Across Aotearoa, schools have begun implementing the refreshed New Zealand Curriculum, below is an update on what this means for your child.

A New Starting Point

We’re currently assessing all children against the new curriculum expectations. This process gives us a clear "stick in the sand"—a starting point that helps us understand where each child is in relation to the new learning progressions.

It’s really important to know that:

• Achievement levels are not comparable to what you may have seen in the past.

• The goalposts have shifted, and expectations are now significantly higher than before.

For example:

• Year 2 children are now expected to solve problems such as 32+45 and 68-17. This was previously what was expected at Year 3. 

• At Year 4, students are now expected to add and subtract decimals, something previously taught at Year 6.

So if your child’s progress looks different this year, it’s not because they’ve gone backwards. It’s because the bar has been raised, and we’re all working to meet these new expectations together. 

HERO Updates & Whānau Hui

We will have Whānau Hui at the beginning of next term to support you to understand the new curriculum and assessment results. It is important to attend as at these hui, we will:  

• Explain the new curriculum expectations 

• Talk through the assessments we’ve used

• Most importantly, share how your child achieved on the assessments and what this means

These will take place across two afternoons Tuesday 15th July from 12-6pm (children will have whanau group activities with LA's from 12-2 and school will finish at 2pm on this day) and Wednesday 16th July from 3-5pm. Our kaiako (teachers) have full teaching commitments and are setting aside some of their own whānau time for these hui so while we know life is busy, we would really appreciate your efforts to make these times work.

New Progress Descriptors

All schools are now using four national descriptors to describe student progress.

• Needs Support – Your child is not yet meeting the expectations for their year level. They require adjusted classroom practise and additional learning support to complete tasks. 

• Progressing Towards – Your child is on their way, but still needs guidance and targeted teaching to meet expectations.

• Proficient – Your child is meeting expectations and working with independence.

• Exceeding – Your child is working beyond year level expectations, showing strong understanding and transfer of knowledge.

These will appear, as below, in your child’s HERO report at the end of term.

This is a big shift across the country but it’s an exciting opportunity to better support learners.

At the start of the year, we shared that all New Zealand schools are now using the STAR attendance system, introduced by the Government to help ensure every child has the best chance of success at school.

The STAR system helps track attendance and provides clear thresholds so we can work together to support learning. Here's a quick refresher:

STAR Attendance Zones

• 🟩 Green Zone (90%+ attendance)
  ✅ Less than 5 days absent per term – Excellent! Your child is on track for success.

• 🟨 Yellow Zone (80–90% attendance)
  ⚠️ 5–9 days absent per term – A concern. This adds up to a day or more off every two weeks.

• 🟧 Orange Zone (70–80% attendance)
  🔶 10–14 days absent per term – A serious concern. Learning gaps may begin to grow.

• 🟥 Red Zone (Below 70% attendance)
  🚨 15+ days absent per term – Urgent concern. Strong risk of falling behind.

Where Are We Now?

Thanks to your efforts, our school attendance has improved from previous years—even in Term 2 when sickness can impact attendance.

Here’s our current STAR breakdown:

• 🟩 ✅ Green Zone – 203 children (72%)

• 🟨 ⚠️ Yellow Zone – 61 children (22%)

• 🟧 🔶 Orange Zone – 17 children (6%)

• 🟥 🚨 Red Zone – 0 children (0%) 🎉

That’s zero students currently in the red zone! Thank you for supporting your children’s learning by making school attendance a priority.

Let’s keep this momentum going as we head toward the end of the term!

On Thursday 19th July, we will come together as a kura to celebrate Puanga and our learning this term.

While Matariki is more widely known, Puanga (the star Rigel) is what we look for in Taranaki. Puanga (Rigel) is the brightest star in the Orion constellation, and rises at dawn to the east.  During the month of June, Puanga can be seen very clearly and marks the beginning of the Māori new year or “Te Mātahi o te tau”.  Matariki is not visible at dawn due to the sun rising but Puanga is.  A video is available here that explains where to find Puanga in the sky. If you get the chance, take your tamariki out and see if you can find it. 

Our Tawhiti-Style Celebration

Our Puanga celebration day will be a day of kotahitanga, aroha and reflection. Every class will contribute to a shared kai experience. Classes will prepare either soup or fry bread, creating a “soup kitchen” style feast where tamariki can select from a variety of options. Sweet treats will also be on offer—delicious baking lovingly prepared by our students. 

After preparing the kai in our classrooms in the morning, we’ll gather in the school hall to reflect and celebrate with:

• A bubble release ceremony to remember loved ones

• Kapa Haka and Mau Rākau performances

• Certificates for outstanding learners

• Whānau group waiata

This will be rounded off with our kai which we prepared together. Please still send tamariki to school with their normal lunches on this day, as while we are preparing and sharing kai together they will want a little more to get through the day. 

We would love to welcome whānau into this special day, however, the unpredictable weather and wet grounds have meant we’ve had to move the celebration into the school hall, where space is limited. With this in mind, we are keeping the day for tamariki and staff only. But we’ll be thinking about how we can better include whānau next year—thank you for understanding.

Interschool sports have been going strong this term, despite the winter weather doing its best to add some extra challenge (and mud!) to the mix. Our recent fixture against Hāwera Primary was a memorable one, with very muddy conditions underfoot. There were as many mudslides as there were tackles out of the field, but the team clearly had a blast.

A huge congratulations to our competitive Rippa Rugby team, who were undefeated in the recent South competition. Their teamwork and skills have earned them a spot in the Taranaki Rippa Tournament in New Plymouth this coming Monday.

Rippa Tournament – New Plymouth this Monday

• Meet Linton at 8:00am in the hall

• Departing: 8:15am sharp

• Best of luck, represent Tawhiti with pride and heart!

And there’s more to come...

We’re also gearing up for the Winter Sports Tournament on Wednesday 25th June. Selected senior teams will compete against other local primary schools in what we know will be an fun day of friendly competition. 

Thanks as always to our coaches, whānau supporters, and organisers—we couldn’t do it without you!