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Connect Communication
03 June 2026
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A recent highlight has been hearing from members of the public about the wonderful behaviour our students have shown on trips and visits. Often people are quick to criticise but it has been heart-warming to hear about the lovely ways our students are in the community!
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We have been exploring adding a polar fleece to our uniform selection, and hopefully this should be available shortly. The price point will be around $50 - $60, so cheaper than our woolen garments.
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If your child does not have a uniform item they must wear a navy blue alternative. These are to be plain without logos. Alternatively, children may wear a navy thermal or long sleeved tee-shirt under their tee shirt.
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These have now been locked in and will be Monday, August 10th and Tuesday, October 27th. These days have been given to schools to use for the implementation of the new curriculum.
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Navigating Big Changes Together: How Ararira Springs is One Step Ahead!
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New Zealand schools are going through some of the biggest educational changes in years. The Ministry of Education is rolling out new rules for curricula, assessments, attendance, and reporting—often all at the same time.
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At times, it can feel a bit like schools are being asked to fly a brand-new plane while the navigation system is still being built! While the final goal is great—making sure every child in NZ gets a consistent, high-quality education—the timelines and tools are changing rapidly.
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The fantastic news is that Ararira Springs is already one step ahead and beautifully set up for these changes.
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We didn't wait for these changes to hit; our team has spent the last year actively preparing.
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Strong Foundations in Literacy and Maths: We have continued our structured literacy programme and introduced fantastic new numeracy tools (Oxford, Maths No Problem and Numicon) while remaining deeply focused on the core content of the curriculum.
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The "Hour-a-Day" Focus: We have aligned our classrooms with the refreshed national literacy and maths curricula. Time spent on quality teaching is something that Ararira Springs has always done and valued, long before it became a national rule!
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Keeping you informed: We have prided ourselves on having no surprises and our reports have provided clear pictures of children's learning and progress. This will be strengthened through the new reports in Hero.
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Emma has written a wonderful reporting update that outlines these changes in more detail. Our team are currently using this format for the very first time to prepare reports that we will share with you before the end of the term.
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Our absolute priority is making sure your children walk into a calm, happy, supportive, and engaging environment every single day.
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From the Office
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Signing In/Out at the Office
To help us ensure the safety of all students and keep our attendance records accurate, please remember that any student arriving late (even by just one minute) MUST be signed in at the front office before heading to class.
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Likewise, if your child needs to leave school early for any reason, they must be signed out at the office by a parent/guardian before departing.
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Free Period Products
A reminder that free period products are available for our students, at any time.
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We know how important it is for students to have uninterrupted access to these essentials. In addition to ordering online via Kindo, students can now simply pop into the school office and ask—no questions asked, completely free of charge.
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English Curriculum Whānau Hui
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Please come along to our English curriculum whānau hui, where our Literacy team will explain the changes to the English curriculum, how we teach English (Reading, Writing and Oral Language) throughout the years at school, and how you can help at home.
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No need to RSVP: please pop along to Kaunuku 1-2 (just past the library).
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You are welcome to bring your children if you do not have childcare for them.
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Important Dates
- 05 June - Hui (Kaunuku 3/4), 9:15am in the Hall
- 10 June - Yr 7-8 Learning Conversations, 2:00-6:30pm
- 10 June - THT Meeting and AGM, 7-8pm Tāhuna | Staffroom
- 11 June - Yr 7-8 Learning Conversations, 3:15-8:00pm
- 16 June - English Curriculum Whānau Hui, 6:00-7:00pm in Kaunuku 1-2
- 17 June - School Board Meeting, 6:30pm in Tāhuna | Staffroom
- 26 June - ASP Matariki Evening, 5:30-7:00pm
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School Board
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Next meeting Wednesday 17 June, 6.30pm in Tāhuna | Staffroom
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Next meeting (AGM) - 10 June, 7pm in Tāhuna | Staffroom
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Congratulations to our tamariki who have made it to Canterbury’s for Cross Country! Thomas H (Kaunuku 1) and Connor S (Huarapa 4) will be running in the Canterbury’s on the 17th of June at Ngā Puna Wai! All the best boys!
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Zones Football/Hockey Tournament
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Our Zones Football/Hockey Tournament will be taking place on the 19th of June at Foster Park.
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For football, we will be taking an A and B senior team and an A and B junior team. All teams will be mixed gender, 7-a-side teams.
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For hockey, we will be taking one senior team and one junior team. All teams will be mixed gender, 6-a-side teams.
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See the Sports Site for more details of the day. If you are able to manage a team on the day, please contact Whaea Meeghan.
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The closing date for Issue 4 is 03 July 2026.
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We recommend you place your order by 12 June to ensure you receive your order before the end of Term 2.
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All orders will be delivered to school in batches and distributed to the classrooms as they arrive. Any orders marked as gifts, we will put to one side and contact you when they are ready to be collected.
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The Ministry of Education has refreshed the curriculum and updated how schools report on student progress. As previously mentioned by the MOE, the benchmark for achievement has increased with the new curriculum. You may see a change in your child’s progress or achievement compared to previous years because of this. At Ararira Springs Primary, our staff have been undergoing professional …
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Berry Street Education Model BSEM at Ararira - Nicky Harding and Claire Howison At Ararira Springs, we are committed to fostering a learning environment where every child feels safe, supported, and ready to thrive. To support this, our kura has adopted the Berry Street Education Model (BSEM) - a trauma-informed, strengths-based framework designed to boost student wellbeing, engagement, and academic …
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Attendance Monitoring at Ararira The government has publicly stated that it wishes to lift attendance rates at New Schools so 80% of all children are attending 90% of the time by 2030. We have set this as a target for our kura|school in 2026. All schools are required to have an attendance management plan (AMP) in place that follows stepped …
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