Principal Message

Talofa lava and kia ora e te whānau,

This afternoon, you’ll receive your child’s mid-year school report. The format of the report will look familiar, as we’ve chosen not to make major changes to its layout or style. Inside the report, you’ll find an important insert explaining a few key updates. Here are the main points from that insert:

We’ve made three important changes to how we report on your child’s learning:

1) Phases of Learning – We are using phases (not year levels) to show progress more clearly over time.

2) New Curriculum – Reports are now based on the updated Maths and English curriculum.

3) Attendance Reporting – We are also including your child’s attendance in their report.

What are the phases?

The refreshed New Zealand Curriculum breaks down student learning into 3 clear phases to help teachers and families understand what children are learning and how they are progressing. Each phase represents a stage of development — just like steps on a learning journey. Below are the phases your child should be working in.

How will the changes impact my child’s report?

The mid year reports will look the same as previous years. The one change you will notice on the back of the reports is the statement;  “Student Progress Towards Expected Phase”

This means we are tracking the phase where your child “should” be. For example, if they are in year 2, they should be working in Phase 1. If they are in year 5, they should be working in Phase 2. 

We use the words; Working Towards, Working At and Working Above to let you know if your child is where they should be in their phase.  We have used the new English and Maths curriculum to guide us in making these judgements.

The move to teaching the new curriculum means a change in the way we measure progress. That means, some students who were previously reported as "Working At" might now be “Working Towards” phase expectations. This doesn’t mean they are failing, it means the bar has shifted slightly as we focus more deeply on key skills.

Both students and teachers are getting used to the new system. It takes time to adjust, and learning progress might feel slower at first, but it will lead to stronger foundations in the long run.

The changes in Mathematics: 

The new maths curriculum focuses more on building strong number skills and helping students explain their thinking. The way we measure progress has changed, and we’re now looking more closely at how well tamariki understand key ideas. Children are learning more advanced number skills from an earlier age, meaning benchmarks have changed for all students. 

For example, concepts previously taught in years 4 & 5 are now being taught earlier, in year 3.

The changes in Reading and Writing: 

With the new reading curriculum, there is a stronger focus on students learning how to read by sounding out words and understanding what they read. This means they need to build strong foundations in things like spelling, vocabulary, and understanding different types of texts. 

In writing, there is more focus on correct spelling, grammar, and writing for a clear purpose (like to describe, explain or persuade). Students are learning how to plan and structure their ideas in a more detailed way. For our year 4-8 students this is taught through structured literacy which will be new to them and the teachers learning about it this year.

Attendance in 2025: 

The final change to our reports is the inclusion of your child’s attendance. This isn’t about making anyone feel judged — it’s simply to help show the link between regular attendance and learning progress. In some cases, being at school more often can make a big difference to how well tamariki are able to learn and succeed. We want to work together to support your child’s learning journey. Below is the rubric the Ministry of Education uses to measure attendance.

Whānau Conferences in Week 9: 

The reason we are sending reports home in Week 7 is to give you time to read through them, reflect, and add your own comments. This also gives whānau the opportunity to prepare for our upcoming learning conferences in Week 9, which will be held on Monday 24th and Wednesday 26th June from 3pm–6pm.

Please make sure to sign up for a conference time so you can learn more about how your child is progressing in class. If you have any questions or would like to discuss anything before then, feel free to get in touch with your child’s teacher.

Ngā mihi nui, 

Arohanui,

Tala 

Pentecost

As we journey through the Church’s liturgical calendar, we joyfully celebrate Pentecost.
Pentecost occurs 50 days after Easter and marks the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles, just as Jesus had promised.

On that day, as described in Acts 2:1–4, the Apostles were gathered in one place when suddenly a sound like a strong wind filled the room, and tongues of fire appeared above their heads. They were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in different languages, allowing them to share the message of Jesus with people from all nations. This powerful moment is often called the "birthday of the Church", because it marks the beginning of the Apostles’ public ministry and the spread of the Gospel.

Through Confirmation, Catholics also receive the Gifts of the Holy Spirit, which help us live out our faith and grow in holiness. These seven gifts are:

1. Wisdom – to see God at work in our lives.

2. Understanding – to grasp the deeper meaning of our faith.

3. Counsel (Right Judgment) – to make good moral decisions.

4. Fortitude (Courage) – to stand firm in our beliefs.

5. Knowledge – to learn more about God and the Church.

6. Piety (Reverence) – to worship and love God more fully.

7. Fear of the Lord (Wonder and Awe) – to be amazed by God’s power and love.

Pentecost reminds us that the Holy Spirit is alive and working within each of us. Let us ask the Spirit to guide our thoughts, words, and actions so that we can be true witnesses of Christ in the world.

Wishing you a blessed Pentecost season!

Simone Meech, DRS

Book a time to meet Father Bill and get your childs preference certificate signed. This is require for enrolment  if your Year 8 child is going to a catholic college.

Father Bill will be in the office on Wednesday 18th June and after the school holidays Thursday 17th July.

Call the office to make an appointment 04 388 7189

Please help us to keep our tamariki safe by parking safely and legally around the school grounds especially at pick up and drop off times.

Please refrain from parking on yellow lines or over our neighbours driveways - they get very frustrated with us when they can't get in or out of their house.

Thank you for helping us keep everyone safe. 

Term 2 Highlights – Learning Through Place, Protest, Portraits, Programming and being Awhina. 

This term has been full of exciting and meaningful learning! We’ve explored digital creativity, history, identity, protest, whakapapa, and sport through hands-on experiences around Pōneke/Wellington and in our school grounds.

Capital E – Nōku Te Ao Media Lab Coding Workshop 

In Week 5, we visited Capital E as part of the Nōku Te Ao programme, an experience—focused creative digital expression programme.

At the Media Lab, we became game designers and used Construct 3. Working with two expert educators, we:

• Created characters for our digital games, 
• Used block coding to make characters move, jump, chase, or escape

We developed skills in design thinking, coding, creativity, and problem-solving and had heaps of fun doing it!

Wellington Museum – Learning About Protest and People (Week 6)

In Week 6, we visited the Wellington Museum, where we explored powerful stories of protest in Aotearoa. A giant floor map of Te Whanganui-a-Tara and Te Motu Kairangi helped us connect to local places and stories. With our educator Rongopai, we learned about: The Wellington Waterfront Strike (1913) – Workers protesting for better pay and conditions.
Hōne Heke (1844) – Cutting down the flagpole in protest of broken promises after signing Te Tiriti o Waitangi.  Dame Whina Cooper (1975 Land March) – Leading a peaceful hīkoi to Parliament to protect Māori land.  Springbok Tour Protests (1981): Thousands stood against apartheid; Mandela said the protests gave him hope. 

Wellington Portrait Gallery – Honouring Whakapapa Through Art (Week 6)

Also, in Week 6, we visited the Wellington Portrait Gallery to view the finalists in the Kiingi Tuheitia Portraiture Award. We saw powerful portraits by Māori artists, created to honour their whakapapa and tīpuna (ancestors). Each artwork told a story. Some were painted, some digital, some sculpted, and all were unique. We learned that portraits aren’t just pictures; they are ways to express identity, memory, and deep respect for the people who came before us.

Tuakana Āwhina Leadership – Peer Support Reflection

We’ve just begun our Tuakana Āwhina peer support programme and really enjoyed our first day!

Wearing our māwhero (pink) vests helped us stand out in the playground, so others could easily find us when they needed support. We helped people make new friends, join in games, solve small problems, and we also gave out lots of Lumen Cards to celebrate positive behaviour.

We loved being able to help others and are starting to understand what it truly means to be a tuakana, someone who leads with kindness, helps others, and gives service to our kura. We’re looking forward to continuing our mahi and growing as leaders.

 

Rūma Rua has had a meaningful and action-packed term full of learning and discovery. In writing, we’ve been developing our persuasive voice - learning how to structure arguments and speak up about issues that matter. This tied in beautifully with our trip to the Wellington Portrait Gallery and Wellington Museum, where we explored themes of identity, activism, and how people make a difference. Back in class, we've been asking deep questions about justice and standing up for others, supported by our R.E. focus on parables. These stories have helped us understand empathy, identity, and the importance of community. In maths, we’ve been tackling rational number and algebra, using hands-on strategies to build number sense and confidence. A highlight this term was our successful sausage sizzle fundraiser, where students showed fantastic leadership, organisation, and teamwork. It’s been wonderful to see Rūma Rua living out our values and putting learning into real-world action!

Room 3 - Parliament and City Gallery Trip - Thursday 5th June

On Thursday 5th June room 3 had the privilege of visiting both Parliament and the City Gallery.  Despite some wild weather as we were leaving, the sun came out and we had an amazing trip.

 First stop was the City Gallery where we built on our theme of kaitiakitanga.  We learnt about the way photographers capture the whenua and how they use light.  We learnt that some photographers are very tricky and they can make tiny things look giant in their photos!  We saw some amazing thermal images of birds and got to add to some of our own photographs.  Pam and Catherine were very impressed with the insightful questions and sharp observations we made when we were reading the art works, and wondering about the stories that are behind the different images. We love the City Gallery!

Just down the road is the Beehive. Helen, our educator, showed us around and we went into a lot of different rooms, including the press gallery.  We learnt how the government works and that there are 420 rules governing the debating chamber!  We were so lucky because the day we were there the MPs were finishing a debate, so we got to see things in action, we had to be very quiet and still. 

Room 3 said:

 “I loved being in the chamber.”

“I learnt about how the speaker has a big seat, he helped the people”

“I could sit in the big chair, I was the referee.” 

“I learnt that in the 1400s the bodyguard to the speaker of the house had a club, and he was allowed to use it!”

Thank you so much to Guy, Frances, Mulu and Rachel for coming to support us, we couldn’t have done it without your help.  We really appreciate your time.

ROOM 3 (June 3rd, Week 6)

Happy Birthday to Haven, Savannah, Kendrick, Aeva, Roman, Cung and Arnav. Wishing everyone a very fun filled day.