (learning about the diverse strengths and differing ways that our brains think)

  • Learning how to use the S.O.A.R (Stop, Observe, Assess, Respond) strategy to problem solve in the playground

  • Learning how to use a set of negotiation steps to express our problems and work with our peers to find a solution and check in with how this solution is working.



Cyber Safety

Staying Safe Online: Snapchat and Privacy

Snapchat is a popular messaging app that lets users exchange pictures and videos (snaps) that are meant to disappear after they’re viewed. Many young people love Snapchat but it’s important that they understand how to protect their privacy on the app.


Check out Netsafe’s Privacy on Snapchat page for some helpful information on Snapchat’s features. You can also find out more information about privacy, security and safety on Snapchat’s help centre.


Have a great weekend!

From the Kōwhai team

Team Kahikatea Week 4 Term 3

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Kia ora whānau,

Welcome to Week 4! Our teaching and learning programmes are now in full swing, and it's been wonderful to see our new homegroup settling confidently into the breakout space. Next week, Kendall will be welcoming another group of learners from the Koru team. These tamariki have already visited our hub, and their transition is going smoothly as they begin to feel more at home in their new environment.

Supporting Your Child's Independence

We’re thrilled to see so many families encouraging independence by allowing children to come into the hub on their own in the mornings and confidently follow their daily routines. To support this further, at the end of the day,  you may want to establish a designated meeting spot with your child—such as the library steps, hall steps, flagpole, or another agreed-upon location outside the hub. This small step makes a big difference in reducing congestion and ensuring a smooth and safe pickup process. Thank you for your continued support!

Mathematics 

We are now using these fabulous Oxford Maths Student Workbooks. We will be using these once a week to provide students with the opportunity to revisit and practise key mathematical skills and strategies. Our Year 1 students are using book 1, and our Year 2 students are using book 2. 

Maths Week 

Click this link for information on how whānau can access the parent portal and find out more about mathematics in New Zealand schools. 

Next week is Maths Week, and we’ll be sharing a new maths challenge each day! If you’re dropping by, be sure to check out the whiteboard outside the hub and give it a go. Creating positive and engaging experiences with maths is a key focus of the refreshed curriculum, and we’d love for whānau to join in the fun and be part of the learning!

Keeping Ourselves Safe Weeks 5 & 6

This term, as part of our Health Curriculum, teams will be teaching Keeping Ourselves Safe in Years 0-8, supported by our Police Education Officer, Meg.  Click HERE to see more information on our school website. 

The four focus areas in the Keeping Ourselves Safe (KOS) junior primary programme are:

  • I am unique, He taonga ahau
  • My body is my own, Nōku tōku tinana
  • Unwanted behaviour or touch, Kore e hiahiatia te whanonga me te pā kino
  • Adults who help, Ngā kaiāwhina pakeke

What will children learn? They will learn:

  • to work out when their safety is at risk
  • how to keep safe when they meet and mix with other people
  • who and how to ask for help if they, or someone they know, is being abused
  • to go on asking for help until someone does something to stop the abuse
  • that it is important to make and follow personal, family and school safety rules
There will be homework activities for you to complete with your child/children, and we will send these home at the end of each learning session: 
Focus area 1 – I am unique, He taonga ahau
Focus area 2 – My body is my own, Nōku tōku tinana
Focus area 3 – Unwanted behaviour or touch, Kore e hiahiatia te whanonga me te pā kino
Focus area 4 – Adults who help, Ngā kaiāwhina pakeke
 

Welcome, UC Student Teachers 

We are fortunate to have students from the University of Canterbury, and this term we welcome Robert Carpinter to Amber's Homegroup, who has joined us this week and is here for 7 weeks as part of his final placement. Starting on Monday, we welcome Maddison Frame, who will be working alongside Sarah for 6 weeks.

Winter Ills and Chills 

Thank you for keeping your child at home when they are unwell — we really appreciate your support. As is common during winter, we’re seeing an increase in illnesses such as fevers and tummy bugs. To help prevent the spread and ensure all tamariki are well enough to fully participate in learning, we kindly ask that you keep your child home until they have fully recovered.

Friendly Reminders - Library Days 

  • Tuesday: Amber & Talia's home groups
  • Thursday: Sarah & Kendall's home groups
Library books can only be issued when your child has returned one or both books and has their library folder. Please support your child in returning their folder to school on their designated library day.

Smash Play Cricket Sessions 

Our tamariki had two fantastic sessions with Dan on Wednesday and Thursday last week. Here are some photos of the action...














Have a lovely weekend, from team Kahikatea. 

 Lisa, Amber, Sarah, Talia & Kendall 




















Kauri News – Week 4, Term 3 2025

Posted on by

 Kia Ora Koutou e te Whānau,



Upcoming Events

Week 5

  • Wednesday 13th August

    • Cheese Roll fundraiser

  • Friday 15th August

    • Year 5-8 Duathlon

Week 6

  • Tuesday 19th August

    • Cantamath display drop off

  • Wednesday 20th August

    • Cantamath display open to public and Interschool competition

  • Wednesday 20th August & Friday 22nd August

    • Beckenham in school Touch competition 

Week 7  

  • Wednesday 27th August

    • Year 7 Girls self-defence

  • Thursday 28th August - Team Kauri trip

    • Quake City, Art Gallery & City Hīkoi

  • Friday 29th August

    • Beckenham in school Four square tournament

    • Te Whanau Mahi Tahi Wānanga

Week 8

  • Tuesday 2nd September 

    • Year 8 Cashmere testing day

  • Wednesday 3rd September 

    • Team Kauri Ski trip

Week 9

  • Thursday 11th September 

    • Team Kauri Ōpawaho Hīkoi - TBC

    • Pō Whakangahau - Te Whānau Mahi Tahi Performance 4:30-6:30pm

Week 10

  • Monday 15th September 

    • Staff vs Students basketball

  • Tuesday 16th - Thursday 18th September 

    • Koru Games


Calendar Art

Over the first few weeks students have been creating their Calendar Art using digital skills and applications. Students were to create a piece that was unusual and included an element of themselves in the art. As I am sure you are aware, Calendar Art is a great fundraising opportunity for our school and a great way for you to display your child’s art in a number of ways. We look forward to seeing what it looks like later in the term.


Bekamaths & Cantamaths

In preparation for Cantamaths 2025, Team Kauri students participated in a problem solving event we call Bekamaths. This event involved the students solving problems in small groups. As a home learning task students have also been encouraged to participate in a home learning challenge to create posters or projects to do with Maths. Students have been bringing them in this week and they will be available to view in the Kauri breakout space before and after school in Week 5. A number of these projects will be chosen by Teachers to represent Beckenham at the Cantamaths competition later this term.

Passions Term 3

This term teachers are offering some tried and tested and some new Passions for students to discover:

  • Felt-making

  • Buddies (students working in the Koru & Kahikatea)

  • Mad Lab (STEAM activities)

  • Debating

  • Drawing workshop






Felting (above)





Debating (left, above)


Some students have requested some more outdoor options as were offered in Term 1 & 2, however, it was felt that the weather might be an issue this term so indoor options were offered instead and that more outdoor opportunities will be made available in Term 4.


Ski Trip

In Week 8, the Team will be heading out to the Ski fields for the day. This is an annual event for Team Kauri. One we would like to continue for the foreseeable future. We appreciate the support families are showing for this event by coming as parent helpers and by supporting school fundraising which has been helping reduce the cost of these events for families.


Maths Week Next Week!

To celebrate Maths week we will have a daily joke and maths problem on a whiteboard, outside our hub, for you and your child to solve! You are also welcome to come into the hub before and after school to walk through our Cantamath projects in the breakout space in Kauri Hub.


Mathematics & Statistics: Understanding your child's learning

The Ministry of Education Parent Portal is a collection of guidance and resources for parents, families and carers. Here, you will find information about the learning your child is doing at school within their year level, and how you can support them in their learning. Feel free to have a look and explore what you can do at home to support Maths learning, while keeping it fun!


Staying Safe Online: Snapchat and Privacy

Snapchat is a popular messaging app that lets users exchange pictures and videos (snaps) that are meant to disappear after they’re viewed. Many young people love Snapchat but it’s important that they understand how to protect their privacy on the app.


Check out Netsafe’s Privacy on Snapchat page for some helpful information on Snapchat’s features. You can also find out more information about privacy, security and safety on Snapchat’s help centre.




Have a safe and happy weekend!


Ngā mihi nui,


Team Kauri Teachers

Hugo, Chloe, Sarah, Kate, Nicky, and Megan H