If you can’t find the answers below to any questions you may have, then please feel free to ask.
Children are expected at school between 8:00am and 8:30am each day. Absences should be texted to Anne on 021 416 618, emailed to office@tepaina.school.nz or notify us using the Skool Loop App.
If you have not contacted the school by 9:15am you may receive a text to check on your child’s absence. If your child is late to school then a parent or caregiver must tell Anne at the office so she can ensure the roll is updated correctly. The school answer phone operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Our assemblies are held every second Friday from 8:30am. We encourage all whaanau to join us. Each class takes a turn to host our school assemblies. School assemblies are listed on the website under our information https://www.tepaina.school.nz/events-newsletter.
At Te Paina School we have four values:
Te Paina School is a PB4L School (PB4L - stands for Positive Behaviour for Learning). We base our behaviour management practices on our school values. Our values were selected after consultation with students, whanau and the local community.
Teachers and staff model and show the behaviour we want to see students displaying (we do not assume children know how to behave). We strive to focus on recognising the positive over the negative to reinforce the behaviours and expectations we like to see at Te Paina School.
A reward system works in conjunction with our values. How this works can be found in every classroom.
Any inappropriate behaviour is dealt with by the classroom teacher in the first instance. Consequences will vary depending on the age of the child and the specific behaviour. Parents/Caregivers will be contacted if it is deemed necessary. The Principal will deal with any issues that are deemed serious enough to extend beyond normal school wide consequences.
Children and parents are encouraged to discuss any concerns about inappropriate behaviour with the classroom teacher as soon as possible. The Principal is also happy to discuss concerns and support students whenever needed.
All Ministry of Education guidelines and procedures on stand-downs and suspensions will be strictly followed.
The Board meets twice a term either online or in the staffroom. All meetings are open to the public with dates being announced in our newsletter. Minutes of the board meetings are available on request.
Scholastic NZ Ltd runs a book club offering book specials on a monthly basis. A special Scholastic newsletter is sent out to notify children and parents of upcoming events. Closing dates are advertised in the school newsletter.
The Charter is a document that defines how our school will plan for continuous improvement. The Charter describes the Board’s long term (strategic) goals for student achievement and this flows through to the annual plan which has specific goals and actions that aim to achieve those long term goals. These specific goals and strategies are updated annually and progress against these goals is reported to the School Board by the Principal. The charter can be found on the website.
Schools can be a breeding ground for infections and illnesses. Please keep children at home if they have a bad cough or cold, diarrhea or vomiting, feverish or are very tired after an illness. Children should not return to school until 24 hours after their last round of vomiting or diarrhea. The following chart may be of help to you in diagnosing some of the common childhood illnesses.
| Illness | Incubation | Symptoms | Infectious Until |
| Chicken Pox | 11 to 23 days (usually 14 days). | Fever, crops of spots which blister, become itchy and form scabs. | Disappearance of spots. |
| Mumps | 12 to 26 days (usually 18 days). | Swelling of face just in front of ears, can be one side only, usually both, pain on swallowing. | 2 weeks from onset or 1 week after swelling settles. |
| Impetigo (School Sores) | Until sores have healed (highly infectious). | Small red spots. | Disappearance of rash. |
| Rubella (German Measles) | 14 to 20 days (usually 18 days). | Mild illness, short-lived rash, 1 – 2 days. | Disappearance of rash. |
| Measles | 7 to 21 days (usually 10 days). | Cold, runny nose, red eyes, fever, very miserable, marked rash, blotchy, for 4 days or more. | Disappearance of rash. |
| Hepatitis | 2 to 6 months. | Mildly unwell, off food, dark urine, occasionally jaundice (yellow skin and eyes). | Very variable, obtain doctor’s advice. |
| Hand, Foot and Mouth | 7 to 21 days. | More common in preschoolers, tiny pinpoint red or white spots on palms and soles along with a number of mouth ulcers. | Disappearance of rash. |
Public Health Nurse – Please contact the school office for a current contact number.
Our grounds and facilities are open to the community at all times for children and families to use. No vehicles or animals are permitted on school grounds at any time unless on school business. People using the grounds out of normal school hours do so at their own risk.
The following procedures should be followed if a parent or caregiver wishes to make a complaint or if they have any concerns in regards to their child’s education.
Complaints and concerns given open discussion, an action plan, and sufficient time for rectification should lead to satisfactory solutions for all parties involved.
Te Paina School provides a balanced curriculum in Literacy, Numeracy, Science, Social Studies, Technology, Physical Health and Well Being, The Arts and Tikanga Maori. Our programmes aim to develop each child academically, physically, emotionally and socially. This also aligns with the Te Whare Tapa Wha model (Durie, 1984). The Te Paina School curriculum implementation plan was developed in line with the New Zealand Curriculum.
The Fairfield Dental Clinic visits the school annually on site. Please phone the school office if you would like information on other mobile dental units nearby or sites available to the community.
Children may legally be enrolled at school from the time they turn five. For information on how to enrol please refer to the school website or pop in to our school office.
Preschool visits for pre-school aged children help to provide a smooth transition between home and school life. Through regular visits children will become more familiar with their teacher, classmates and school routines before beginning school.
Children may attend up to three pre-school visits beginning three weeks before their fifth birthday. School visits are held on a FRIDAY between 9:00am and 1:00pm. No more than four children will be able to attend at any one time. These can be booked through the school office.
The teacher and parents will discuss how much time the child will spend unaccompanied by a parent. This will vary depending on the confidence of the child. Parents will be made aware that as under-fives are not legally enrolled until at least their fifth birthday, any cases of accident or injury to a child remain the responsibility of the parents.
As children attending pre-school visits are not yet officially enrolled at the school, parents are required to stay on the school site for the duration of the visit. As pre-school children can be disruptive to class routines, parents are requested to make arrangements for other siblings if they are staying in class with their child.
Te Paina School does not currently have an enrolment zone. Please contact the school if you have any questions about enrolment.
To supplement our Governmental Operational Grant, we rely on the support of our parents and community to help organise regular activities to raise funds to purchase new equipment and materials. If you are keen to help out the school in this area we would love to hear from you. The major fundraising event each year is our annual Gala. Keep an eye on the newsletter for dates and times of meetings for our ‘Friends of Te Paina’ working committee.
Home learning expectations vary depending on the age of the child. Your child’s teacher will be able to discuss this with families in more detail.
We believe in the importance of children being well rounded individuals, therefore activities such as baking, creating, going for walks, imaginative play, sports, drama, dance and time spent with family all play a vital role in developing the child as a whole.
We also understand that families can be very busy and some children will be involved in sports, dance etc. Therefore it may be unrealistic to complete homework. Please communicate this with your child's teacher.
Some children require extra support for learning or behaviour difficulties. Individual teachers are required to cater for the individual needs of each child in their class. However, it may be necessary at times to seek support through external agencies. Our Deputy Principal, Mrs Haley Christopher is the school's Special Needs Coordinator (SENCo) and is responsible for all special needs. Teachers are able to access a number of support services such as RTLB (Resource Teacher of Learning and Behaviour), GSE (Group Special Education), Public Health Nurse, SLS (Supplementary Learning Support) and RTLit (Resource Teacher of Literacy). If parents have concerns about their child’s learning or behaviour they should first discuss it with the classroom teacher.
The school day begins at 8:30am and finishes at 2:30pm. The structure of the day is as follows;
| 8:30am | First Learning Block |
| 10:30am | Morning Tea Break |
| 11:00am | Second Learning Block |
| 12:30pm | Lunch Break |
| 1:15pm | Third Learning Block |
| 2:30pm | School Ends |
Mrs Anne Farmer is responsible for the library. The children in Years 1 - 3 are able to borrow one book, for up to two weeks at a time. The children in Years 4 - 8 can borrow two books for up to two weeks. If a school library book is lost or damaged, parents will receive an invoice requesting the replacement cost of the book.
All clothing worn to school must be named. Lost property is gathered together and placed in a container. Please ask at the office for the current location of lost property. Lost property not collected by the end of each month is cleaned and donated to a charity.
All money that is to be paid to the school must go through the office. Payment for additional stationery must all be taken to the office and not given to class teachers. We would appreciate payment to the school bank account or EFTPOS please where possible.
Our School newsletter is published once every three weeks on a Friday. We do not send a paper copy of the newsletter home. This is a valuable source for communication and the best way of keeping parents informed of school events. Families can access the newsletter through our website and the school app.
All children should be placed in a class grouping which will be to their best educational advantage. Careful consideration will be given to the age, academic, social, physical, and emotional development of each individual child.
New entrants with birthdays in January - June will be classified as Year One. New entrants with birthdays in July - December will be classified as Year Zero. In term four all new entrants with birthdays in May and June will be reviewed before a final decision about their placement in the following year. Consultation with parents will take place and any communication from parents will be taken into consideration when placing students.
The final decision for the child’s placement will be the responsibility of the school.
All students who are taken off the school grounds by a parent or caregiver during the school day or are returned to school during the day must be signed in or out at the office. All students who arrive at school after 8:30am must be signed in at the office by their parents or caregiver.
We operate an open door policy where parents can discuss their child’s progress by making an appointment to meet with the teacher. More formal parent/teacher interviews take place at the end of Term 2. Reporting on the progress and achievement of students is done through our school management system and sent to parents accordingly.
Te Paina School prides itself on its wonderful environment and surroundings. We ask the children to help look after the school grounds by taking their lunch rubbish home.
The Board of Trustees has opted into the Government Scheme for 2026. The school will receive $150 per student from the Government. This means that the Board will not be asking families to pay a school donation. From time to time families may be asked to contribute towards the cost of activities, visiting performers and trips. When the school has an overnight camp we are obliged to ask for contributions towards this cost.
The school office is open from 8:00am – 1:00pm, Monday to Wednesday. Mrs Anne Farmer will be able to help you with any enquiry you may have. Eftpos is available at the office.
School Stationery packs are $30 for the entire year. All stationery will be delivered to your child's classroom.
We keep our sick bay well stocked with an up to date list of emergency contacts and specific individual health concerns. Please inform the school immediately of any changes of health needs, addresses or phone numbers. Most staff have a current first aid certificate.
In accordance with Government legislation, Te Paina School, including all buildings and grounds, is a smoke free environment 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Te Paina School is part of the East Group which includes Pokeno, Mangatawhiri, Mangatangi, Maramarua, Orere and Kaiaua. The East Group meets regularly for sporting ventures including swimming, cross country and athletics. Some children will then go on to compete at the Franklin level.
All children are expected to wear a sunhat in terms one and four. If children choose to wear a hat in terms two or three they are able to choose a sun hat or beanie. Hats and beanies must not display any offensive graphics or language.
In terms one and four any children playing outside without a sunhat on will be directed to play in shaded areas. Children are encouraged to use sunscreen and to dress appropriately.
This is an important part of the physical education curriculum and classes access the pool in Terms 1 and 4. Please check with your child’s teacher about their swimming day.
The Te Paina School Board currently employs teacher aides to support teachers and children. The teacher aides have a variety of roles within the school.
Our Year 7 and 8 children are involved in Technology sessions every second Monday. A bus provides transport to and from Maramarua School. The bus leaves Te Paina School at 8:30am. If the children are late for the bus then parents are responsible for transporting them to Maramarua School or they will remain at Te Paina School and miss their technology programme. Children must have closed in shoes when attending tech.
Children are often required to be transported in private motor vehicles. All private motor vehicles transporting children must have a current warrant of fitness and registration. Children are only permitted to sit in seats with over the shoulder sash belts. Children are not permitted to sit in seats with lap belts. All drivers are required to have a full driver’s license.
All transport information including number and names of children, which car and parent they are traveling with will be kept in the school office and by the teacher in charge. All Children under the age of 7 are required to use a car seat or booster seat.
We try to organise a visiting performer or school trip for each term of the school year to enhance the children’s learning and enjoyment of school. We try to fit trips around school wide studies. Plenty of notice will be given prior to each trip informing parents of dates.
Te Paina School is very proud of our school uniform. Please make contact with the school office if you wish to purchase any items.
Children representing the school at sports events will be given a Te Paina School sports shirt to wear.
All visitors to the school must report to the office upon arrival. They will be asked to sign in as a visitor and wear a visitors sticker during their stay. Before leaving the school grounds all visitors are required to sign out.
The school has a website which can be viewed at www.tepaina.school.nz
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