VOGELTOWN SCHOOL TE KURA O HUATOKI

Many thanks to our teachers for their efforts with mid-year reports. From personal experience, I know that considerable time and care goes into producing these. Alongside writing these reports, teachers have had to learn the new curriculums, trial new assessment tools, and incorporate changes to reporting expectations.

The reports you receive this year will look different from those in the past. These changes have been made to ensure that our reports include the common elements now required for schools.

Some of the features you will notice include:

· An overall informed decision using the progress descriptors of Emerging, Developing, Consolidating, Proficient, and Exceeding.

· Sections outlining your child's achievements, next steps, and ways you can support learning at home.

· Results from standardised assessments for children who have participated in these.

· A breakdown of achievement within the different elements of each learning area. For example, in writing, teachers would show achievement in transcription skills, composition, and writing processes.

· Graphic showing progress over time, both within the year and across previous years.

· Information about your child's attendance.

One significant difference from previous years is that teachers will now make their judgements based on the learning that has been covered up to this point in the year. These decisions are informed by a range of evidence, including class work, learning conversations, and assessment information. It is important to understand that no single assessment determines a child's achievement. Rather, assessments are just one part of the wider picture, with class work and learning conversations remaining at the heart of these decisions.

We are also taking a measured approach as we continue to build our understanding of the new curriculum. We will not yet be reporting on the individual elements within each curriculum area. We intend to introduce this additional level of detail in end-of-year reports once teachers have had more time to develop a shared understanding of what quality looks like.

To support families in understanding the new reports, we have adjusted our reporting timeline. Written reports will be shared during the first week of Term 3. This additional time allows teachers and team leaders to produce a more reliable report. Parent-teacher interviews will also be brought forward to Week 2 of Term 3. These meetings will provide an opportunity to explain the new reporting format, discuss each child's learning, and celebrate the progress they have made so far this year.

Matariki, marked by the reappearance of the Matariki star cluster in the night sky, is a period for acknowledging the past, celebrating the present, and looking ahead to the future.

In the final week of the term, we’ll be having a Matariki celebration, and you’re invited to join us.

In the lead-up to Wednesday, all classes will spend time learning about the significance of Matariki. On the day, we’ll come together to enjoy shared kai and connect around some learning.

Take a look at the flyer - we look forward to sharing this special time with you.

It was a chilly but sunny day on Tuesday when we welcomed Welbourn School for our interschool fixture.

All our teams showed great sportsmanship in their games.

The results were as follows:

Rugby: 54-34 to Vogeltown

Football: 4-2 to Welbourn

Netball A: 17-10 to Welbourn

Netball B: 12-3 to Vogeltown

Our next exchange is against West End School next Wednesday 17th June, here at Vogeltown.

Timings will be as follows:

12:15pm - West End School arrive - mihi whakatau

12:30pm - Netball B

1:00pm - Rugby, Football, Netball A

2:15pm - After match speeches, kai, and farewell

We know that celebrating birthdays and or special occasions with baking or treats is something many children enjoy. If you are planning to send something along to share with the class, a quick message to the teacher beforehand is always appreciated. This helps us make sure we can plan around any food allergies or dietary needs so that everyone can safely join in the fun.

The Vogeltowner Award is a great tradition that began 16 years ago. It is given to the ‘best of the best’ tamariki for their outstanding effort and achievement at school.

Invitations have gone out to those whānau who have a child receiving an award.

The Vogeltowner Assembly is being held on Tuesday 16th June at 2:00pm and is a full school assembly where each teacher presents the award to two recipients in their class.

It is important that we know if you have a child starting school sometime in the remainder of this year. This will allow us to put organisation in place for new students - especially for those beginning school, and to understand our predicted roll throughout the year.

You can do this by contacting the office to confirm that we have your child on our records, or by completing an enrolment form (which can be collected from the school or downloaded off our website).

If you know of anyone else living in zone that may be looking to enrol then please share this message with them.

This is a reminder that we have another teacher only day at the end of this term:

• Friday 3 July - Last day of Term 2 - Mathematics Teacher Only Day (school closed for instruction)

The learning for teachers on these days will focus on strengthening their knowledge of the new mathematics curriculum, deepening their understanding of the science of learning, and unpacking the different strands of mathematics in detail.

These days are an important part of ensuring our staff are well equipped to deliver high-quality mathematics teaching for all learners.

TERM CALENDAR

Put all these dates in your diary or your phone! Remember we will put all updates on Facebook, Skool Loop and Seesaw.

TERM 2 2026

16 June: Vogeltowner Assembly, 2pm, school hall

16 June: BOT Meeting, 6pm, senior staffroom

17 June: Interschool Sports vs West End School at Vogeltown School

26 June: Four Year Old Friday, 10:15am - 11:15am

1 July: Matariki celebration with whānau, 1:00pm - 2:45pm

2 July: Final day of Term 2

3 July: Teacher Only Day - SCHOOL CLOSED

TERM 3 2026

20 July: First day of Term 3

Thank you for the ongoing support of Vogeltown School, we really appreciate the efforts everyone makes to ensure our kura is such a great place to learn and work!

On behalf of the Vogeltown team, ka kite ano! Have a great weekend!

The VS team

Email: office@vogeltown.school.nz
Website: www.vogeltown.school.nz
Location: Vogeltown School Huatoki Street, Vogeltown, New Plymouth, New Zealand
Phone: (06) 753 6843

Our school policies, like many schools, are now in an online system through a portal called 'Schooldocs'. Any time you want to bring up a school policy, just log in to schooldocs and you can access the policies.

The login is: vogeltown

The password: huatoki

Website link to Schooldocs.