Please refer here for a quick A-Z on Springston School operations and activities. If there is something missing we'd love to hear from you so we can add it in. Always feel free to contact the office if you need further clarification or guidance.

A

Absences & Illness

It is in the interest of a child’s progress that they attend school every day, and the Education Act requires this by law. Attendance less than 90% is concernning.

The school maintains an electronic attendance register. Please phone the office when your child can not attend school, advising your child’s name, and the reason for their absence. Alternatively, you can complete an on-line Absence Form located on the School App.

If your child is going to be away for a length of time, e.g. on an overseas trip, we require a letter before your child leaves. This will ensure that the school does not have to cancel your child’s enrolment after twenty days. Please be aware that no work will be set for your child unless the prolonged absence is due to illness.

Access

Parents, by right, have access to their child(ren) when living apart, separated or divorced. Upon request, interviews and reports are available to both parents. Where access is denied by either parent, documentation is required to be seen by the Principal. Without proof, access must be allowed to both parents.

Agricultural Club

Pet day is held in November. Agriculture Club Project lambs and calves are judged on that day, but other pets may be presented. On this day children are asked about their pets and the care of them. 

Appointments

If at any time during the year you wish to discuss a concern, or you just want to meet with your child’s teacher to discuss progress, please feel free to phone the school and make an appointment. While minor matters can sometimes be discussed informally, this can present a problem if the teacher is on playground or road crossing duty.

Activities

The cost of most school activities are covered by your annual school donation. These activities are part of the school curriculum. Sometimes, optional activities are offered and these are on a pay as you go basis. Any invoices incurred will be delivered home by your children or posted on the Hero financial section. Payments may be sent to school in a named envelope and posted in the payments slot in the office. You may pay by cash or cheque at the office or by internet banking from home.

After school

Children must leave the school grounds as soon as they are dismissed from class unless accompanied by their parent when they play in the playground. Scooters/skateboards etc are not to be used in the grounds until after the buses leave at 3:10 p.m. There is no after school care facility operating on site, but information about local options for after school care is available at the the school office.

Assemblies

A full school assembly is held twice a term on a Monday at 2pm in the community hall across the road from the school. Parents are welcome to attend. The dates for assemblies are published in the school newsletter. 

B

Before school

Children are allowed into the school and the classrooms from 8:30 a.m. Children at school prior to 8:30am are unsupervised and need to remain on the covered veranda outside of the library until classrooms open.

Bell Times

Juniors:

• Learning Block 1: 9:00 am – 10:00 am
  
• Morning break: 10:00 am – 10:20 am
• Learning Block 2: 10.20 am – 11:30 am
• Lunch break: 11:30 am – 11:55 am
• Lunch eating: 11:55 – 12:15pm
• Learning Block 3: 12:15 pm – 1:30 pm
• Short break: 1:30 pm – 1:45 pm
• Learning Block 4: 1:45 pm – 3:00 pm
  

Seniors:

• Learning Block 1: 9:00 am – 10:25 am
  
• Morning break: 10:25 am – 10:45 am
• Learning Block 2: 10.45 am – 12:00 pm
• Lunch break: 12:00 pm – 12:25 pm
• Lunch eating: 12:25 – 12:40pm
• Learning Block 3: 12:40 pm – 1:50pm
• Short break: 1:45 pm – 2:00 pm
• Learning Block 4:  2:00 pm – 3:00 pm

Bible in Schools

This is offered each year. Parents may opt in to this programme. Please check with the school regarding the delivery of this programme from year to year.

Bicycles

We believe that children must know the Road Code and have the skills for safe cycling. We remind parents that the New Zealand Transport Agency and The New Zealand Police recommended age for cycling to school is 10. We strongly recommend that children do not ride to school until they are in Year 5 or above. If parents allow their child to ride to school, they take responsibility for their cycling safety. Children who cycle to school must wear approved safety helmets. Bicycles can be left in the area on the south side of the school near the swimming pool.

Board of Trustees

Your Board is elected every three years as the governing body of the school. The main function of the trustees is to be responsible for all aspects of the school relating to governance, this includes the welfare of students and staff, appointment of staff, financial matters, building maintenance, equipment, grounds and ammenities. Please refer to the BOT page of this website, under the 'Our People' tab.

Your Board of Trustees meet twelve times a year and dates are advertised in our school newsletter. These are public meetings and all members of the school community are welcome to attend.

Buses

The Springston South and Ellesmere buses carry many of our children to and from school. The principal is the bus controller at Springston School. All matters concerning buses should be referred to the principal who will liaise with the bus company.

To qualify for travel to and from school by bus, children must live within the schools Transport Entitlement Zone. Students must live more than 3.2 km from the school.

All Springston School buses arrive at school around 8.25 a.m. and leave by 3.10 p.m. Lincoln High School buses use the schools bus bay to drop off and pick up high school students but we do not share buses with the high school students. Student bus monitors help with supervision and marking the bus roll before students leave in the afternoon.

It is board policy that all students who ride on the school buses before and after school must wear a school bus vest. Parents of students who wish to travel on the bus occasionally to friend’s house must enquire in advance to ensure there is space available.

C

Charter

The Charter specifies the goals and objectives of the school and is a legal contract between the Board of Trustees and the Minister of Education. A copy can be downloaded from this web space.

Child safety

We all have a responsibility towards child safety in our community. Please help the school to promote child safety by encouraging children to:
(a) go to and from school in groups.
(b) have and know strategies to deal with approaches by strangers, e.g.

• say "no"
• note car numbers and colour, etc
• walk towards a house where someone is likely to be home
• report incidents

Communication

The school operates electronic Daily Notices through our intranet. Parents who wish to have a notice included e.g. lost property, can do this through the school secretary before 9am.

Messages left on the school answer phone are cleared daily when the school is open for instruction. Messages left during holiday breaks are cleared on a regular basis.

Email messages are cleared daily when the school is open and on a regular basis when the school is closed during a holiday break. The school’s email address is office@springston.school.nz

School newsletters and notices are posted on our Springston School App. At times, notices may be posted through the student management system - Hero. A paper copy can be collected from the school office.

The school website has most information pertaining to the school. www.springston.school.nz

We also operate a school Facebook page for instant messaging. If you are a Facebook user please search for Springston Primary School and click ‘Like’.

Community groups

All children, on enrolment, are placed in one of our community groups. These groups, named after Maori Gods, are made up of children from Years 1-8 and are led by senior students. Community Groups meet with a different teacher approximately once a fortnight to learn about and practice our A+ Learning Characteristics.

Composite classes

Composite classes are when classes have more than one Year level in them. Sometimes there are concerns about this and these usually relate to a perception that if a child is placed in a composite class the child may be disadvantaged; perhaps that work will be too easy, or that they will be repeating work from a previous year etc. Be assured programmes and learning themes for each classroom are planned annually. There is no set requirement for curriculum coverage for children of a certain age. The only requirement of schools, by the Ministry of Education, is to ensure there is breadth and depth of coverage of all of the essential learning areas and that the classroom teacher delivers a programme at an appropriate level of instruction that caters for the individual differences in levels of thinking and learning.

Concerns and queries

Complaints or queries may be directed to the class teacher, team leader, Principal or Board of Trustees. Your starting point will be the classroom teacher.

Please do not remain silent if you have a concern, are uneasy or troubled.

Problems are usually remedied easily; rumours are often ill founded; policies and practice are sometimes misunderstood; errors, short-comings and wrongs should be corrected immediately.

Please feel free to contact the office to arrange to see your child’s teacher or the principal. Please don’t leave problems until interview times. If you wish to discuss your child’s progress with the teacher, please speak to them before or after school and arrange a suitable time for this. Please bring matters of concern to their attention straight away to enable teachers to assemble the relevant information to put you fully in the picture.

Contact Details

It is vitally important that you keep the school informed of any change of address or work or home phone or emergency contact numbers.

Curriculum Programmes

All school programmes are carefully based on National Education Goals, curriculum guidelines, and programmes as specified in our Charter and accompanying policies.

It is the school’s intention that all staff work together to deliver a balanced curriculum which reflects the latest trends in education and, for this reason, programmes are constantly being reviewed and refined.

Staff are committed to ongoing professional learning that is fully supported by the Board of Trustees.

A priority is placed on literacy and numeracy teaching in the core curriculum subjects (Reading, Language, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies, Technology and The Arts).

D

Dental Care

Enrolment at school automatically means enrolment for free Dental Therapy. Parents wishing to make alternative arrangements are able to do so. Dental Therapists visit the school once a year to assess all children. Follow-up appointments, should they be required, are carried out at the Lincoln Centre. Contact may be made directly with the dental nurse at Lincoln Primary. Ph 325-2551.

Digital Citizenship (Cyber Citizenship)

We are helping prepare our students to be effective and safe digital citizens. We have a planned programme suited to each year level, as well as taking opportunities (within context) throughout the year. Information and resources to support parents are available, so contact the office if required. Upon enrolment, students and their families are also required to sign a cybersafety agreement, and asked to agree to the publication of student work on our class and school blogs. We believe that sharing student work with our community, as well as a wider audience, is an important aspect of building digital citizenship skills.

Disco

The FOSS organise a disco for the students at our school at least twice a year, in the Community Hall. Times and cost are advertised in the school newsletter.

Parents are to drop their children at the door and pick them up at the end of their session. Prompt pickup is appreciated as the children from the next session are eager to be let in, in time for their disco to start. No child will be released from the hall without an adult. Please come in to collect your child. The FOSS do sell refreshments and glowing novelties, so some spending money is advised, but please do not send your child along with more than a few dollars.

Donations (often referred to as School Fees)

Each year we ask for a donation from each family to supplement the money we receive from the Government and from fundraising. This donation allows us to include activities outside the classroom and the school gate which support our curriculum, including the cost of transport. This is based on student year levels, as the new entrant students have less 'costs' compared to the activities of our senior students. Parents who enrol during the year are invited to give a proportion of the donation.

Please enquire at the school office for the amount requested for your child's year group. Donations are tax deductable. The school provides a receipt and the forms for tax claims. 

For specific extra-curricular activities that are optional and incur a cost, parents are asked to pay for these activities in advance.

Duty Teachers

Students will always find a Duty Teacher if they need any assistance during breaks. 

E

Education outside the classroom (EOTC)

This is an important dimension to enhance our school programmes.

Experiences outside the classroom include such activities as the camps for Years 4-7, the Year 8 Dunedin/Wellington trip, skiing, sporting, musical, drama and other educational trips. Local walks, visits and visitors are valuable additions to classroom learning programmes.

School outings are usually directly related to current classroom programmes/themes, and as such most arranged visits are compulsory to children.

Risk management systems are in place and all parent helpers must complete the required documentation from the school. Ratios of adults to children are determined by the perceived level of risk. Teachers arranging trips must have the prior approval of the principal and on some occasions the approval of the board. Parents sign permission slips for activity Levels 1-3 when children start school.

Sometimes we walk or travel by bus, and at other times we ask for parental help with transport. Whenever private transport is used, parents/caregivers must have a current drivers license and their car must be registered and have a current Warrant of Fitness. All children must wear a diagonal seatbelt.

Emergency contact

In case of emergency (illness or accident) we will telephone you or the emergency number you have given us. Minor accidents can be dealt with by the school staff. If we are unable to contact you we will take your child to the local doctor.

Enrolments

If your child is turning five in the next year please contact the school office to make an enrolment appointment. The earlier you enrol, the better, so that the Board of Trustees can plan for classroom space and teacher appointments. You can download an enrolment form from this website.

Springston School has an excellent Transition to School programme that includes a Starting School Party and a Starting School Pack.

Approximately one month before your child’s birthday pre-entry visits will be arranged.

When enrolling your child you will need to bring a copy of his/her Birth Certificate or passport and evidence of up-to-date immunisation. Immunisation is not compulsory in New Zealand but parents of children born from 1995 onwards are required to show their child’s immunisation certificate when starting school so that the Immunisation Register can be completed.

Springston Primary School has an enrolment scheme with a defined zone, in order to prevent over-crowding at our school. (Please see Enrolment Zone on the website)

F

Friends of Springston School (FOSS)

This group was formed after the restructuring of the school's PTA. It serves the school as a support in all aspects of operations; from transporting students, attending school trips, providing morning teas, fundraising ventures for example. This is open to all parents of the school. Your contributions towards any activity in whatever capacity is very welcome.

Full Primary School

Springston is a Year 0-8 Full Primary School and, as such, offers a complete package for children between preschool and high school. Full Primary Schools are known for having a caring family environment that enhances personal development, supportive staff who know your children well and care about their progress, and quality teaching and learning across the curriculum to prepare your child for the future. We also provide leadership opportunities for all children, particularly in the senior school, and a Year 7 and 8 programme designed to meet the academic and social needs of emerging adolescents. 

G
H

Helping your child at school

• Family and Community influences can account for as much as 65 % of children's learning according to research both overseas and in New Zealand (Biddulph and Biddulph, 2003)
• The school day is only a part of your child's education. There are many ways you can help at home
• At school we encourage children to work independently, make decisions and develop responsibility for their own learning. You can encourage this by giving them responsibilities at home
• Praise your child's efforts and value things they bring home
• If writing things for your child to read, use the printing style used at school. A copy of this will be given to you when your child starts school. Use capital letters only for the beginning of a name or sentence
• Play lots of games with numbers and words
• Read lots of stories and encourage reading and writing
• Set a limit on TV time and encourage your child to be selective in their TV watching
• Help with, but don't do, homework
• Make sure your child has adequate sleep
• Recognise that different children progress at different rates

Headlice

From time to time there are outbreaks of headlice. Please don’t panic if your child has headlice - they are very easily caught and very easily treated. Please inform us if you discover signs of headlice in your child’s hair - chances are others may have them too. Generally, the school sends note home to all families in a class to alert then to the presence of headlice. The school has a Robi-Comb which you can arrange to use by contacting the office.

Health Nurse

The Health Nurse regularly visits the school. If you have concerns about your child's physical, social or emotional health please contact the school for a referral. Please refer to the table at the back of this booklet for infectious disease information.

Hearing and vision testing

Prior to turning five, children have a 'before school check' at their family Doctor. Any concerns can then be shared with the school at enrolment.  

At age 11 boys have vision and colour vision tested and all children at age 14 have vision tested again through the School Health Service.

Hero (Student Management System)

This system serves a major role in our reporting to parents about your child's success, achievements and progress. Please read further details about this on the website.

Home Learning (often referred to as Homework)

Any home learning will be related to and illustrative of current work being done at the school. A Home Learning Grid is used by many of our classes. Year 7 and 8 students work towards Learning Pathway Awards in their own time.

It should be noted that:

• much of a child's homework is regular, i.e. reading library books, learning tables and spelling words, reading newspapers and watching the news on television
• other homework tasks may be set for specific purposes
• no child should find homework a source of stress. Please contact your child's teacher if you sense that your child is frustrated or unable to cope
• homework should not stop children from healthy, worthwhile pursuits such as involvement in sports, etc.

Teachers will advise parents of their routines and expectations.

House Groups

The children in each class are placed into four houses – Red (Whero), Yellow (Kowhai), Green (Kakariki), and Blue (Kahurangi). Houses are used to organise sports and events and class rewards. Children may have their house colour changed during the course of their schooling to maintain a balance of ages and gender in each house. 

I

ICT

Each class has a pool of iPads and/or Chromebooks for student use. These are all internet capable using a wireless internet connection. ICT is incorporated in all areas of the curriculum and at all levels of our school.

We also have large TV screens in each learning space for display purposes and some are interactive (touch operated) to encourage collaborative work between student and teacher and student and student.

Please read the separate section on Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) on the website.

Illnesses and Accidents

If a child becomes ill at school parents are contacted and suitable arrangements made. If both parents are working the name and telephone number of someone who can be called in an emergency should be made known. This is particularly necessary in the case of accidents.

Where contact can not be made, the school will take the actions a prudent parent would, in an emergency, by contacting the doctor or hospital.

Individual needs

Springston School employs a Learning Support Coordinator who oversees the provision of learning support for children with individual needs. Part-time teachers and teacher aides work with individuals and groups of children whose needs include E.S.O.L. (English as a second language), enrichment, learning difficulties, and extension learning.

Indoor Footwear

During the winter months children are encouraged to bring suitable footwear, e.g. slippers, for indoors. This helps to keep the noise down when children are compelled to remain indoors and assists in keeping the school carpets clean.

J

Jewellery

Jewellery, other than ear studs and watches, is not permitted to be worn at school, unless for cultural or religious reasons. Ear studs are the only earrings allowed to be worn, no dangling or sleeper type earrings.

K
L

Leaving school during school hours

Parents collecting a child during school hours to attend medical appointments etc must sign their child out at the school office. Children must be signed in on return to school.

Library - Information Literacy Centre

The school has a well stocked library which all classes visit on a regular basis. Children are able to select books to take home. The library is open during breaks and children are encouraged to make use of the extensive services available. The school employs a part- time librarian to ensure the on-going purchasing of up-to-date, attractive and stimulating reading material. As library books are expensive to replace we would ask you to assist us by ensuring children look after the books and return them promptly. If children lose library books, parents will be invoiced for their replacement. We prefer books to be transported to and from school in a Book Bag.

Lost property

In an effort to keep lost property to a minimum, parents are requested to name all of their child’s clothing; this will assist in the return of items.
The lost property box is checked regularly. Named items are returned. Unnamed items are kept for a term and then unclaimed items are donated to the Friends of the School for sale in the 2nd hand clothing shop.

Lunch time

Children are supervised in their classrooms while they eat their lunch. In the lower part of the school, we follow a 'Play, Eat, Learn' philosophy, which results in students being more settled and prepared for learning after breaks. Reusable containers are encouraged. 

Lunches

Lunches can be ordered by parents from the Springston Dairy before school. Senior students collect the orders before the lunch bell. Children are not permitted to go to the shop during school hours.

Subway and Sushi can be ordered fortnightly on alternate Fridays. Ordering information is available at the office. Both Subway and Sushi are ordered online - info here. 

M

Medication

If your child has an ongoing medical condition (e.g. asthma/allergies) medication can be held at the school office to be administered when required. Please ensure that all medication is labelled with your child’s name.

In each case, a parent/caregiver must complete and sign a Permission to Administer Medication form.

At the end of the school year all medication is returned. This is a good opportunity to check the expiry date on medications.

If your child still requires medication at the beginning of the next school year we will ask you to complete a new Permission to Administer Medication form. This ensures we have the most current information regarding dosages for your child.

Meeting with the Principal

Prospective parents and pupils are most welcome to visit to view the school. Please contact the Office to make an appointment if you wish to meet the Principal. She welcomes the opportunity to speak with parents.

Music Tuition

Private tuition, at parent expense, is available for children in classical and electric guitar, drums, piano and voice. Lessons to learn other musical instruments would be considered depending on numbers of interested children. 

N

Newsletters

A school newsletter is published weekly on a Friday . These take on several forms; What's Up, which is a shorter version with updates for the following week. A full Newsletter is published on Weeks 3, 6 and 9 of each term. There are also Memos/Alerts, which keep parents updated on other school happenings.  Please notify the school office if you wish to publish anything in our communications. Communications are published on our website and school app.

O
P

Parent Helpers

This school encourages active participation by parents in school activities inside and outside of school. Parent assistance is sought by teachers with individuals and small groups of children in the classroom, library, sports teams, working bees, supervision, camping and fundraising etc. If you can help in either a general or particular way, please don’t hesitate to contact us. 

Parent/Teacher Interviews (Learning Conversations)

Parents are encouraged to maintain a regular contact with your child’s teacher. Besides informal contacts before and after school, opportunities to have an interview with the teacher are always available. 

3-way Learning Conferences take place twice a year. A variety of days and times are offered to families and parents make bookings using an on-line system. 

Parking

A school car park has been developed on the southern boundary of the school with access from the car park to school grounds. Please ensure the gate remains closed at all times.

Parents may drop off and pick up their children from the bus bay but must not leave their car unattended. Please keep the bus bay clear. If possible please pick up children from the pavement nearest the school. Children should wait inside the school grounds for parents. 

Personal property

Children are discouraged from bringing to school any toys, jewellery or belongings irrelevant to teaching and learning. Most jewellery is not suitable in terms of safety in sport and play. The school can take no responsibility for any such items if they go missing or are damaged.

Photocopying

The school’s photocopier is available for use by the school community at a set price. The school secretary is responsible for overseeing the photocopiers use, and should be contacted between the hours of 8.30-3.15 to make a suitable time. 

Photographs

Each year children are able to have their class, individual and family photographs taken. There is no compulsion for children to have their photos taken. Photographs are provided as a service to parents and payment must be made when photos are received. Most photographers now use an on-line system for ordering. We send out a flyer prior to their visit to school.

Policies and Procedures

The Board has developed a comprehensive folder of policies and procedures to assist in operating the school. Springston School uses an on-line system for reviewing policy and procedure and parents are notified of this in the school newsletter.

Policies and procedures can be viewed by parents at any time by going to http:// schooldocs.co.nz. Please note there is no ‘www’. This site can be accessed directly from the Springston School website. The username is springston and the password is pathways

Pool Keys

Families can purchase a pool key from the school for use of the pool by the family outside of school hours in Terms 1 and 4. Contact the school office for the current key price and a pool agreement. 

Preschoolers

If you are intending to send your child to Springston School it is a good idea to put your name down at the office up to a year ahead. If we have your name and address you will be contacted by our Junior School Leader, who deals with all matters relating to transition to school. Prior to starting school you will be asked to show a copy of your child's birth and immunisation certificates.

Pre-school visits

In the month before your child is due to start school we will arrange pre-school orientation visits. These will help you and your child see what happens at school and will make the initial adjustment easier. Your child will also receive an invitation to a Starting School Party in the term before he or she is due to start. This is where your child gets to meet other children due to start in the same term and you can meet other new parents.

Prohibited items

Children may not bring the following items to school:

• hand held video games
• matches
• solvents-chemicals
• jewellery other than studs and watches
• cigarettes/tobacco
• alcohol
• chewing gum
• sweets
• pocket knives

PTA

Springston School's parent support group is called 'FOSS' -Friends of Springston School. See above for more information and the page on the website.

Q
R

Religious Instruction (Bible in Schools)

Religious instruction tutors work in the school for half an hour a week. Parents must request their child be included in these lessons. The school is not closed for instruction during this time.

Reporting to parents

Teachers report informally and formally to parents. The following plan is for students in Years 4 -8.

Term 1: February: Goal Setting Meetings - a chance for child and parents to meet and set initial goals for the start of the new school year. Towards the end of Term 1 3-Way Learning Conversations are held. Bookings are made using an on-line system, and appointments are 15 minutes in duration. Initial goals are reviews, assessment data shared, and academic goals for the next term are set.

Term 3: Early in Term 3 a second round of 3-Way Learning Conversations may be held. 

Term 4: A summative written report to parents is posted on each child's HERO profile on our Student Management System. See more information on our website. 

In the Junior School, Years 0 - 3, parents and the child meet the teacher at the beginning of the year to set initial goals and share classroom routines.

Following that, parents are invited to Learning Conversations at the anniversary dates for their child. These occur at yearly points; 40, 80, and 120 weeks at school, and at half yearly markers; 20, 60, and 100 weeks. This gives a clearer picture of the progress your child has made during their time at school.

Our school reporting outlines your child’s progress in relation to his/her ability, they do not compare your child with another. Classroom teachers make 'posts' on HERO, throughout the year across the curriculum to inform you of the progress and achievement your child has made.

Teachers are available throughout the year, by appointment, to discuss student progress.

In addition to the interviews and reports the school takes every opportunity it can to celebrate and share children’s achievements.

Restorative Practice

At Springston School we look at discipline as an opportunity to provide boundaries and guidelines for children to learn. Discipline is a basic requirement for all young people in order for them to grow up to be independent and successful in society and develop character.

We place a strong emphasis on Restorative Practice – on putting right the wrong that has been done, and repairing any relationships that may have been damaged. This process is usually private to the parties involved, but it does always happen.

You are welcome to download Restorative Practice - Presentation slides from Margaret Thorsborne

Road crossing

The school has been granted permission to operate a Kea Crossing to assist children in crossing Leeston Road before and after school. Senior students are trained as monitors but must operate under adult supervision at all times. We require parents to help keep the Kea Crossing operational between 8.30 and 8.55 am, and 3 - 3.15pm each week day. Please advise the office as to your availability.

S

Scholastic Book Club

Once or twice a term, children bring home a pamphlet from the Scholastic Book Company offering pupils a selection of books to purchase - ABC/Lucky, Arrow, Star. Parents are under no pressure to buy.

The school receives points for each book sold. These points are accumulated and used to purchase books and equipment.
Orders, accompanied by payment, should be placed in the deposit box in the school office in a clearly labelled envelope.

School App

The school operates a Springston School App. This is an essential communication platform, which all parents must download. It has direct links to the school calendar, teacher contacts, term dates, newsletters and alerts, as well as Hero and the Springston School Facebook page. It is free for all parents and whanau and keeps you up to date with all the happenings in the school. Details about accessing this can be found here or at the school office.

School Banking

School banking is available for pupils each week. This service is provided by ASB and school banking forms can be found in the school enrolment pack.

School Hours and Breaks

• Children allowed to enter the school: 8:30 am
  
• Learning Block 1: 9:00 am – 10:40 am
  
• Morning break: 10:40 am – 11:00 am
• Learning Block 2: 11 am – 12:00 pm
• Lunch eating: 12:00 pm – 12:10pm
• Lunch break: 12:10 – 12:45pm
• Learning Block 3: 12:45 pm – 1:45 pm
• Short break: 1:45 pm – 2:00 pm
• Learning Block 4: 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm

School grounds and classrooms are not available until 8.30am.Children arriving prior to this are required to sit on the verandah outside the library and are unsupervised. Students are encouraged to go to straight to their classrooms after 8.30 and prepare for the day.

School trips and activities

The children are involved in a variety of trips and activities during the year which complement and support the school curriculum. Parents are notified of these events prior. Costs associated with each activity are usually covered by your school donation. Teachers plan these activities at the beginning of the year and rely on school donations being paid so that they can attend.

Skateboards and scooters

Children are allowed to bring scooters and skateboards to school. These can only be used on the back court area during scheduled play breaks. During the winter terms there is a higher demand for hard court areas and the use of scooters and skateboards will be restricted to Tuesdays and Thursdays, advertised via the school newsletter and daily notices.

After school, children are not to ride scooters or skateboards on the court areas until after the school buses have departed.

Smokefree Environment

The Smoke-free Environments Amendment Act 2003, requires that the buildings and grounds of schools and early childhood centres are Smoke Free at all times.

Special Education

The majority of our children make normal progress as part of their classroom programme. Curriculum planning is designed to meet the needs of all students; this includes students who may have special needs and/or are gifted and/or talented. Extension within the classroom programme is considered essential. When a teacher cannot easily meet the needs of a child within the classroom programme other alternatives are considered

Children may be assisted through a wide a range of programmes including;

• Employment of specialist teachers
• Employment of teacher aides
• Employment of additional teaching staff
• Invitation to attend Gifted Education programmes
• Curriculum competitions
• Resource Teachers i.e. Literacy, Learning and Behaviour. Cross-class groupings
• Correspondence school courses

Stationery

A list of stationery requirements is sent home with class placement notices at the end of the year. The lists are also made available at this time on the web site.

Back to School Stationery can be ordered here at the start of each year.

Student Assessment

Teachers will use classroom assessment as the basis for monitoring student progress and setting next step learning. Hero and digital portfolios and classroom exercise books may be used to show children’s work and may be used as a means of comparison, or to provide evidence of achievement.

Information will be collected each year by using a variety of assessment tools, such as Running Word Records and Asttle Tests. The information will be analysed and used to make recommendations for setting school targets and or to improve curriculum planning and identify strengths or areas of concern across the school in year groups.

The Springston School Student Management System, HERO, is part of the school’s official records on a child’s progress. Every parent needs to be signed into this app to receive regular updates on their child's progress and achievement. Please contact the office if you need help with this.

Student Leadership

The school holds high expectations for the children in the Year 7/8 class, particularly in the area of student leadership. All senior students can apply to become part of the ‘A Team’. Children in this group receive specific leadership training and are then supported as they organise and manage whole school events, act as buddies to our new entrant children, meet and greet visitors, conduct school tours and undertake numerous other duties.

Sunhats

All children are provided with a sun hat on enrolment courtesy of the Friends of Springston School. Children must wear their school hat when they are in the playground in Terms 1 and 4. Replacement of hats will be at the expense of parents. Hats can be purchased from the school office.

Supporting your child's learning

As whānau you play a big part in your child's learning every day, and you can support and build on what they learn at school too. Below is a link to the "Supporting your child's learning" page on the Ministry of Education website. This section has information and tips on getting involved in your child's reading, writing and mathematics learning while they are in Years 1-8 at school. There is a page for each year level to help you understand how you can support your child's learning at home.

Swimming

Swimming is part of the physical education programme. Participation is not voluntary. The pool is heated during the regular season. Please ensure your child has their togs and towel at school on a daily basis. If your child is unwell a note should be sent to school. 

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Technology

Year Seven and Eight students travel by bus to Lincoln Primary School one morning a week for specialist technology, hard/soft materials, food and electronics lessons. A charge is made for materials supplied by the training centre that your child will use and be able to keep.

Toys/Valuables

Small toys and home play articles are discouraged, as they are often lost or ‘attract’ other children’s attention. The school takes no responsibility for loss or damage. Please ensure all belongings are named and that children are encouraged to be responsible for their belongings. 

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Undesirable items brought to school

Staff will take undesirable items that children bring to school, and send them to the office. The Principal will decide how each item will be returned.

Uniform

The school uniform can be purchased from George Roy's Drapery Store in Springston, open 9 am - 4 pm week days. School uniform is compulsory, therefore all children must be in the approved school uniform. For details, please go to School Docs and search for 'uniform'.
The school runs a secondhand uniform shop, at school in the old 'Room 8'. This is open regularly before and after school. Times for this are advertised in the school newsletters.

If your family has outgrown their uniform or you have additional school uniforms that are no longer required, you might like to donate them back to the school, which would be appreciated. Or we can sell on your behalf. Please contact the Office if this is the case. 

Use of school grounds

Entry onto the school grounds after hours is a privilege - not a right. We ask that any children using the school grounds and/or playground after hours are supervised by an adult and that visitors show respect for our school buildings.  

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Vision and Hearing Testing

Canterbury District Health Board organise to check the vision and hearing of your child at Year 1. If a parent is concerned about their child’s hearing or vision please contact either the Public Health Nurse or the school for further information. Year 7 boys are tested for colour blindness. 

Vaccinations

Year Seven and Eight students are eligible to have their MVP vaccinations completed at school. The Public Health Nurse sends out forms to parents when these are to be down. Parents may prefer to have these completed with the family doctor.

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Zoning

All children who live within the home zone described below shall be entitled to enrol at the Springston School. The boundary will be:

• South along Days Rd from the Ellesmere Junction Rd to Collins Rd.
  
• East along Collins Road to Springs Road.
  
• South along Springs Road to the intersection with Goodericks Road.
• West along Goodericks Road to Days Road.
• South along Days Road to the intersection with Spackman Ave.
  
• West along Pannetts Rd to the Coes Ford.
  
• From Coes Ford Westwards, following the southern boundary of the Selwyn River to the Corbetts Rd and Brookside/Burnham Rd Ford.
  
• North on Corbetts Rd and Brookside/Burnham Rd to the intersection of Brookside Rd and Ellesmere Junction Rd.
  
• East along Ellesmere Junction Rd to the Selwyn Rd intersection.
  
• North East along Selwyn Rd to the Weedons Rd.
  
• South East along Weedons Rd to the Ellesmere Junction Rd.
  
• West along Ellesmere Junction Rd to Days Rd.
  
  

Out of Zone Enrolments

Each year the board will determine the number of places that are likely to be available in the following year for the enrolment of children who live outside the home zone. The board will publish this information by notice in a daily or community newspaper circulating in the area served by the school. The notice will indicate how applications are to be made and will specify a date by which all applications must be received.

Applications for enrolment will be processed in the following order of priority:

1. First Priority will be given to students who have been accepted for enrolment in a special programme run by the school and approved by the Secretary for Education. (This priority category is not applicable at this school because the school does not run a special programme approved by the Secretary).
2. Second Priority will be given to applicants who are siblings of current students.
3. Third Priority will be given to applicants who are siblings of former students.
4. Fourth priority will be given to applicants who are children of a former student.
5. Fifth priority will be given to applicants who are children of employees of the school or children of a member of the Board of Trustees.
6. Sixth priority will be given to any other applicants.

If there are more applicants than there are places available, selection within the priority group will be by a ballot conducted in accordance with instructions issued by the Secretary under Section 11G(1) of the Education Act 1989. Parents will be informed of the date of any ballot by notice in a daily or community newspaper circulating in the area served by the school.

Applicants seeking priority status may be required to give proof of a sibling relationship.