It's a bit like Goldilocks really - not too early, but not too late. In the middle is just right! ("in the middle" is around 8:30am)

The time that our children arrive at school can have a huge impact on their day, and on their classmates day. Already this term, we’ve recorded 222 instances of students being late to school. This means there has been 222 times when a child is potentially starting the day on the wrong foot, and their class is potentially being disrupted by their arrival.

The flip side is that your child shouldn't be arriving at school before 8:15am. Before this time, there is no guarantee of supervision. Before 8:15am teachers are preparing for the day and they need to be able to focus on that.

We understand that mornings can be a busy and sometimes stressful time for whānau. Here are a few simple strategies that might help:

• Prepare the night before: pack bags, lay out clothes, and make lunches in the evening.

• Set a regular bedtime: well-rested tamariki find it easier to wake up and get ready in the morning.

• Have a morning routine: create a calm, consistent order (breakfast, teeth, get dressed, bag by the door).

• Allow extra time: aim to be ready 10 minutes earlier than you think you need to be – it helps take the pressure off unexpected delays.

• Ask for support: if mornings are proving especially tricky, please come and talk with us. We can work on solutions together.

We'll make contact with you if your child is late more than 2-3 times in a term to see how we can work together to solve this issue.

Looking forward to a Term 4 where everyone arrives at school around 8:30am, has time to settle, a bit of a play and then a great day of learning. Every day.

Ngā mihi nui,
Sharon