Education Outside the Classroom (EOTC) is an important part of our school curriculum.

Trips, visits and experiences we offer help to provide  a broad, rich curriculum for our students and a chance for them to develop skills in a different environment.

Our community value EOTC experiences and have always been more than willing to contribute toward the cost of them but as these activities cost we feel it is important to outline them at the start of the year so that you can budget for them. 

While a number of the more costly experiences happen at the senior end of the school it is important that parents of younger students are aware of them and are prepared for this extra cost when their child moves in the senior classes and also work to prepare students for these experiences. 

With all school activities we endeavour to subsidise the cost and never want a child to miss out on them because of the contribution parents are asked to make.  I would ask that if finance is ever a barrier or  a concern that you come and speak so we can ensure this barrier is removed. 

We have  a number of parents who make regular small payments into the bank account to cover costs that come up over the year – a great way for covering the parent contribution for these experiences - see Kati in the office if you would like to set this up.

Teams plan trips or visits to enhance the learning focus for the term – this could be a trip  or a visiting group  performing for the students. The approximate cost of this could be up to $15 per child per term depending on what is planned.

In past years Matai team have had lessons at the School of Gymnastics during Term 3 to extend their gymnastics skills on a range of equipment, this cost is usually about $15 per child.

As our children get older a wider range of opportunities are offered that challenge the students’ further. Our Year 5 &6 students participate in winter sport against other local schools which can have a cost to help cover transport. 

Our Year 5 students participate in a ski trip in Term 3 which costs approximately $100 per student and in Year 6 students attend a 2- night, 3 day camp at Wainui which has a cost of approximately $180 per student (this depends on numbers and any additional fundraising). In Term 4 our Year 5 & 6 students also participate in Sailing, the cost is subsidised from the children’s rug sale, and parents contributing towards it.

Every second year (odd years) all students participate in daily offsite swimming lessons at Graham Condon Pool, during the last two weeks of term 3. These lessons provide opportunity for group teaching with trained instructions who for the lower children are in the water with them, deep water experience and water safety skills training. The cost is heavily subsidised  for the 10 lessons and bus travel.

We are aware that to do all these things we need parents to contribute  towards the cost of these experiences, which are subsidised by the school.  The children learn so much from them and our parent community has told us they highly value them, want them to continue and will support the school to ensure they happen.