We welcome your child to the Senior School and trust they will have an enjoyable and successful two years.

The following information will help children new to the team transition smoothly to the Senior School, and make our Year 6 students aware of some opportunities exclusive to them.

Senior Students
All year 6 children are presented with a Senior Student badge once they have read and understood the Senior Student contract, shared it with parents/caregivers, then returned it signed to school. Their badge identifies them to others as a person who will step up and show strong citizenship.

Throughout the year, children need to uphold the conditions of the contract in order to retain their badge.

Senior Leaders
Senior Leadership is a role for Year 6 children which involves working with a designated year 0 - 3 class. Tasks may include accompanying the children to assembly, providing guidance during morning tea and lunch breaks, helping organise special activities, along with other responsibilities negotiated with the designated class teacher.

Senior Leaders are chosen by Year 5 teachers at the end of the year. They will have shown maturity, initiative, and have been an exemplary role model, throughout their time in Year 5. They also need to have shown confidence when leading groups of children and have strong interpersonal skills.

Children who miss out may get the opportunity to be chosen for New Entrant classes starting during the year.

School Councillors
Each Year 5 and 6 class has 2 School Councillors, preferably a boy and a girl.

School Councillors run weekly class meetings to discuss suggestions and concerns, and then bring these ideas to School Council meetings. They ‘meet and greet’ at school assemblies. School-wide fundraising for charity is organised through the school council.

School Councillors are chosen by staff following a short prepared speech explaining their suitability for the role.

Successful School Councillors think outside the box, make rational decisions, and follow through with tasks they take on.

House Captains
Each house has 2 House Captains from Year 6, preferably a boy and a girl.

The House Captains’ main role is helping organise school-wide House events, collating school-wide house points and assisting in Celebration Assemblies with announcing the winning house group. 

House Captains are chosen by teachers following a short prepared speech explaining their suitability for the role.

Successful House Captains are fair, communicate well with others, can organise groups and enjoy being active.

Sports Leaders
Students from Year 6 will be selected to take on this leadership role (two students from each of the school houses).

Sports Leaders main role is helping with school sporting events and introducing/demonstrating sport activities to other year groups.

Successful Sports Leaders will have excellent collaborative skills, enthusiasm for physical activity and commitment to complete tasks.

Please note that children can not be School Councillors and House Captains.

Librarians
All Year 6 pupils have the opportunity to be librarians, but they must be aware of their prior commitments particularly sporting and road patrol.

Duty times are before school and morning tea or lunchtime.

Librarians complete a worksheet over a term to gain their library badge.

Responsible for the running of library if Lisa is away and being a role model for younger pupils.

Traffic Safety Team
Year 6 children have the opportunity to be a part of the Traffic Safety Team. Names of those interested are collected at the end of Year 5. The children are trained by our  community police constable who ascertains whether they are suitable for the role.  Children must be reliable, show maturity and be a sensible role model. Students are part of the traffic safety team for two consecutive terms. There are two parts to their road patrol duties.

Morning session: 8.25am - 8.55am
Afternoon session: 3.00pm - 3.15pm

Sport
At Elmwood, Year 5/6 students participate in Friday sport, either at school or against other schools. 

Summer SportDuring terms 1 and 4 Year 5 & 6 students will develop their sporting skills onsite.Whilst at school they will be exposed to a wide range of sports where they willdevelop a range of skills. There will be a specific focus on communication,teamwork, leadership and awareness of the different codes.

Winter Sport

All Year 5 & 6 students will have the opportunity to represent Elmwood offsite incompetitions against other schools on a Friday afternoon in terms 2 and 3.Students trial for their choice of code for the winter sports. Coaches select children torepresent the sport and training occurs once a week. The final decision on the teamsis based on the performance of the student on the day and decided by the teachersoverseeing the trials.

Sports Uniforms
It is intended that all Yr 5/6 children wear their sports uniform on Fridays and at other sporting events.

Thursday Electives
On Thursday afternoons from 2.15 - 3.00pm, the Year 5 and 6 children are involved in an Arts based Electives programme.

Children take part in one of the following:

• Kapa Haka (led by Rihari Walker)
  
• Choir
  
• Other options from the arts

Elmwood Enrichment Programme
At Elmwood each teacher caters for all the different learning styles and abilities within their own classroom programme.  

For our enrichment programme we are offering a variety of programmes to meet the learning needs of our more able students.  A STEM programme (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) focus will occur for part of the year, as will an arts focus.

Facebook, School Website and Newsletter
The Elmwood Facebook page and our website are good places to see what has been happening around the school along with regular notices and photos.

Home Learning
Home learning is an extension of the school programme that supports, enhances, and consolidates teaching and learning. Children are expected to spend time reading and consolidating basic Maths facts.  Teachers will outline their expectations at the Meet the Teacher evening.

Winter Terms (terms 2 and 3)
Children need to leave their shoes in the designated shoe bay at the bottom of the stairwell, before coming upstairs. We encourage children to bring slippers to school to wear during this time.

Itinerant Music Tuition Opportunities for Year 3, 4, 5 and 6
Children in year 3 can apply for one of the limited places to learn the violin through the Itinerant Out of School Hours Music tuition, funded by the Ministry of Education. Children in year 4, 5 and 6 can apply for one of the limited places in the ‘Itinerant Out of School Hours’ tuition programme, funded by the Ministry of Education available in the following musical instruments: violin, piano, clarinet, cello, flute.

During week 1/ 2, an information letter will be given to children in years 4, 5 and 6 who show interest in learning one of these instruments. The instrumental tutors will carry out auditions.

Notification regarding lesson times will be sent home with the successful applicants.