ORATIA SCHOOL NEWSLETTER

Planning for 2027:

As we move through Term 4, our team is turning its focus to setting our students up for success in 2027. We have an exciting changes to share, along with some information about our class placement process for the coming year.

Transitioning to Single-Year Classes

Starting next year, both the Arawhata and Tuakana areas of our school will move to single-year classes. Our Potiki team will remain as Year 1/2 composite classes. After careful reflection, we are confident this shift will bring great benefits to our learners by allowing us to:

Direct teaching, assessment, and extension strategies are aligned to a specific age and stage.
It is easier for teachers and parents to track age-appropriate developmental milestones and academic standards when every student in the room is working toward the same single-year curriculum targets.
Teachers can focus on a single set of learning objectives, making assessment, reporting, and moderation across the teaching team far more straightforward and consistent.

While classes will be single-year, our tuakana-teina culture remains strong—students across different levels will continue to connect, mentor, and collaborate regularly.

Class Placement for 2027

Designing well-balanced classrooms takes time and deep consideration. Early in term 4, teachers will be carefully reviewing every student's placement, considering a variety of factors including:

Academic strengths and learning support requirements
Positive peer connections and social dynamics
Well-being and pastoral considerations

If you have important contextual information regarding your child’s learning or social needs that you feel would assist us, you are welcome to reach out to me via email.

We will thoughtfully consider all information provided and our considerations, but please keep in mind that due to the complexity of balancing class mixes, we cannot guarantee specific outcomes.

Thank you for your continued support as we prepare for 2027.

Kath Goldsmith

WHĀNAU HUI

Our recent Whānau Hui was a wonderful success, and we would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to all the parents and whānau who came along and shared the evening with us. It was a lovely opportunity to come together in a relaxed setting, enjoy some kai and kōrero, and celebrate the talents of our Kapa Haka and Pasifika rōpū, who treated us to some fantastic performances.

Connection is key, and opportunities like this are an important part of strengthening the relationship between home and school. When whānau and school come together, it helps us build stronger connections, share ideas and create a greater sense of belonging for our tamariki.

A special thank you to Matua Olly and the staff who attended for putting the evening together and helping to create such a welcoming and enjoyable event.

We look forward to more opportunities to connect with our whānau throughout the year.

HARAKEKE - FLAX WEAVING

Last week, some of our students had the wonderful opportunity to learn the art of raranga harakeke (flax weaving) with expert weaver Rewa, supported by our lovely teacher aide Whaea Pania and Matua Ben.

This was a rich and meaningful learning experience for our students. As well as developing new skills, the children were able to connect with Māori culture and learn about the traditions, knowledge and care that sit behind the art of raranga.

The students were fully engaged and loved the opportunity to work with harakeke, creating something with their own hands while learning from an experienced kaiako.

Experiences like this are an important part of providing authentic opportunities for our tamariki to build cultural connection, learn from others and develop an appreciation for mātauranga Māori.

A huge thank you to Rewa for sharing her knowledge, time and expertise with our students.

TRAVELWISE TEAM UPDATE

Our Travelwise student leader team has been busy over the last two weeks doing a velocity speed gun activation on the intersection between West Coast and Shaw Road. We come out in groups before school starts, when the variable speed zone changes to 30km/h, and use the speed guns that AT gave us to record the speed of the cars coming past.

We have been calculating the average speed from the measurements taken. It’s really amazing to see that when the drivers see us out there in the high viz vests we wear, they slow down, which makes it safer for kids who walk to school to cross the road.

The averages of the speeds we collected for each session, in the 30km/h zone were:

39km/h, 30.57km/h, 27.8km/h, 24.5km/h, 40km/h, 38.1km/h, 40.34km/h and 39km/h. Overall this averages out at 34.9km/h around our school in this variable speed zone. You can see though that the speeds are too high with more than half of the averages being around 40km/h. We need drivers to slow down.

As one of the people who have been able to go out and do this in the morning as a leader it is definitely one of my highlights over the last weeks. So make sure that if you see us out there give us a wave!

Written by Elodie (Travelwise student leader), edits by Matua Matt

ORATIA SCHOOL ATHLETICS DAY - 23rd OCTOBER

Online GP care now free for all under-14s

With lots of illnesses about right now, health services are experiencing very high demand. If you need to speak to a GP and can’t get in to your usual doctor or its after hours, Online GP provides a great option for accessing safe and quick care. The service is available from anywhere in the country, anytime day or night, and is now free for all under-14s.

Appointments usually take place through a video app or a phone call, and the service can prescribe medicine and send prescriptions to your nearest pharmacy.

It also provides another care option for rural communities, reducing the need to travel.

To learn more visit Online GP Care:

https://www.healthnz.govt.nz/online-phone-healthcare/online-gp-care

Online GP costs for young people

POLICY TO REVIEW!

This term, the scheduled review focuses on behaviour management, staff wellbeing and safety. For more information about the review, go to the Current Review tab at the top of your SchoolDocs site. A summary is provided below.

School Community Engagement Policy (board)
Inclusive School Culture (board)
Enrolment
Student Attendance (board)
Student Uniform/Student Dress Expectations
Concerns and Complaints Policy (board)

Follow these instructions to log on to schooldocs to review these.

1. Visit the website https://oratia.schooldocs.co.nz/1893.htm

2. Enter the username (oratia) and password (0604).

3. Follow the link to the relevant policy as listed.

4. Read the policy.

5. Click the Policy Review button at the top right-hand corner of the page.

6. Select the reviewer type "Parent".

7. Enter your name (optional).

8. Submit your ratings and comments.

9. If you don't have internet access, school office staff can provide you with printed copies of the policy and a review form.

JUST CABINS WAITAKERE SOUTH - PROUD SPONSORS OF ORATIA SCHOOL

Holiday Film a FLICKS and SOZO

Friday 2nd October 2pm at Lopdell Theatre Titirangi

'KIRI and LOU GO RAAA' Movie (G) 60 mins. New Zealand animation feature. An hour of fun with great little ditties by our very own The Front Lawn, it's directed by the always witty Harry Sinclair. It’s cheeky, it's kind and it's very silly. LOPDELL Theatre. 2pm FREE ADMISSION Bookings Text: 02102225558 Full details: www.flickscinema.weebly.com

Thursday 8th October 11am and 2pm at SOZO Cafe Shetland Street (off Glengarry Rd)

'KIRI and LOU GO RAAA' Movie (G) 60 mins. New Zealand animation feature. An hour of fun with great little ditties by our very own The Front Lawn, it's directed by the always witty Harry Sinclair. It’s cheeky, it's kind and it's very silly. SOZO Cafe Shetland Street (off Glengarry Road) Two screenings 11am and 2pm Tickets $10 (cash on door) Limited seating so best to book by Texting: 02102225558 Full details: www.flickscinema.weebly.com