Question 1

Absences and Attendance

Accepted Answer

By regulation children are required to attend school unless prevented by illness or some special family circumstance. Please advise the school of any non-attendance by:
 
1. Through the HERO app
2. Email to absence@bps.school.nz
3. Drop in to the Office
4. Phone the school - 480 7365 - OPT 1.
 
Please leave a message by 8:45am. If we are not advised of absences, we will send a text via text stream. This system is a safeguard for your children.

Question 2

Bell Times

Accepted Answer

Our current bell times and timetable are:
 • 8:30 - Classrooms open
 • 8:50 - Start of School and roll-call
 • 10:00 - FAVE (Fruit and Vegetable Energizer)
 • 11:00 - Morning tea play
 • 11:20 - Morning tea eating
 • 11:30 - Classes resume
 • 12:45 - Lunch play
 • 1:20 - Lunch eating
 • 1:35 - Classes resume
 • 3:00 - End of school day

Question 3

Dental Clinic

Accepted Answer

Our children are treated at the Cluster Clinic. This is located on the school site, but is not part of the school. The entrance gate to the clinic is located next to the lower gateway to the school, near the Warehouse loading bay. Birkenhead Primary children are escorted from class to the clinic, and returned to the school gateway. Contact number is 09-418-0043.

Question 4

Donations

Accepted Answer

Parents are requested to donate to the school to assist the school with its running expenses, and for school activities for the children - trips, visits, events etc. We really appreciate the donations make as it allows us to run programmes and provide opportunities to children and whānau that would not be possible based solely on government funding.

Question 5

Dress and Jewellery

Accepted Answer

Children are required to wear the school bucket hat during Terms 1 and 4. We like children to be able to express themselves, children are able to wear whatever clothing they like as long as it allows them to be active and does not interrupt their learning.

Question 6

Enrolment

Accepted Answer

Legally, children are entitled to start school at the age of five, but do not have to start until they are six years of age. At BPS we operate cohort entry so child can start in the next cohort once they have turned 5. We must see the child’s birth certificate (for New Entrant children), immunisation record, and proof of address at enrolment. Please feel welcome to arrange school visits or see the school principal before your child formally starts school. A coffee morning information session will be held each term for parents/caregivers. These may be attended by the Principal and BPS Board and PTA representatives.

For out-of-zone children, an application form must be filled in. Places will be balloted if there are too few places available. Please advise any change of address or phone number for emergency purposes.

Question 7

Food

Accepted Answer

Children require a nourishing lunch which will keep them focused for the school day. For FAVE (see bell times) children need a piece of fruit that they can eat in five minutes. Children may have a water bottle in class - stored in a sensible location. The school does not allow parents to bring food to school to hand out to their child's classmates due to allergies.

Question 8

Health & Accidents

Accepted Answer

Minor accidents are attended to by staff members. In emergencies the child will be taken to the nearest doctor and parents informed. In less severe cases of injury or sickness we make every attempt to contact the parent or guardian. Please ensure that at all times we are informed of any medical problems of which we should be aware and that we have current contact telephone numbers for home, business and emergency contacts. Current address is essential.  If your child is unwell in the morning please do not send him/her to school as we do not have the personnel to attend sick children and a classroom or medical room is no substitute for one's own bedroom.

Head lice are a recurring problem in all schools and we strongly advise parents to carry out weekly inspections of children's hair to prevent the spread of this problem.

​All five year-olds have their hearing and vision tested soon after starting school. Parents will be informed when these are to take place so that they have the option to be present.

Question 9

Library

Accepted Answer

The school library is the major resource centre of the school to which all pupils have access. Please assist us in the care of the library by seeing that books brought home are cared for and not damaged or lost. Please ensure that library books are returned on time. Books damaged or lost will be charged at the value of the replacement.

Question 10

Lost Property

Accepted Answer

Lost property gathered in the school grounds is stored in the baskets outside the Library. It is put on display at regular intervals, and discarded at the end the term. Names on clothing, shoes, lunch boxes etc help us to keep lost property to a minimum.

Question 11

Messages for Children

Accepted Answer

We are pleased to help in an emergency. Children are permitted to use the telephone only if the matter is important. We do not allow children to use the school phone to ask to go and play with a friend. We encourage children and their parents to make prior play date arrangements.

Question 12

Music

Accepted Answer

Andy Dwyer is our school music teacher who provides teacher with release time. Andy also runs opt in ukulele groups and lunchtime bands. Rachel Nugent is in charge of our school choir.

Question 13

Photographs

Accepted Answer

​Class and individual photos are taken each year in June by Photo Life, and are then available for you to purchase online.​

Question 14

Reporting to Parents

Accepted Answer

We have a full programme of reporting to parents, consisting of:
- Whānaungatanga day before school starts to meet your kaitiaki teacher.
- Through the Hero portal, parents are able to see children's current levels and learning goals in core curriculum areas.
- Parent conferences in Term 2.
- Share the Learning - parents invited into class to talk with their child about their current learning.
Arrangements can be made to discuss a child’s progress throughout the year by sending an email to set up an appointment with your child's teacher.

Question 15

Road Safety

Accepted Answer

Please familiarise your child with road safety. Be sure your child knows how to behave on the roads - particularly how to use the pedestrian crossings between home and school. Please encourage your child to check before walking onto a pedestrian crossing.  If you bring or collect children by car, do not park outside the school entrances. Road patrols must have uninterrupted vision. The Mokoia Road car park has a drop off zone for children to safely exit from cars. There is no provision for parents to park on the school grounds for drop off or pick up of children.

Question 16

School Books

Accepted Answer

From time to time, books belonging to the school find their way into homes. Apart from library books, which we encourage children to take home, all other books belonging to the school should be returned. Parents' help with this would be appreciated.

Question 17

Scooters

Accepted Answer

Children may scooter to school, but must wear a helmet. Children may scooter with their Walking School Bus, but must remain behind the WSB driver at all times.

Question 18

Sport

Accepted Answer

The school is involved with interschool competition in many sports codes. Sports clubs support school teams and where possible encourage children to take part in Saturday competition. The school promotes a wide range of Kiwi Sports. Parent support is sought and appreciated to encourage full child involvement. School uniform is required when representing the school.

Question 19

Stationery

Accepted Answer

This is available at Paper Plus, in the Highbury Shopping Centre, at competitive prices. The office will inform you of the correct stationery pack at the beginning of the year or as your child starts school.

Question 20

Supervision of Grounds

Accepted Answer

As supervision of grounds commences at 8.20am and the grounds are cleared at 3.15pm, the school cannot accept any responsibility beyond these times. There is no provision made for accommodating children in inclement weather before 8.20am. Whilst the majority of staff are at school well before these times, this time is utilised by them in preparing and marking work. Teachers are on duty at morning tea and lunch time. Please instruct your child to come to the office if you are unable to pick them up by the usual time.

Question 21

Swimming

Accepted Answer

Swimming is part of the school physical education programme. All children are required to take part in swimming lessons unless prevented on medical grounds. A note is required from parents. The school has a heated swimming pool for our junior children (Years 0-3). We use the local pool at Birkenhead Memorial Park for intensive swimming sessions for our senior children (Years 4-6).

Question 22

Visitors to School

Accepted Answer

Anyone wishing to visit a classroom must sign themselves in at the office and give the reason for their visit. Classroom teaching time is valuable and fewer interruptions will result in more quality time for the children.

Question 23

Walking School Buses

Accepted Answer

The school has some Walking School Buses, supported by Auckland Transport: Hinemoa Hikers and Collective Cruisers. Click the link for more information about our WALKING SCHOOL BUSES.(https://www.bps.school.nz/walking-school-buses)

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Birkenhead Primary School