Taradale Primary School

We’re excited to announce that Trail the Dale is returning on Sunday 2 May 2027!

After an awesome event with our Taradale Primary School community last year, in 2027 we’re going bigger and opening Trail the Dale to the wider community.

🎥Watch our announcement video https://drive.google.com/file/d/1yV6jVGlyfFwHyEp511kvAPDadq4cVxaS/view?usp=sharing

🥾Check out the 2027 Facebook event

💙Follow the new Trail the Dale Facebook page for all the latest news and updates. https://www.facebook.com/events/2093970461222464?

Save the date and spread the word. We can’t wait to Trail the Dale with you in 2027!

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Your tamariki have been busy creating their masterpieces, and Calendar Art is back for 2026

Later this term, you’ll have the chance to turn your child’s Kids Art Works artwork into gorgeous keepsakes, including calendars, dairies, notebooks and more.

They also make fantastic personalised Christmas presents for whānau! 🎄

Keep an eye out for ordering details coming soon 🎨💙

• HB Anniversary/Labour Weekend - Friday 23rd - Monday 26th October - SCHOOL CLOSED
• PTA Pizza and Cookie Lunch - Friday 13th November
• BOGO Book fair - Wednesday 18th - Monday 23rd November
• End of Term 4 - Tuesday 15th December - 12.30pm

We continue to have concerns about unsafe driving behaviours during pick-up and drop-off times. The safety of our tamariki remains our top priority, and we need everyone’s support to ensure a safe and smooth process.

A key reminder for everyone is that the 2 minute drop-off and pick-up zone is designed for quick stops only. This space is there to keep traffic flowing and allow as many whānau as possible to safely drop off or collect their tamariki.

If you are intending to leave your vehicle for longer than a couple of minutes, please use alternative parking nearby. We understand that parking around our kura can be challenging at times, however using the drop-off zone for longer stays actually creates more congestion and increases risk for everyone.

Recently, we have observed drivers double parking, parking on footpaths, and in some cases driving onto the footpath. This is extremely dangerous. Please be aware that any vehicles seen engaging in unsafe behaviour, such as double parking or mounting the footpath, may be photographed and the images shared with Police. Keeping our tamariki safe is non-negotiable.

To help keep everyone safe, please avoid the following:
🚫 Parking on or over yellow lines
🚫 Making U-turns in front of the school near the road patrol
🚫 Blocking neighbours’ driveways
🚫 Parking on the footpath
🚫 Double parking which forces other vehicles into oncoming traffic

We also encourage all tamariki who bike or scooter to kura to wear a helmet. This is a simple but important step in keeping them safe on their journey to and from school.
Our kaiako are here to teach, not to manage traffic. It is up to all of us to follow the rules and play our part in keeping our kura community safe.

Thank you for your ongoing support in helping make pick-up and drop-off safe and stress-free for everyone.

Just a wee reminder that, during Term 4, we require all our tamariki to keep themselves sunsafe and practise being SunSmart by wearing appropriate hats and slapping on the sunscreen.

We tend to be a little lenient during the first week back, however after that, any tamariki without a hat will be asked to play in the shade.

We also do our best to schedule as much of our outdoor learning as possible during the cooler parts of the day, when the sun isn’t quite so fierce.

If your child requires a special sunscreen, please remember to provide this to their class teacher.

Thanks for helping us keep our tamariki safe in the sun 💛

At TPS, we encourage our tamariki to take responsibility for the little things they do each day. These everyday choices help build independence, confidence and a sense of pride in themselves and our kura.

Responsibility isn't always about doing something big. Sometimes it's:

• Getting started on learning without needing a reminder

• Looking after shared equipment and putting things back where they belong

• Noticing something that needs doing and taking the initiative to help

• Making sensible choices, even when an adult isn't watching

• Owning a mistake, putting things right and trying again

• Taking pride in our classrooms, playgrounds and wider school environment

An important part of kaitiakitanga is recognising that we all have a role to play in looking after our people, our places and ourselves.

We know our tamariki won't always get it right, and that's OK. What matters is that they continue to learn, take ownership of their choices and develop the skills to become increasingly responsible and independent.

It's these small, everyday actions that help make TPS a great place to learn and belong.

In Rūma 12 we have been learning all about the te reo Māori kupu (words) for greetings, whānau members, pet names and land forms. This learning all came together beautifully as the children wrote their own special mihi or pepeha.

This is a traditional Māori way of greeting others by introducing yourself, acknowledging your connections to people, place and whakapapa (for pepeha), to establish relationships.

The tamariki of Rūma 12 have done a fantastic job of writing and publishing their mihi and pepeha. They are now practising reading these and growing in confidence with their pronunciation. Rūma 12, he rawe koe!

Our school assemblies will continue to be held fortnightly on Wednesday afternoons starting at 2:00 pm

These assemblies are open for parents and caregivers to attend.

Our next assembly is scheduled for Wednesday 21st October.

Our very busy Breakfast Club, which runs every morning before school and is open to all students, have been enjoying peaches with their Weet-Bix and milk. 🥛

If anyone would like to donate canned fruit to our Breakfast Club, we would be very grateful! We are currently looking for:

• 🍑 Peaches

• 🍐 Pears

• 🍍 Fruit salad

Any donations would be greatly appreciated and will help us continue providing a nutritious breakfast for our tamariki.

If you would like to donate, please email kyleed@taraprim.school.nz.

A huge thank you in advance for your generosity and support! 💛