Enrolment

Transition to school for new entrants

Beginning school is an exciting time but can be nerve-wracking for children and parents. At Te Kura o Haukaretu we really enjoy working with children and their families to provide a calm and welcoming transition to school. 

School visits

We absolutely love to have prospective students visit us in Te Waipuna. We are extremely flexible with the number of visits and the times and days you can visit. Generally we would recommend 3-5 visits for a very comfortable transition to school. Any family members are welcome to accompany a child on school visits.

If you would like to visit with your pre-schooler please contact the office, email us, or message us on Facebook to let us know. We have an open door policy and can accommodate drop-in visitors at any time but for planned school visits it is great to check that no school trips or other school events clash with your visit.

Daycare/ Kindergarten visits

We love having Brown Owl kindergarten visit us fortnightly for our Little Paddlers club. We welcome visits from any early childhood centre or kindergarten.

What does my child need to know before starting school?

We are here to help your child learn academic and social skills. We do not expect your child to have learned their letters, numbers or to read before they start school, however it would be of huge advantage to your child if they can.

There are a few skills that can help your child get into the swing of things quickly and cheerfully.

• To use the toilet and wash my hands by myself
• Draw a picture/make marks on a page and say what I have drawn
• Recognise my own name
• Tell people my name
• Open my lunchbox and any food containers or packets inside it
• Dress and undress myself
• Put on and take off my shoes (gumboots or velcro shoes are requested if your child cannot tie laces)
• Sit and listen to a story for five minutes
• Be able to tell an adult if I need help

The best preparation for school is playing and talking! Through playing your child learns what they are interested in and enjoy doing. Talking, singing songs and reading books is an amazing way to set your child up to enjoy reading. If you are concerned about whether your child is ready for school please feel free to come and chat to us, we are passionate about supporting children to have a positive experience in the early years of school.

Donna Williams and  Carol Elers-Nuku. (new entrant teachers)