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Welcome Back to Term 1 2026: Important Information and Dates

Dee-Anne Herdman —

Kia ora koutou

Welcome to Term 1.  We hope everyone has had a restful break and is ready for a productive and engaging new year.

We would also like to welcome our newest staff members, Krystal Clarke (Learning Area Lead Te Ao Māori), Frankie Bradford (the Arts), Thomas Friedel (Mathematics), Sophie Hewes (English Language Learning), Loedwyk Lüsse (Science) and Vanessa Scott (English). We also have two staff who are returning to WEGC;  Sarah Joyes (Science) and Nic Cox (Maths) and Richard Kelly (Te Ao Tangata) who will be joining as a trainee teacher.  We are delighted to have them working with us and know they will be valuable additions to our teaching staff.


Start of term Reminders 

  • Friday 30 January 2026 - Pōwhiri for New Students

    We have an official welcome for new students and their whānau at the beginning of the year.  We ask all new students and their whānau to meet at 9:00am for a 9:15am start at the carpark in front of Maitairangi (Main Building) which is accessible via Gate C on Austin Street for our Pōwhiri and Welcome.  This will be followed by a morning tea in the Cafe and Quad area and we invite whānau to join the staff and students for morning tea which will conclude by 10.30am. 

    Please find a link to the map of the site on our website here. Please note that coupon parking is available in the streets around the kura, 2 hours free.  No parking on the WEGC site is available. 

    Students are expected to wear their school uniform and to bring pen, paper and their device. 

    Following the powhiri:
    Year 9 Students: 10:30am - will then return to the hall where they will be advised of their Manaaki Class (form classes) to follow an orientation program.

    The day will finish at 2.20pm.  There will be no buses today.

    New students in Year 10 - 13 will meet in M1-6 following the morning tea at 10.30am. They will then meet their Dean for an Orientation and will be dismissed by midday. They will then continue to work from home on the online orientation activity for Years 10 - 13 students. 

    Students Year 10 - 13 

    Year 10 - 13 students will be working on a task at home. This will be sent from our Dean Lead, Camielle King on Thursday to all students. In the meantime students should be checking their emails daily to sign up to their Manaaaki google classroom and follow up on information from their Year Level Dean.


  • School Cafe - the school cafe will be closed on Friday 30th January, and will reopen Monday 2 February.

  • Monday 2 February 2026 - (Week 2 , Day 6)

    • Year 9

      8.45am - attend timetabled Session 1 class.  Following this (10:30 - 3:10pm) they will spend the day in their Manaaki class with their Kaimanaaki to complete Orientation. 

      Students should bring pen, paper, and their device.

    • Year 10 + 11 

      10:20am arrival for 10:30am start - go to Tawatawa for an assembly

      11.40am - Attitude presentation in the Hall

      2.05pm - Manaaki class to continue with the Orientation program.

    • Year 12 + 13

      10:20am arrival for 10:30am start - go to the Hall for an Attitude presentation

      11.40am - Assembly in Tawatawa

      2.05pm - Manaaki class to continue with the Orientation program.

    All Students will be released at 3:10pm.

    School  buses will be running on a normal timetable from Monday 2 February. Please check the Metlink website for your school bus timetable and route. https://www.metlink.org.nz/services/school.  Please note that on Fridays school ends earlier at 2:20pm. The buses will depart at the normal times after 3:20pm

  • Tuesday 3 February - All year level students return to timetabled classes (Week 2, Day 7)

  • Week 2 - Friday 6 February - Note that the kura will be closed on Friday 6 February to observe the Waitangi Day public holiday.

Upcoming Events this Term to Note

  • Year 9 Afternoon Tea (12 February): We will be welcoming our year 9s with an afternoon tea on Thursday, 12 February at 3:40pm. This is a great opportunity to meet your students Kaimanaaki, Jacqui Goble (Year 9 Dean) and Gael Ashworth (Principal).  

  • Athletics Carnival: Friday, 20  February, Newtown Park. 

  • Learning Conference (19 - 20 March) Our Learning Conference is an annual meeting to help develop a strong learning partnership between the student, their whānau, and their Kaimanaaki, and as such it is very important for all parties to participate.  Students will be set work and be working from home on these days when not in their learning conference meeting.

Further information will be sent regarding these events closer to time.

General Information

  • Uniform - Please ensure that your student is organised with their correct school uniform and shoes from Day 1. You can find our uniform guidelines on our website: https://www.wegc.school.nz/parents/uniform

  • Strategic Plan 2026 - 2028.  Last year the Board consulted with the community on an updated Strategic Plan for the year 2026 - 2028. This is an important document which sets the direction of the kura for the next three years. The plan in the link below, shows what you can expect to see happening over the next three years. The full plan is accessible on the school website.  

    https://drive.google.com/file/d/1QE-HcUMzwFdlgTcjCFUi_jHcjGLNR9IZ/view?usp=sharing

  • New app: SchoolBridge

    To begin 2026 we are moving to a new app: SchoolBridge. SchoolBridge allows you to let us know when your student is away from school, book parent-teacher meetings, give permission to go on trips, and much more.
    If you are on a phone now go to inboxdesign.co.nz/schoolbridge/schoolbridge-app and choose Apple or Android. Or, go to the AppStore or PlayStore and search “schoolbridge”.
    There is no need to create an account - login with whichever email you get school emails sent to.
    You can also access SchoolBridge, with all of the same functions, in your browser. Go to wegc.bridge.school.nz and press “Sign in”.

Ngā mihi nui,

Gael Ashworth

Principal

Upcoming Dates to Note in Term 1

Please note some dates can change - please keep an eye on the school calendar and this document 

Week

Date / Time

What is Happening

1 

26 January

Tuakana Noho (11am start)

Students involved will receive separate information.

27 January; 

10:00 - 1:00pm

Course Confirmation (Students will be invited by the Dean if they need to attend)

29 January

International Student Orientation

Prefect Noho (Students involved will receive separate information.)

30 January

New Student Pōwhiri & Morning tea 

(see above for details)

Year 10 - 13 - Online Activity (at Home)

2

2 February

All students onsite  (Day 6)

  • Year 9 - 8:45am start

  • Year 10 - 13 10:30am start

3 February 

All students on timetable - Day 7 / Week 2.

3 February - 5:30pm

WEGC Board Meeting

4 February

Pasifika Parents Afternoon Tea 

6 February

School Closed - Waitangi Day

3

9 February

Clubs & Committees Sign up

Duke of Ed - Information Evening

11 February

Pasifika Parents - Pot Luck evening

12 February - 3:40pm

Year 9 Afternoon Tea

4

16 February

Prefect Assembly

20 February

WEGC Athletics Carnival - Newtown Park

5

23 - 27 February

Spirt Week - Term 1

6

3 March - 5:30pm

WEGC Board meeting

5 March

Manaaki Photos

7

9 March - 13 March

Cultural Diversity Week

10 March

WEGC Vs WGC annual summer exchange

8

19 -  20 March

Learning Conferences

9

23 - 27 March

East Pride Week / Summer Tournament Week

10

2 April 

Last Day Term 1

3 April

Good Friday - School Closed

Monday 20 March

Term 2 Starts

See our website for more information and to check for changes https://www.wegc.school.nz/


Term Dates for 2026 are:

Term 1:  30 January - 2 April

Term 2: 20 April - 3 July

Term 3: 20 July - 25 September

Term 4: 12 October - 11 December

Link to Term Dates - https://www.wegc.school.nz/parents/timetable-and-term-dates