Ngā mihi e te whānau, warm greetings to you all,
Read on for news and information about some exciting upcoming events. Have a great weekend everyone, kia pai ngā rā whakata.
2025 Keeping Ourselves Safe
From Tuesday 19th August until Friday 29th August, the New Entrant to Year 8 teams will be teaching the personal safety programme by New Zealand Police - Keeping Ourselves Safe. We cover this programme every two years as part of our Health curriculum.
What will children and young people 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
They will know:
that abuse is never okay
that abuse is never their fault
What part do parents, caregivers and whānau play?
Parents and whānau are strongly encouraged to support Keeping Ourselves Safe.
You can:
find out about abuse and what to do if you think a child you know is being abused
talk to your child about what they have learnt in Keeping Ourselves Safe
set safety guidelines with your family
help young children with the Keeping Ourselves Safe activities they bring home
give the same safety messages as the school is giving
look at the whānau section of NZ Police Keeping Ourselves Safe for more information
frequently asked questions - click here
Keeping Ourselves Safe will be taught by your child’s Home Group teacher, with support from
Constable Meg Moynihan, our local Police School Community Officer, as required. The lessons are age appropriate in content and delivery.
To be successful, Keeping Ourselves Safe needs your help and support. It is important that you
participate as much as possible and talk to your child about what they have been learning. This will
reinforce the messages the school is giving, and help your child to use their skills with confidence.
If you require more information about the Keeping Ourselves Safe programme or wish to discuss the
learning, please speak with your child’s Home Group teacher in the first instance.
Cycle Safe: Chris and Megans Home Groups
Cycle Safe started today! It was great seeing all the kids out and about on their bikes! Here are a few snaps from todays session.
Planting Day with the Christchurch City Council
We have more planting to do!
As part of our ongoing kaitiakitanga (guardianship) of our Beckenham Ponds, Pōhutukawa students will again have the opportunity to work alongside Christchurch City Council to plant native trees and shrubs at the ponds.
This is our fifth year of planting at ngā pūroto, and it’s a hands-on way for our tamariki to live out our school kete value We Care – Arohaina te tangata me te taiao (we care for people and the environment they live in, including our wider community).
When: Tuesday 2 September
Each home group will spend 45 minutes planting with the Christchurch City Council team.
What to bring:
Gumboots, or old shoes they don’t mind getting muddy and a bag to bring wet muddy shoes home in!
A raincoat (just in case!)
If the weather is too wet, we’ll postpone it to another date.
Kaiako ~ Pōhutakawa Team
Beckenham Te Kura o Pūroto
Year 5/6 Volleyball Tournament
On Monday 11th August the Year 5/6 Pōhutukawa team entered two teams into the Primary Sport Canterbury Year 5/6 Volleyball Tournament. The teams both did an amazing at representing our school, playing well and showing amazing sportsmanship! Well done to all those involved!
Kā mau te wehi! Our Year 5/6 Red Volleyball team took out 1st place at the 2025 Primary Sports Canterbury Volleyball Tournament! They were undefeated all day, played some awesome games, and really showed what they’re made of. Ka rawe, team!
All You Need to Know About TikTok
Tiktok is one of the fastest growing social media apps. It’s a platform for creating, sharing and discovering short videos – and many young people love it! From new dance crazes to funny clips to animal videos, Tiktok can inspire creativity and bring joy.
But it’s important that parents and whānau help their tamariki navigate Tiktok safely. Today we’re sharing the Netsafe Tiktok Family Safety Toolkit so you can help guide your whānau to a fun and safe digital experience.
