Strategic Plan

Over the past year, we have been listening carefully to our community about what matters most for our tamariki and our school.

We began by gathering feedback from ākonga, whānau, kaiako and staff.  The Board brought this information together, identified the key themes, and formed a Strategic Planning Subcommittee to develop these further.  We then went back to you for more feedback before shaping our new three-year Strategic Plan.

From all of this kōrero, three pou have emerged.  These provide the foundation for our plan:

Manaaki  -  Relationship, Community & Identity

Our ākonga are people of Aotearoa, grounded in this place and connected to each other.  Tamariki learn to care for the world around them, understand their own identity, and see themselves as part of a larger community and world.

AS A POU, IT GUIDES  ·  wellbeing, belonging, and connected relationships — with ākonga, whānau, and community. 

Pākiki  -  Creativity & Curiosity

We nurture our tātarakihi to be joyful, curious and imaginative thinkers — artists, writers, dancers, scientists, makers and problem-solvers.  We create the conditions for ākonga to explore, play, question, create and thrive.  Learning Through Play is central to how we work.

AS A POU, IT GUIDES  ·  adaptable, curious learners — grown through play-based learning and connection to place and culture. 

Hiranga  -  Excellence & Wellbeing

We support ākonga to thrive, finding joy in learning, taking pride in their progress, and striving towards their personal best.  Hiranga reflects our commitment to academic excellence, flourishing hauora, and a love of learning, ensuring every ākonga is supported to achieve their personal best.

AS A POU, IT GUIDES  ·  academic excellence and flourishing — through strong reporting, pathways, and teaching practice. 

These are three-year priorities.  We are not trying to do everything at once!  Each year we will identify the actions that will make the greatest difference.  Our first Annual Plan will deliberately prioritise the areas our community told us most clearly need attention, while we continue working towards all of our longer-term goals.

Our vision brings all of this together:

Waihanga Kaiārahi mō Āpōpō — Creating the Leaders of Tomorrow.

Thank you to everyone who has contributed their ideas, feedback and aspirations.  This really has been a community process, and we are excited to begin putting the plan into action.

Under the pou Hiranga we are making changes to our reporting to make sure that it is clear, consistent, strengths-based, and it increases your understanding of progress, achievement and next steps.  To help us ensure this can happen please fill in the survey so we know what you are wanting. https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/935MQ7Z The survey closes this Friday. 

Vision in Action 

What a celebration for our ākonga.  Two teams, one roopū of mathematicians, one of readers, set out to show off their skills.  Read the articles below, written by some of the participants. 

Attendance - Health

We have been having a strong focus on attendance this year.  We are moving toward a target of 90% of our ākonga attending for 80% of the time.  Last term we had 65% attendance so we have a lot of work to do. 

Sometimes it can be hard to know if you should send tamariki to kura, or keep them at home.  With health services experiencing high demand, online GP care is an option for accessing care and the service is now free for all ākonga up to, and including, the age of 13.

Appointments usually take place through a video app or a phone call and the service can prescribe medicine and send prescriptions to your nearest pharmacy.  It also provides another care option for rural communities.

To learn more visit Online GP care:  Online GP care – Health New Zealand

You can also find out more here:  Care options for you and your whānau [PDF, 498 KB]

Please send ākonga to school if you are unsure, we will call you if they become unwell. 

Head Lice Alert!

We have had a few reported cases of head lice (nits) recently.  Please take a few minutes this afternoon to check your child’s hair.

Head lice spread quickly through close, head-to-head contact.  Anyone can get them, and it has nothing to do with personal hygiene.

What to look for:

• Small, oval-shaped eggs (nits) firmly glued to hair strands near the scalp.  They look like yellowish-white or brown grains of salt and cannot be easily brushed or blown away like dandruff.

• Crawling insects that are tan, brown, or grey, and about the size of a sesame seed.

• Frequent scratching or a rash around the hairline and behind the ears.

What to do if you find nits or lice:

• Please treat your child’s hair immediately using a fine-toothed nit comb (wet combing with conditioner) or a recommended treatment from your local pharmacy.

• Check and treat all members of the household at the same time.

• Inform the school office so we can monitor the situation in your child's classroom.  Your notification will be kept strictly confidential.

• Keep hair tied up to prevent spreading. 

Fundraising

Wordathon is our biggest fundraiser this year.  Tamariki will have brought home a pamphlet last week to gather sponsorship.  On 26th August (tomorrow) tamariki will write, write, write, and get sponsored for every word.  This sponsorship will go toward getting a new turf as the current one is past its use by date! 

Sponsorship forms are due back at school NOW.  This allows kaiako to be able to fill in the number of words on Wednesday. 

Please support our kura to have a new turf, where we can play on a smooth, clean, and dry surface. 

All money is due to kaiako or FoLBS account by Friday 4th September. 

We are also looking for anyone who is interested in supporting us in applying for grants. If you are great with words and keen to help, please contact, Melanie (principal@lyallbay.school.nz) 

Mid Year Achievement Snapshot

Kaiako gather information about ākonga learning throughout the year to help them plan teaching, identify next steps and provide appropriate support.

At mid-year and again at the end of the year, kaiako use a range of evidence to make an Overall Teacher Judgement (OTJ) in Reading, Writing and Mathematics.  Whānau receive the OTJ for their own ākonga through HERO.

We also look at the information across the whole school.  This helps us identify strengths, trends and areas where we may need to adjust our teaching or programmes.

Our Reading and Mathematics results are encouraging, with 73% and 70% of ākonga learning within or beyond the phase expectation.  We will continue with our current approaches while continuing to monitor progress and provide additional teaching and support where it is needed.

Our Writing results (54%) are not where we want them to be, and we think it is important to investigate this carefully rather than make assumptions about why.

During the second half of the year we will review our approach to the teaching and assessment of Writing.  This will include looking at the balance between explicit literacy teaching and the time ākonga spend developing ideas, composing, revising and editing their own writing.  We will also look at the range of evidence kaiako use when making Writing judgements, so that these judgements reflect what an ākonga can demonstrate across their everyday learning as well as in more formal assessments.  This review is about learning from our data and making thoughtful decisions about what we should keep, strengthen or change.  We will continue to keep whānau informed about what we learn and the actions we take as a result. 

Sport options

Sports information for Term 4 has been sent out on HERO - please register your child before the close of registrations on Wednesday 23rd September.

We are proud to offer a range of after school sports for our tamariki.  The following sports are available in Term 4:

• One off - Weetbix Tryathon - registrations open for February 2027 event

• Futsal (New Entrants - Y6) - NO COST

• Mini-Polo (Y3 - Y6 competent swimmers only) 

• Touch (New Entrants - Y6)

• Netball (New Entrants - Y4) 

• Volleyball (Y5/6)

• Floorball (New Entrants - Y6)

Come and join all the fun at the Wheels Disco.

FREE Wheels Disco - FREE

All students and whānau are welcome!

Saturday 29 August 2026
Kilbirnie Recreation Centre

School Roller Disco Times

• Huetepara (Years 0-2): 5.00pm – 6.15pm

• Maranui and Onepū (Years 3-6): 6.30pm – 8.00pm

Free:

• Skate hire

• Music

• Drinks

• Face painting

• Ramps will be up

Students and whānau are also welcome to bring their own wheels, including skateboards, scooters, rollerblades, or skates (please note that bikes are not permitted).

Please remember to bring safety gear to help keep everyone safe.

Dates to Diary

Tue 25 Aug Sponsorship forms returned to school

Wed 26 Aug Word-a-thon Fundraiser

Sat 29 Aug FoLBS Roller Disco - Kilbirnie Rec Centre

Fri 4th Sept All sponsorship money in account or returned to school (Word-a-thon)

Scholastic Book Club orders close at 3.00pm - Online Only

Mon 7 Sept Futsal Tournament

Board meeting 5.30 pm in staffroom

Tues 8 Sept EZ Swimming Yr 4-6

14 - 18 Sept Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori

Tues 15 Sept Interzone Swimming Yr 4-6

Learning Conversations

Wed 16 Sept Learning Conversations

Fri 25 Sept Whole School Assembly (Huetepara)

Last day term 3