General Information

---

Birchville School’s hours are from 9.00am – 3.00pm     

Hours of instruction are as follows:  

School starts 9am  

Morning Tea 11am-11.40am  

Lunchtime 1.05pm-1.50pm  

School finish time 3pm  

Children are not be be left unattended before 8.30am, however we do have SKIDS before and after school care available.

Parents and members of the community are encouraged to come and support the school and classroom programmes. 

There is also a constant need for parents/caregivers to:  

• Help within the school 
• Provide transport and support on class visits 
• Assist with fundraising activities and support PTA activities (e.g: disco).

Assemblies are held 3 times a term and are a way of sharing class learning with parents/caregivers and the rest of the school. All community members are welcome to attend.

The school has a policy that children must wear wide brimmed hats in Terms 1 and 4 for sun protection during breaks and any outdoor activities. 

To stop sickness from spreading, it is important for you to keep your child at home when they are ill, and not let them go to school.  How long they should be home depends on what illness they have.  For illnesses such as diarrhoea and vomiting, please keep your child at home until they are well and for 48 hours after their last episode.  

Parents must inform the office if a child needs to take any medication and complete a Medicine Authority Form. All medication will be held and administered at the office. No medication is to be kept in school bags.

If your child is sick in the morning please contact the office before 9am by telephone/email or through our website so that we can inform the teacher. Parents/Caregivers are also required to sign their child out at the office if they have to leave school early.

We understand from time to time that your child may be late to school.  All late pupils must report to the office first before going to class.

We require all visitors sign in at the office upon arrival.

Our school patrol supervises the crossing in Gemstone Drive before and after school. Students and parents are asked to cooperate with the school patrol and use the crossing. For the safety of our students we ask that you do not use the car parking area as a set down/ pick up point. We also request that you park well clear of the crossing area, bus stops and yellow lines.

Sports

Children have the opportunity to take part in Upper Hutt Cluster sporting events, these are usually for Years 4-6 students. Children are given the opportunity to opt in to these events and letters/information will be sent home to parents.  

Education Outside The Classroom (EOTC) 

Birchville School promotes Education Outside the Classroom as an excellent way for children to relate to others and to experience new things and new challenges.    

Digital Learning 

We have B.Y.O.D programme where children from Years 3-6 can bring their own Chromebooks from home for classroom learning. Internet safety information can be found in our policies on School Docs. It is expected that pupils will respect the use of these technologies.  

School Payments 

All school payments for stationery and fundraising can be made with cash or EFTPOS at the school office, online using internet banking, or the Hero App.

Information Home 

All notices will be sent out via Hero. If you are requiring notices in hard copy please arrange this with the office.  

Parental / Caregiver / Teacher Concerns 

All concerns about school programmes and children’s well-being should be directed in the first instance to the class teachers. Ongoing issues will be referred to the leadership team and followed up by them. If parents/caregivers are still not satisfied, there is a formal complaints procedure available at the office, which offers guidance on the appropriate steps to take.  

Teacher Communication 

Teachers will respond to queries within 24 hours and will notify family or caregivers as soon as any issues arise.  

School Code of Conduct 

Our code of conduct is based on our GEMS. We ask that our community act in a way that reflects this by acting appropriately when communicating with staff or in the school environment. In this way children are constantly being exposed to positive adult role models. This helps reinforce the standards of behaviour expected.  

Reporting of Learning  

School reports are released digitally on Hero twice a year, however, parents are able to access their children’s learning progress at any stage.  

If there are concerns at any other time please feel free to make an appointment to see the classroom teacher.  

Birchville School Board 

Board meetings are held once a month in the school staff room. All parents and caregivers are welcome to attend. Meetings are advertised on the school calendar.  

From time to time the board will consult the community on a range of issues. The consultation process could be in the form of surveys, meetings or informal interviews.  

PTA - Parent Teacher Association 

Meetings are held termly.  

Parents can support the PTA by:  

 - Helping to raise funds for the school  

 - Supporting teachers in classrooms  

 - Helping with school care and maintenance

School Hall Hire

If you wish to hire the School Hall, please contact the school office to obtain information on costs, requirements and application forms.  

Smoking and Alcohol 

Birchville School is a smoke, alcohol and drug free area.  

Lost Property 

This can be found in your child’s classroom. If you cannot find it please see your child’s teacher.  

Personal Items 

Personal items should not be brought to school unless pre-arranged with the teachers. The school does not take responsibility for the loss or damage of personal items.  

Should your child need to bring their mobile phone to school due to travelling to and from school on a bus etc they must ensure that their device is handed into the office on their arrival to school and it can be collected at the end of the school day.    

Bicycles, Drift Trikes, and Scooters 

At break times children can ride in the school grounds. Helmets are compulsory for all wheel based activities.  

We follow our school policy regarding children biking and recommend that children be ten years or over to ride unaccompanied to school.