Principal's Patch
Kia ora koutou
Welcome to the final newsletter of Term 1! With just one week left before the holiday break, we reflect on all that has been achieved this term. It’s been amazing to see the growth in all of our students. Our staff have worked incredibly hard and truly deserve a well-earned break. We hope you enjoy the holiday time with your children and are able to prioritise some quality family moments together.
Kapa Haka
Every Friday, Whaea Cath visits Beckenham Te Kura o Pūroto to support both students and staff in growing their understanding and performance of kapa haka. Learning about Māori culture and enhancing our proficiency in te reo Māori helps us all to become strong and valued Treaty partners.
Recently, under Cath’s guidance, we’ve gone through a process to design new kapa haka uniforms for our school. We are very fortunate that the PTA has generously agreed to fund the first rollout of these uniforms for Te Whānau Mahitahi, our senior kapa haka group.
Sporting Success
A huge congratulations to two of our Team Kauri students, Zach and Daniel, who placed 1st and 5th respectively in the U13 cross country race at the South Island Mountain Biking School Championship in Methven. Well done, Zach and Daniel - you should be incredibly proud of your outstanding achievements!
A big congratulations to our Year 5/6 Touch Rugby team for winning their division in the local touch rugby competition! The time, effort, and teamwork you've all put in throughout the season truly paid off. We are incredibly proud of your achievements!
Building Work
During the school holidays, building work will begin on the Kōmanawa Block and the PTA Uniform Shop. Perimeter fencing will be installed around both sites, and we are hopeful that all work will be completed by mid-term next term. While construction is underway, the scooter/bike pen adjacent to the Kōmanawa Block will be unavailable for use.
New Staff Members
At the beginning of Term 2, we are excited to welcome two new staff members to our school. Niquita Dalley will be joining our New Entrants team to support our roll growth, and Kate McGregor will be joining the Kauri team, filling the role left by Jenny at the end of last year. We are thrilled to have Niquita and Kate on board and look forward to them becoming integral members of our team.
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| Kate |
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| Niquita |
Have a great holiday break.
Ngā manaakitanga,
Cade Englefield
Principal / Tumuaki
Beckenham Te Kura o Pūroto
Important Dates
Upcoming Events
Thu 3 Apr - Board of Trustees Meeting (5:30-7:30pm, Staff Room)
Fri 11 Apr - Celebration Assembly (10:00-10:30am, in the Hall)
Fri 11 Apr - Last Day of Term 1
Mon 28 Apr - First Day of Term 2
Fri 23 May - School Cross Country
Wed 28 May - PTA Meeting (7:30-9:30pm)
Thu 29 May - Board of Trustees Meeting (5:30-7:30pm, Staff Room)
Fri 30 May - Staff Only Day (School Closed)
Mon 2 Jun - Public Holiday, School Closed (King's Birthday)
Tue 17 Jun - Matariki Evening (5PM-7PM)
Wed 25 Jun - Board of Trustees Meeting (5:30-7:30pm, Staff Room)
Wed 25 Jun - PTA Meeting (7:30-9:30pm)
Fri 27 Jun - Last Day of Term 2
Mon 14 Jul - First Day of Term 3
Citizen of the Week
Luna Clark - Year 4
Luna, you are an amazing role model in the Kōwhai hub and you consistently show all of the school values. You particularly embrace the value We Love Challenge, putting your best foot forward when facing challenging situations. You are a caring. helpful, inclusive and conscientious student, always putting your best effort into your learning. Congratulations, Luna. You are an absolute star!Lucy Lee - Year 5
Lucy, you are a superstar in the Pōhutukawa Team! Your positivity, enthusiasm, and dedication to learning inspire those around you. You always put in your best effort and show great enthusiasm in everything you do. Your kindness and thoughtfulness make our hub a wonderful place to be. Keep up the amazing work!
School Notices
Legacy Dance
Reo Māori o te Wīki
This is our Whakataukī (phrase), Kīwaha (saying), and Kupu (word) for the week. Remember, Mauria te pono - believe in yourself and give it a go!
Whakataukī: Whaowhia te kete mātauranga - this means to fill the basket with knowledge!
Kīwaha: Kia Tau! - this means relax, or settle petal!
Kupu: Ngahuru - this means Autumn.
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.
Community Dental Service - Holiday Clinics April 2025
The Community Dental Service will be closed for some of the upcoming school holidays
Closed On: Friday 18th April,
Monday 21st April &
Friday 25th April
Reopening on: Monday 28th April
Five of our community dental clinics will be open during this School Holiday period:
Burnside (96a Memorial Avenue)
Woolston (11 Hopkins Street)
Rangiora (163 Ashley Street)
Northcote (24 Tuckers Road)
Timaru (18 Woollcombe Street)
If your child is experiencing any dental pain/discomfort, you can call us on 0800 846 983 and/or email: commdental@cdhb.health.nz and one of our clinicians will contact you.
General Shelter in Place and Lockdown Information
Please find below our school's approach to managing situations safely when we are required to either shelter in place or move our school into a lockdown scenario. Please take the time to familiarise yourself with the information outlined below.
General Whānau Communication about Shelter in Place and Lockdown
If a situation arises that people need to remain inside for safety, Beckenham Te Kura o Pūroto has two levels, Shelter in Place and Lockdown.
A Shelter in Place directive is issued when the threat is external and not directed at the school. For example, the school may activate the Shelter in Place plan if there is a report of a swarm of wasps, toxic smoke from a nearby fire, or active armed offender in the community (but not in or near the school grounds).
A Lockdown instruction will be less commonly used and is only likely to be issued if the threat is directly to the school or in the school grounds. This will generally happen on instruction from Police.
LOCKDOWN PROCEDURES FOR PARENTS
Lockdown procedures are determined by Police advice and require the cooperation of students, staff and parents. We ask all parents to please follow the protocol outlined below to ensure the safety of everyone involved.
- When the school goes into lockdown, all parents will be notified via both a text message (via Hero) and HERO App alert (which will generate an email for those who don’t use the app). Please ensure the contact details the school holds for your child’s caregivers are current.
- The school will continue to communicate through these channels, plus on the school Facebook page.
- Students will not have access to laptops or other devices during a lockdown situation. This is for their own protection until the school ascertains the severity of the situation in consultation with the Police.
- School phones may not be manned, so please do not try and contact the school, or your child. All information will be sent to you through the channels outlined above as soon as it becomes available. We will be doing the best that we can do to keep everyone informed.
- The school will remain in lockdown until advised by the Police or other authorised personnel that it is safe to be lifted.
- Please do not, under any circumstances, come to the school until you are advised it is safe for you to do so. You may be putting yourself and others in danger.
- Once the lockdown is over, parents will be contacted immediately.
Thank you for your understanding and for taking the time to familiarise yourself with this protocol as we work together in an emergency situation to keep everyone safe.
2025 Canterbury Primary Schools Swimming'
Congratulations to all of our swimmers who represented Beckenham Te Kura o Pūroto at the 2025 Canterbury Primary Schools Swimming! You all swam valiantly!
Gardens
Our children are having more of an input into the gardens. Building an awareness of looking after our environment, nurturing our special places and growing food at school.
Great heavy work breaks with purpose.
PTA News
Our fundraising plans are up and running! This year we are raising funds for new blinds for the hall (which should help those disco lights!), new sports uniforms as well as contributing to all the buses needed for camps and school trips. We'll kick off next term with the Annual Beckenham Te Kura o Pūroto Readathon so look out for sponsorship forms at the beginning of next term and getting reading and planning a costume.
We are also planning a book sale in June and a Colour Run in November - we're always keen for helpers with these fundraisers, as well as events like the School Disco so if you're keen to get involved don't hesitate to join our
Messenger Group or email us via
pta@beckenham.school.nz
Uniform Temporary Relocation
From Monday next week (April the 7th), the PTA Uniform Shop will be temporarily housed in the Green Room, adjacent to the Hall. This will take place until the work on the PTA Uniform Room has been completed.
Staff Profiles
Fynn Skelton - Teaching Assistant
Kia Ora Beckenham Whānau! My name is Fynn, back in 2018 I graduated from Beckenham, went on to study at Cashmere High School, travelled the world, experienced a lifetime of amazement, and I find myself back at Beckenham as a TA and am loving it! A bit about me, I’m a massive theatre nerd, music nerd, sports nerd and a regular nerd; I love talking about anything and try to learn something from everyone! Happy to be back in a place near and dear to me!
Kate McGregor - Y7/8 Teacher
Kia ora! My name is Kate McGregor, and I am excited to be joining the Kauri team and working alongside the Year 7/8 students. I recently got married and have a beautiful six-month-old daughter. I grew up locally in Cashmere and have just returned after spending the last two years in Upper Hutt. I love going on walks with my sister and friends, playing and watching all types of sport, and spending quality time with my little family. I am thrilled to be joining the Beckenham whānau.
Niquita Dalley - New Entrants Teacher
Kia ora koutou,
I'm Niquita Dalley and I'm so excited to be joining the Koru team! Most recently I have been teaching year 7/8 students, but I've always had a soft spot for working with little learners. There's just something special about their curiosity, excitement, and those awesome “aha!” moments when they figure something out — I love being part of that!
Creating a classroom where ākonga feel safe, loved, and ready to give things a go is super important to me. I want my students to feel proud of themselves every step of the way.
My husband Jacob and I have two gorgeous girls, Anastasia and Tallulah, who are both under two — so life at home is busy but full of aroha (and plenty of giggles). When I'm not in the classroom and I get some time to myself, you'll probably find me painting or curled up with a good book.
I can't wait to meet you all and get stuck into this exciting journey together!
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BOT Update
Policy Review
From time to time we ask you to review one of our policies that come up on our review cycle. A policy for whānau review is the
Recording and Reporting Accidents, Injuries, and Illness policy. You will find it on School Docs at
this link. Click on current review, start review and follow the directions.
Username: beckenham
Password: pride
Instructions for reviewers
- Follow the link to the policy.
- Read the policy.
- Click the "Start Review" icon at the right-hand top corner of the page. A new screen will appear.
- Select your role (board member, staff member, student, whānau or other) from the drop-down list.
- Enter your name (optional).
- Submit your ratings and comments.
If you don't have internet access, school office staff can easily provide you with printed copies of the policy and the review form.
Concerns & Complaints Procedure
BOSCO - April School Holiday Programme
BOSCO April school holiday Programme is open for bookings
For any further information please contact Harriet
027 645 6632
office@bosco.org.nz
Mana Ake
Tuning into Kids
Pāpā to Pāpā – A Supportive Drop-in Space – see the flyer below
When: Tuesdays, 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Where: Philipstown Community Hub - 39 Nursery Rd Christchurch 8011
Pāpā to Pāpā is a welcoming, drop-in space where pāpā can connect, share experiences, and learn together in a kaupapa Māori setting. Each week, we explore different parenting topics, with a focus on whanaungatanga - building strong relationships and community support. Whether new to fatherhood or experienced, this space provides an opportunity to kōrero, uplift one another, and strengthen our role as pāpā and whānau.
School Holiday Activities
Community Notices
(Notices placed here are contingent on space and do not reflect the views or opinions of the school.)
Storybox Drama - Afterschool process drama classes
Storybox Drama is a new local business in the area, offering after school drama classes to children 5-10yrs old.
Our classes are perfect for children new to drama. We provide a playful approach, with a focus on story, imagination and creative process.
Our learning is focused around a story, and we unpack the themes and ideas explored in the book over the term.
In Term 2 we will be exploring the story of Oliver and the Night Giants by Kitty O'Meara.
Find out more & enrol here:
Term 2 classes
Wed 07 May to Wed 25 Jun (8 weeks)
Wednesdays 3:30 pm to 4:40 pm, 1 hour
Somerfield Community Centre, 47 Studholme St, Christchurch
$180
Find us on Facebook, Instagram or email us:
storybox.chch@gmail.com
We look forward to exploring the stories with you!
After-School Squash Coaching – Join the Fun!
Looking for a fun and active way for your child to build skills, confidence, and fitness? Our after-school squash coaching sessions are perfect for beginners and experienced players alike!
Location: Christchurch Squash Club, 52 Colombo Street
Days & Times: After school Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays
Ages: 9+
All equipment provided
Spaces are limited, so get in touch to book your spot. Contact Tim McVie at coaching@christchurchsquash.co.nz for more details and to sign up!
Methven Scarecrow Trail: Saturday April 12 – Sunday April 27, 2025
The Methven Scarecrow Trail is a hugely popular and fun family event run in the April school holidays. It is suitable for all ages!
Every year, members of the Methven community build scarecrows to a particular theme and these scarecrows, over 30 of them, are scattered around the town for families to find and try to identify the name of the character. This year's theme is HEROES/HEROINES AND VILLAINS (characters from children’s movies). Families or small groups purchase a Trail Map/Entry form from the iHub Information Centre and there are sponsored prizes for the most correct entries and for the most popular scarecrows.
Thank you so much for your support!
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