Halswell A to Z

Absence from Class

If your child is going to be absent from school please

If your child arrives late to school he/she must report to the office and the office will give him/her a Late Slip to give to the teacher.

Please make an application in writing to the Principal, in advance, if you need to take your child out of class for an extended period of time.

Physical Education is a vital component of learning at Halswell. If a pupil wishes to be excused from activity then a note from parents is essential. We prefer to work according to your direction in this, as sometimes inability to take part is obvious and other times, not quite so clear. Teachers will rightly question an excuse by children that is not verified by a parent or caregiver’s note.

After School Care – OSCAR at Halswell

OSCAR at Halswell provides a safe, organised, fun and above all, quality out of school care programme, which caters for children’s different ages, gender, cultural and religious backgrounds while attempting to encompass individual needs and interest. Staff are carefully selected to meet the high standards of programme delivery set by the programme Supervisors and Committee.

We are currently full. Please contact us to be placed on the waiting list.

Hours

Contact Details

To contact the supervisor at the Halswell School Oscar, please email the above. The current supervisor is Leanne Johnston.

OSCAR Enrolment Form 2024

OSCAR Terms and Conditions 2024

Appointments with Class Teachers

There is plenty of evidence to show that children whose parents and family/whanau get involved in their learning are more likely to have lifelong success through learning. We acknowledge this and actively encourage parents to become involved. While parents are welcome, we like to know in advance if you wish to discuss any specific matter. This should not deter you from asking your child’s teacher for a time for this to occur, or phone for an appointment. Teachers have limited time after school as they are required to meet with colleagues immediately after school two days a week.

While we have an ‘open door’ policy and encourage parents to visit, we would ask that you vacate classrooms promptly in the morning and please do not enter the classroom while lessons are being taken.

Assemblies

School assemblies are an important part of school life and a great way to celebrate learning. They occur fortnightly on Fridays at 9:15am and take place in the School Stadium. Please see our school calendar for specific dates. All whānau are welcome to attend.

Badges

At Halswell School, we celebrate persistence, courage and resilience in our students by awarding badges when they demonstrate Manawanuitanga.

Badges are awarded to students in Years 5-8 who have represented and/or given service to Halswell School.

Categories for Badges

The first year you achieve/participate in one of the above categories you will achieve a bronze badge for that category. For example, if you represented the school in the Senior Choir in 2024, you will receive a bronze badge. If you were in the Senior Choir again in 2025, you would receive a silver badge and so on.

There are a variety of ways you can earn these badges. You can see all of the different ways to earn a badge in the criteria below.

Please see T Group teachers for a badge.

Change of Contact Details

In case of an emergency, it is vital that the school is able to reach parents. Please notify the school immediately of any change of address and phone number, including emergency contact numbers.

Community Support

A network of parents, offering practical support, for families in our community who are going through a difficult period. We welcome everyone who can very occasionally make a meal or do some baking which is then delivered to the family in need on a strictly anonymous basis. Please alert the school office if you become aware of a family in need of community support. This maybe due to illness, bereavement, sudden loss of employment.

Concerns and Complaints Process

At Halswell School, we encourage open and honest communication with our parent community. If you have any concerns regarding your child and/or practices at our school please follow the Halswell School Concerns and Complaints process.

Cyber Safety

In the interest of safety we require parent(s) permission for the publishing of pupil’s work, first names and photographs on our website, newsletters, promotional material and any other forms of media e.g. newspaper, television etc.

We believe it is important to celebrate pupil achievement, but are aware of potential risks when such personal information or material is published on a global system such as the internet.

Email and Social Media

All children Year 4 and older will be allocated a school email address which operates through the schools ‘Hapara Teacher Dashboard.’ As a Google Apps school we use Hapara to more effectively manage learner activity in this digital environment. It allows teachers to track learner progress, provide ongoing feedback, disseminate files, and facilitate collaboration and differentiation through flexible groupings.

Throughout the year, we teach and encourage our students to use our school values when learning online. These were developed with the children. Click on the buttons to read.

BYOD (Bring Your Own Device)

We encourage all students in Years 5-8 to bring their own device to school. Click here to find out more about this.

Internet Filtering

The school uses an internet filtering system through Network 4 Learning (N4L), a government provider. This service provides a ‘Web Safety’ filter as part of the managed network using Cisco Scansafe, a product primarily designed to restrict Internet access in the workplace.

Dental Care

The Mobile Dental Services van provides a free service for eligible students at the school when it is based at the school. At other times phone 322 8438.

Hauora Fund

Each year the PTA generously donates money towards a fund to help students access school-based activities and events that may otherwise be out of reach due to financial hardships. This is known as the Hauora Fund. If you would like to find out more about how the Hauora Fund can support your family, please contact our Finance Officer, Rebecca Lock.

Health Nurse

The Public Health Nurse visits the school regularly. If a parent or teacher requests it, the nurse will follow up any matter needing attention.

Home Learning

Taking activities home to complete is a choice thing, to do. To bring current learning activities home from school allows parents to be informed and therefore better able to support and encourage their children. It is always a pleasure to see children wanting to finish off classroom activities independently.

Children may bring home relevant classroom tasks that they can finish independently for up to 30 minutes four nights per week. Any work completed at home will be an integral part of the classroom programme.

All children should be expected to play or be physically active for 15 to 30 minutes per evening, preferably outside. Reading, with increasing independence with maturity, for 15 to 30 minutes per night is an expectation.

Children who are not able to complete activities because of extra-curricular actives will not be penalised.

Hearing/Vision Specialists

These specialists generally visit school at least once a year to conduct hearing and vision tests in certain age groups of the school. Pupils found lacking in either of these two areas will have their difficulties documented and parents will be advised of remedial action necessary. The school will of course receive a copy.

Illnesses and Accidents

Accidents and illness at school are attended to in the sickbay by designated trained first aid staff. Parents are contacted, except in the case of minor injuries or illness.

Parents should inform the school of any health or associated problems affecting their child. Arrangements must be made through the school office for children needing medication during school hours.

Children who have coughs and colds or tummy bugs that result in vomiting or diarrhea should remain off school for the first 24 hours after their symptoms end.

Lost Property

Lost property is kept in the administration building, for unnamed items. Named items are returned to the owner.

Music Opportunities

A real strength of our school and what makes us unique, is the multiple opportunities our students have to be involved in The Arts and to grow their musical talents and abilities. If you walk into our school on any given day, you will hear music instruments playing, songs being sung and a bit of dance action going on!

Click on the button below to find out the music opportunities available as well as, all the information you need to know if your child wishes to learn an instrument or take dance lessons.

Newsletter

We regard communication with school families as extremely important. Our newsletter goes out electronically on Hero every second Wednesday on odd school weeks.

Previous newsletters can be found here.

Parent Involvement

At Halswell parent participation is actively encouraged. There is plenty of evidence to show that when parents and schools work together, children learn successfully. It is the policy of the school to incorporate parent help in classroom programmes and in more general helping tasks related to the wider school programme whenever the need arises. There are many ways you can be involved:

Please let us know if you would like to contribute in any way!

Policies and Procedures

To view the School’s policies please follow this link and log on with this username and password:

Link: halswell.schooldocs.co.nz
User: halswell
Password: quarry

Contents

Religious Education

No religious instruction is available.

Road Safety

The crossings at the intersection of School Road and Kennedys Bush Road, and Halswell Roads are patrolled daily from 8.25am to 8.50am and 3.00pm to 3.15pm. Parent help is critical for the operation of the patrols. If you are interested in helping please contact the office so your name can be added to the roster. Parents are asked to park considerately. We encourage drop-off and pick-ups in Kennedy’s Bush Road. All the streets surrounding the school are hazardous.

Many of our children ride bicycles to school and are obliged to travel on busy roads. The risks involved are obvious to most and we know that you support us in our programme of road safety education. It is compulsory to wear a safety approved cycle helmet. We do not support children under 10 riding their bikes to school.

Drive Safely for Our Safety

Students from the 2022 Huritini Student Council joined together to raise road safety awareness. The students, aged between 8 and 12, worked with Christchurch City Council and Police to write and produce this video highlighting the road safety issues students face near schools.

Among the road safety concerns the four schools face are the speed of traffic, drivers not obeying road signs and road markings, and parents not making use of designated crossing areas.

Please drive safely for our safety.

School Accounts

All billable items are charged through an individual parent’s school account, including school donations, up to and including Term 3. In Term 4 all items are paid for in advance of the activity.

School Donations

Parent donations are an important source of school funds and are used to support all school programmes. The donation pays for things that are not directly funded by the Government: library books, sports and recreation equipment, music resources, e-learning equipment including computer hardware, software and video equipment.

The annual donation:

No child will be denied any experience should his or her parents be unable to contribute.

From time to time, there will be an extra charge to cover other approved outings. In the main these are Education Outside the Classroom events requiring off-site or overnight stays. The school fees have been set as $175 per annum billed over the first three terms for children who are enrolled in Term 1. For third and subsequent children they are discounted by 50% – $87.50 per annum.

Your Board of Trustees is totally committed to maintaining the high standard of facilities and education at Halswell School and trust that you will support us in this regard. School donations, which are a voluntary donation, will be charged to your account.

School Hours

Children are instructed to go straight home after school before engaging in any other activity. We expect most of our pupils to arrive at school between 8.30 and 8.45am. Teachers are available in the Learning Centres from 8:30am. The teachers do not carry out playground duty before or after school.

Stationery

For New Entrants, parents purchase an initial stationery pack at the school office. At the beginning of the year, stationery for all other Year groups can be purchased through a retail shop or online via https://schoolpacks.co.nz/ (search for Halswell School and select the appropriate Learning Centre). Parents can also collect a stationery list either from the office or from their child’s T Group teacher.

Swimming

This is a very important school subject and must be treated as such. The requirement is simple. It is part of our job to encourage confidence and a love of swimming, as well as teach skills. 

Swimming for Years 0-4

This is a term four programme involving a 2 week block of daily lessons at Starfish Swim School, at Aidanfield Christian College. Parents need to ensure their children bring their togs each day of the swimming programme. Lessons are charged along with the bus fare.

Swimming for Years 5-6

This is a term three programme involving a 2 week block of daily lessons at King’s Swim School on Main South Road. Parents need to ensure their children bring their togs each day of the swimming programme. Lessons are charged along with the bus fare.

Swimming for Year 7-8

This involves an alternating rotation of Beach Safety and Swim Safety (focused more on fresh water swimming).  These programmes last for one day and cover things such as identifying rips and practicing how to safety swim in deeper water.

Tuck Shop and Sausage Sizzle

Tuck Shop

Tuck Shop orders are now online, including new pie, sushi, bakery & gluten free items! Register at mykindo.co.nz

Browse the new menu, order & pay online anytime during the week, for delivery on Friday. Orders close 11:00am Thursday.

Sausage Sizzle

Each Wednesday we have a sausage sizzle, where children can also buy a Cookie Time cookie. Each item is $2.00. 

Children order in the Hall kitchen before school on Wednesdays. Cookies are given to them at the time. 

Children get a stamp on their hand, and line up at the bbq at lunchtime for their sausage (years 0-2 are accompanied by a teacher).

Multicards are available to purchase for $10 or $20, to save hunting for cash each Wednesday. These are kept at school under your family name. 

Tuck Shop and Sausage Sizzle are fundraisers for our school.

Uniforms

Our school uniform is available on-line from ArgyleOnline.  The office has complete sets of sample uniforms in sizes 4, 6, 8, 10, 12 and 14 for trying on before ordering online. Additional information can be found at www.argyleonline.co.nz.

Here is a brochure outlining the school uniform – Uniform-brochure

Physical Education and Sports Uniform

A school P.E and sports uniform top is available through ArgyleOnline.  This item is not compulsory, but is strongly recommended from Years 5 and above. When children represent our school in sports events or inter school games they wear their P.E./ sports uniform or will be outfitted with a school loan sports uniforms, which will need to be washed and returned to school promptly.

Second Hand Uniforms

We encourage parents to donate uniforms that children have grown out of. These are stored in the office  and are freely available to parents requiring garments.

This is also a Facebook group set up by parents: Halswell School Uniforms for Sale

Valuables

The question of children bringing valuable personal property to school seldom arises, but when it does the question as to whom is responsible for safe keeping could be a problem.

As a general rule the responsibility for the property is on the parents and the pupil involved, although the school would make every effort to ensure that the property is protected. However, if the property was requested by a staff member it would seem reasonable that responsibility for its protection be assumed by the school.

Cameras etc. taken on school trips are strictly the child’s responsibility. The carrying of jewellery and large sums of money by children is strongly discouraged. Only ‘studs’ or ‘sleepers’ in pierced ears please. We discourage pupils from wearing any unnecessary items of jewellery to school. This includes necklaces, bangles and rings. Teachers may request the removal of these items if they could be considered a danger (e.g., Physical Education lessons).

The bringing to school of expensive toys (e.g., scooters), motorised cars, transformers etc. is actively discouraged.

Children are discouraged from bringing cell phones to school. However if parents deem this necessary they must remain in the child’s bag until after 3pm.

Whānau System

Upon enrolling each child is assigned to a Whānau group. Numbers in each whānau are kept as equal as possible. Siblings will be assigned to the same whānau group.

Inter-house competition aims to: provide an air of competition in certain school sports events, e.g., swimming, athletics, cross country.

Senior jackets (Years 7&8) can be ordered directly through the school office. Samples are available to try on for size. To order a jacket please use this form.

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