School Information

We have gathered information about how things happen at school together and recorded it on this page, please come back and refer to it as we will update it when details change.

ABSENCES FROM SCHOOL
By regulation, children are required to attend school unless prevented by illness, special home circumstances or other similar reasons.

Any absences should be explained by letter to the school. If it is not possible to write, please phone the school.

ANNUAL ACTIVITY FEE
There is an annual activity fee of $10 per child or $20 per family, which is to be paid on enrolment, or at the beginning of each year.

The money will go towards covering class photocopying as well as extra curricula activities planned by the teacher. 

BEE STINGS – Other Allergies
When we enrol children, we ask parents to say if their child has any allergies. Often with 5 year olds, this may not yet be known. We ask that parents inform the school and arrange for a sufficient quantity of antidote to be left on the school premises if the need arises.

BOOK CLUB
Once a term the school offers facilities for pupils to purchase paper backed books from the Ashton Scholastic Book Club. Selections can be made from four sections – Lucky, Arrow, Star and ABC. There is no obligation to purchase these books.

BUS TRAVEL
Permission to travel on another bus other than the child’s normal one can only be granted by the Principal.
In general, permission is granted to use the Pukepoto school bus at a nominal fee. If children are changing their normal way of traveling home a letter or phone call is expected, and the phone call should be made to the school before 2.30pm on the day –

otherwise your child will be sent home in the normal way.

Cost per week, per family, using the school bus is $4.00
This must be paid weekly or in advance.

CLOTHING
Please label clearly all belongings and clothing. Every effort is made to ensure that pupil’s belongings are not lost or damaged but the school does not accept responsibility when this occurs. Any clothing left unclaimed after one term will be sent to such place as Churches, Salvation Army, Missions etc.

ENROLMENT PROCEDURE
Parents may complete an enrolment form at the Office any time prior to their child attending school.

Parents enrolling new entrants are able to bring their children to school for up to 2 mornings per week, 4 weeks before they turn 5 years old.

We hope that this will assist the child in making a smooth transition from Kindergarten,Kohanga Reo etc.
The Education Act requires parents entering children for the first time to produce suitable evidence of the child’s date of birth, i.e. birth certificate and immunisation certificate.

HOMEWORK
The most important thing parents can do is talk with their children – which means listening and discussing. Home reading is important for children of all ages. The school has a home reader booklet for all children, New Entrant to Year 6 and regular daily reading is actively encouraged. Informal homework is given in Year 3 and 4 to Year 6 in the form of spelling notebooks, maths tables and on occasion maths practice exercises, as well as work related to Centre of Interest of Social Studies. At primary level, home studies are an extension of interest and should involve the parents.

LIBRARY
An extensive range of books is used at the school and children are encouraged to use this facility at all times. Library sessions are allocated to each class during school hours as well as before school, playtime and lunch time sessions that are run by library monitors. Children are expected to treat books with care.
There is a replacement charge for books that have been either damaged or misplaced by students.

PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT
The school has many pieces of playground equipment that are regularly inspected and repaired.
Every child is encouraged to use this equipment at his or her own level of development.

PHOTOGRAPHS
Parents can obtain class, individual or family photographs through the school every year. Any old photographs of the school, or classes, or class visits could be donated to the school or loaned to the school for a duplicate copy to be made so that our ‘History of the School’ photograph albums are a worthwhile asset.

PUBLIC HEALTH NURSE
The Public Health Nurse visits our school on a regular basis. If parents have any worries over matters relating to the health of their child they may contact the school and arrangements will be made for the nurse or another visiting specialist to see the child.

REPORTING TO PARENTS
During February a ‘Meet the Teacher’ evening is held where parents have the opportunity to discuss with the teachers their child’s interest, hobbies, attitude to school/school work, relations with other children/adults, what they do in their spare time and any other relevant data that the parent wishes to communicate.
We would like to know as much as possible, so that together, we may give the best possible education to your child.
In the second term, usually June, arrangements will be made to conduct Parent/Teacher interviews. At this interview parents will receive, and have an opportunity to discuss, their child’s report.
At the end of the fourth term, a written report will be sent home. Although the school arranges the afore mentioned reporting for parents to discuss their child’s progress with teachers, parents are encouraged to visit the school at any time throughout the year to talk with the Principal or staff so that a close and harmonious home-school liaison can be established and continued.

SCHOOL HOURS
The following is the daily timetable of bell times;

STATIONERY
There is a stationery fee of $6.00 per child per year.
This is to be paid to the school office on enrolment.

SWIMMING POOL
During the summer months, regular swimming lessons are taken for all classes daily.
All pupils are required to take swimming instruction except where a note is supplied by the parents.

By arrangement with the Board of Trustees, parents of Pukepoto School, can purchase a key to the pool (conditions apply) to supervise their own family swimming out of school hours.
Pool key charge is $35.00.
Parents are expected to sign a Pool Key form and pay the key charge prior to a key being issued.
At the end of the swimming season all keys are returned to the school office and a $5.00 refund issued.
Toilets beside the school library are open all year for the use of families using the pool or school grounds.
Parents are welcome to use any playground equipment and the tennis court during ‘out of school’ hours.
PARKING IN THE SCHOOL PLAYGROUND IS NOT PERMITTED
Please use the car park provided at the office entrance.

TELEPHONING THE SCHOOL
Should you wish to speak to a teacher, please phone the school during lunch time or after school unless of course your call is urgent, alternatively you can leave a message on our answer service. (Telephone messages are checked at regular intervals).