Blog
Ministry of Education Parent Portal
New Parent Portal Released The Ministry of Education has released a parent portal to help whānau partner with schools to support their child's education. From Minister Stanford: "Education is a partnership of what happens in the classroom and what happens at home....
Reporting Changes at Ararira
2025 Reporting Update - What it means for your child As 2025 marks the transition to the refreshed English and Maths curricula, both Ararira Springs and the Ministry of Education (MOE) are closely monitoring student progress to ensure a smooth and effective change....
Mihi Whakatau at Ararira
At Ararira we hold mihi whakatau to welcome new staff and students at the beginning of each term. Our mihi whakatau are run according to the guidelines of Te Taumutu Rūnanga. These are outlined in this document, and adapted according to our needs, in collaboration...
HERO Update: Term 2, 2025
HERO Update - Locating historical progress graphs We will be using the new English (Year 0-6) and Maths (Year 0-8) curricula to make our judgements about your child's progress and achievement later this term, and these will appear as new graphs on your child's...
Assessment Update, Term 1 2025
Assessment Update - Term 1, 2025 At Ararira Springs Primary, we use assessment to support learning and help each child grow. Our main focus is on formative assessment, which means we check in on students’ progress regularly through class discussions, observations, and...
Payments and School Donations
Payments and School Donations Our community’s socio-economic status means our school is not eligible for the government’s school donations scheme. Our equity index means we receive less operational funding than other schools. More information about the Equity Index...
Curriculum Update, Term 1 2025 By Emma Woolford
Te Mātaiaho | The New Zealand Curriculum Curriculum Update - Term 1, 2025 From Term 1 this year, all NZ primary schools are required to teach the refreshed Maths (Year 0-8) and English (Year 0-6 at the stage) curriculum areas. Please refer to my blog post from 6...
Curriculum Refresh By Emma Woolford
Te Mātaiaho | The New Zealand Curriculum Curriculum Refresh Updates, Term 4 2024 The New Zealand Curriculum is currently undergoing a review and refresh. The English and Mathematics and Statistics curricula have been released on 31 October and must be taught from Term...
The Importance of Learning Through Play in a School Context Written by Deb Wesley
Learning through play is a key approach in education in today's world. While most common in early childhood education, it also benefits students throughout their school years. This blog post explores the importance of learning through play in a primary school context,...