New Entrants @ Pyes Pā

Tū Teitei         |         Mahitahi         |         Angitu

Starting school is a special and significant transition. We are here to help make that transition as smooth and successful as possible.

Cohort Entry

For our incoming New Entrant students, Pyes Pā School has cohort entry in place. Cohort entry is when students start school on set dates at regular intervals throughout the year. The advantage for incoming students is they start alongside a group of students, supporting social connections. The new group of students learn the classroom routines at the same time and can support each other in adjusting to school. Cohort entry also makes it easier to organise the classroom programme and ensure that students don’t miss out on important learning. The advantage for the current students in the New Entrant class is less disruptions as there are set dates for when new students join the class. This allows more focused and continuous learning to occur. 

With cohort entry, your child can start school at the next available cohort entry start date after they turn five. Alternatively, you may choose any of the other cohort entry start dates up until they turn six, when they are required to attend school. 

We will confirm your intended start date at the point of enrolment to allow for planning of your child's transition to school.

2024 Cohort Entry Start Dates


Cohort 1

Wednesday 31st January

Cohort 2

Monday 11th March

Cohort 3

Monday 29th April

Cohort 4

Tuesday 4th June

Cohort 5

Monday 22nd July

Cohort 6

Monday 26th August

Cohort 7

Monday 14th October

Cohort 8

Monday 18th November

Transition to School

To set you and your child up for the best possible start, the following occurs prior to the first day at school:


School Visits

Prior to starting school, we encourage three class visits as part of the transition process. It is encouraged to attend the visits for your child’s cohort group to allow students to meet the others they will be starting with.

Class visits provide your child the opportunity to develop familiarity with their teacher, peers, classroom and school environment. They are also a valued part of building positive relationships between whānau and school.

Visits are approximately 1 - 2 hour sessions on Tuesdays. Sessions are held at two different times of the day to allow your child to experience various aspects of the learning programme. See the schedule below for the available dates and times. Either prior to or following the visit in class, children are welcome to stay and join in either morning tea or lunchtime. Please note, a caregiver must remain on the school site for the duration of the visit.

Once you have completed the enrolment, Rachel McClue will be in contact to confirm your visit times. You will also be sent further information about what to expect when you visit our kura.

2024 Transition Visit Dates 

Cohort 1 Visits

Completed.


Cohort 2 Visits

Completed.


Cohort 3 Visits

Completed.


Cohort 4 Visits

Term 2 Week 3 - Tuesday 14th May - 9.00am - 11.00am

Term 2 Week 4 - Tuesday 21st May - 1.30pm - 2.45pm (Whānau HeadStart Information Session)

Term 2 Week 5 - Tuesday 28th May - 9.00am - 11.00am


Cohort 5 Visits

Term 2 Week 7 - Tuesday 11th June - 9.00am - 11.00am

Term 2 Week 8 - Tuesday 18th June - 1.30pm - 2.45pm (Whānau HeadStart Information Session)

Term 2 Week 9 - Tuesday 25th June - 9.00am - 11.00am


Cohort 6 Visits

Term 3 Week 3 - Tuesday 6th August - 9.00am - 11.00am

Term 3 Week 4 - Tuesday 13th August - 1.30pm - 2.45pm (Whānau HeadStart Information Session)

Term 3 Week 5 - Tuesday 20th August - 9.00am - 11.00am


Cohort 7 Visits

Term 3 Week 7 - Tuesday 3rd September - 9.00am - 11.00am

Term 3 Week 8 - Tuesday 10th September - 1.30pm - 2.45pm (Whānau HeadStart Information Session)

Term 3 Week 9 - Tuesday 17th September - 9.00am - 11.00am


Cohort 8 Visits

Term 4 Week 3 - Tuesday 29th October - 9.00am - 11.00am

Term 4 Week 4 - Tuesday 5th November - 1.30pm - 2.45pm (Whānau HeadStart Information Session)

Term 4 Week 5 - Tuesday 12th November - 9.00am - 11.00am

Learning Programme

Te Whāriki

A lot of rich learning takes place prior to your child starting school. At Pyes Pā School, we utilise the learning goals from Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum, to guide the learning programme. This approach supports a smoother start to school as your child moves from their early childhood centre to Pyes Pā School. It enables us to build on the learning that has already taken place and support the development of lifelong learning skills.

Foundational Skills

Prior to learning how to read and write, there are a range of developmental skills that children benefit from acquiring. At Pyes Pā School, we use the ‘Ready For Learning’ framework to identify the skills children have mastered and the skills we can support further development in. These skills are grouped into the areas of seeing, speaking, hearing, moving and print. Learning activities are designed to target development in the aspects that your child is yet to master. This is further supported by a structured literacy and numeracy programme that builds the required skills and knowledge in a systematic way. Throughout the year you can see our learning progress on Seesaw. You can encourage consolidation of the new learning by discussing the class activities with your child.

Learning through Play

At Pyes Pā School, we value Learning Through Play in the junior years. In the new entrant classroom there are many learning through play opportunities available, including sand and water play, family and role play, blocks and construction, arts and crafts, box and junk creation, nature play and many more. Research shows that young children benefit from learning through play as they develop their social skills, language skills, and self-regulation skills. Play allows students to explore concepts that will help them in academic learning as they progress through school.

Every child is unique and valued. Just as babies reach milestones at different stages, children start school with different strengths and knowledge. Building on what we know about your child, we adapt the learning environment to allow each ākonga to grow and flourish in all aspects of learning.

How Whānau Can Support their Child Starting School

Starting school is a significant milestone in the life of a child and their whānau. It is normal to feel a mixture of emotions, both positive and negative. As adults, we can support this process to make the transition as smooth as possible. Some ideas include:

Lots of Talk

Talking with your child about school will help them know what to expect. This can include discussing break times, school activities, the class teacher, friends and/or siblings who will be at school.

Stick to Routines

Establishing and maintaining familiar routines at the start and end of day is particularly beneficial during the time of transition. Consistency will provide familiarity and reassure your child that the change can be managed. Starting school may require some changes to the current routine, so talk about and set these up in advance of starting school if possible.

Be Guided by your Child

Take note of what your child is communicating, both verbally and non-verbally, about starting school. If necessary, adapt your approach so that the transition happens at a pace and in a way that is comfortable for them. Let them have some input into the start of their school journey such as choosing a new school bag or helping to pack a special lunch for their first day.

Be Gentle

Your child will likely be very tired in the first few weeks of school. Keep low expectations for after school activities and allow them extra rest time. Be kind to yourself too, it’s a big change for everyone.

Celebrate the Successes 

Focusing on the positives by acknowledging effort and celebrating progress is a great way to help your child adjust to school. Although there will be challenges, there will be many steps to praise along the way. 

Stay Connected

Keep in contact with your child’s teacher. If you are unsure or worried about anything, please connect with them sooner rather than later. The teachers are here to help and there isn't usually a situation they haven't encountered before. Check in with the school Parent App, class Seesaw page, school newsletters etc to keep up to date with what is happening.

For further ideas about being ready to start at school, view the following links:

We look forward to working with you to support your child’s start to school and welcoming you to the Pyes Pā School Whānau.