Panui - Week 1, Term 4, 2026
We certainly packed a lot into Term 3!
Our kapa haka group took the stage at Tatarakihi, our Year 5 and 6 students tackled EPro8 challenges, and our seniors delivered their speeches.
It was also a fantastic winter of sport, with Tāwhiti kids representing local clubs as well as our school across a range of codes. There were some amazing results, but just as pleasing was seeing our tamariki out there having a go, being part of a team and doing something they enjoy. That’s what it’s about!
We welcomed numerous teachers and leaders from within Taranaki and further afield during Term 3, keen to see the innovative and effective practice happening at Tāwhiti. It is always a pleasure to host, give back and share what makes our school such a great place. We are proud of the work our team is doing and love the chance to share it with others.
During Term 3, we also trialled moving lunch back by 15 minutes to 1:15pm. Feedback has been really positive. The children weren’t bothered and barely noticed the difference, while teachers loved having enough time to fit in another small group lesson during prime learning time. A small change that has made a useful difference!
Production deserves a mention of its own.
WOW! What a performance our Wizard of Oz production was.
To our teachers and learning assistants, thank you. So much time, energy and effort goes into making something like this happen, but seeing our children up on stage makes it absolutely worth it!
To the parents and whānau who helped with costumes, poppy heads, makeup, hair, walking to and from the theatre and supervising during the shows, we appreciate you so much. We loved having you alongside us and sharing this experience with you.
A huge thank you to our backstage and tech crew: Becky, Miss Carlson, Matt Tooke, Tina Godderidge, former students Jordy Johnston, Braxton Riddle, Mia Puckey and Noah Puckey, along with Keoni Ratahi. We couldn’t have done it without you!
And a special thank you to Narnz, queen of everything from dance moves and visual design to acting and cutting music. An absolute weapon and such a pleasure to work alongside to get this production together and onto the stage!
Most of all, we are so proud of our tamariki. Getting on stage takes courage. Seeing them give it their all, support each other and enjoy their moment was pretty special. We will have photos back from Elle Bent and video from Brendon White any day now so will share these with you in due course.
These are just some of the highlights from Term 3. But the real highlights happen every day in our classrooms.
All our tamariki have worked hard on their literacy and numeracy learning over the last term. It has been a pleasure to see the progress they are making and their confidence growing. We love seeing the smiles when something finally clicks, the perserverance when a child has another go at something tricky, and the satisfaction on their faces when they realise they can do something they couldn’t do before. On top of this, the way they continue to show our school values and care for each other makes Tāwhiti a special place. This was definitely evident with our seniors supporting our juniors at our school cross country day.
There is plenty to look forward to in Term 4 too, with Pet Day, camps, Year 6 leaving celebration, athletics, end of year assessments and celebrations of progress. Another busy term ahead!
Bring it on!
Sarah and the Tawhiti Team
Friday October 23rd
This year, Pet Day will be followed by a fun day thanks to our amazing PTA! Whānau are welcome to come along, enjoy the pets and stay on for some fun together.
9:30am to 10:30am: Pet judging
Formal pet judging will take place during this time. If you have a pet to register, please fill in the following form: click here
10:30am to 11:00am: Pet parade
Our pet parade is open to all students and pets, whether they are entering the formal judging or not. From turtles and chickens to goats and horses, we would love to see them!
Children will lead or carry their pet around a square ring so the rest of the school can see them, with opportunities to meet and pat pets where appropriate. Dogs will parade first, allowing a gap before the calves and lambs take their turn.
Judging will be finalised during this time and certificates written. We will then have prize giving directly following the parade.
11:00am to 1:00pm: PTA Fun Day
After the parade, the fun continues! There will be bouncy castles courtesy of Greaves Electrical, a sausage sizzle, slushies, games and activities, hair braiding, tattoos, lucky dips and more.
The bouncy castles, games and activities will be free. Food, drinks, lucky dips, tattoos and hair braiding will be available to purchase.
We will share more details and reminders over the next two weeks. This is about getting together, enjoying each other’s company and having some fun. Whānau are welcome to pop down or stay on after Pet Day.
Whanaungatanga in action!
Term 3 saw a dip in our attendance, with plenty of winter bugs doing the rounds. We are looking forward to fewer bugs as we head towards the summer months and more opportunities for our tamariki to be here learning together.
If getting your child to school is becoming tricky, or something is affecting how happy or settled they feel here, please get in touch. We are here to work with you. The sooner we know, the sooner we can help.
In our last newsletter, we shared a little about our social and emotional curriculum. This time, we want to give you an insight into how we support literacy and numeracy learning so every child can achieve their best.
You might hear us talk about Tier 1, Tier 2 and Tier 3. These describe different levels of teaching and support. They are not labels for children. The support a child needs can change depending on what they are learning and how they are progressing.
Tier 1: Great classroom teaching for everyone
Tier 1 is the classroom teaching all children at Tawhiti receive in every subject.
Learning is much more than listening to the teacher talk! Throughout lessons, children have lots of opportunities to think and respond. They might share their thinking with a buddy, write an answer on a whiteboard, repeat key learning, respond together as a class or show their answer with a movement such as thumbs up or thumbs down.
These responses keep children active in their learning and give teachers valuable information. Who understands? Who needs another explanation? Who is ready for more?
We call this checking for understanding. We want to know that children understand what has been taught before asking them to practise it independently. If something hasn’t clicked, teachers can explain it another way, model it again or work through another example.
Tier 2: Extra small group support when it is needed
While children practise their learning independently, teachers and learning assistants work with small groups who need an extra lesson or more support.
These groups are identified through children’s responses during lessons, alongside assessment information. The aim is to respond quickly when children need help.
In these lessons, learning is broken into smaller steps. We model, explain and work through examples with children, using equipment to help. Children get more opportunities to practise, ask questions and receive feedback.
Tier 3: More individual support
Some children need more intensive and individual support to make progress.
Children who receive Tier 3 literacy support are identified through their phonics assessments at 20 and 40 weeks of schooling. The level of support they need determines whether they work with our literacy specialist, Miss Gibbs, or a learning assistant in the afternoon under Miss Gibbs’ guidance.
We prioritise our little people here. Getting the basics right early helps set them up for success as they move through school.
We also have maths intervention lessons that take place with Whaea Jen in the afternoons. We use our PAT maths assessments to help identify children who need this extra support and the skills they need to work on.
Across these programmes, we check children’s progress regularly so we can see what is working and adjust their support as needed.
What about children who need extension?
Every class also has children who are ready to take their learning further.
Extension happens within ALL our lessons. We have children that are given and tackle more complex problems, compare different approaches and apply their learning in new situations.
When we extend our learners, it is about giving them the right level of challenge and pushing them outwards, rather than simply giving them more work or work from the next year level.
The checking for understanding that teachers do constantly within lessons helps them recognise who needs extra support and who is ready for that next challenge. Our aim across all three tiers and within all our learning programmes is to know our learners well, respond to what they need and keep them progressing.
Throughout Term 4, we will be planning our classes and staffing for 2027. There is a lot to consider when putting class lists together, and we take the time to get this right. Our teachers know your children well, and their learning, relationships and wellbeing are at the heart of these decisions. However, we also value your input.
We would love it if you could complete the form to let us know whether your child will be returning to Tāwhiti in 2027. There is also an opportunity to share any information you would like us to consider when placing your child.
Before completing the form, have a chat with your child about who they work well with and who they would like to have in their class next year. Encourage them to think beyond their closest friends. Who helps them feel comfortable? Who do they learn well alongside? Is there someone they would like to get to know better?
As you will be aware, there are many balls to juggle when putting classes together, so we cannot guarantee every preference will be met. Alongside relationships, we consider learning strengths and needs, personalities, the support children require and the overall balance of each class. Our roll and staffing also help determine class sizes and whether we have single or mixed year levels. The form helps give us more information to help with these decisions, and I will contact you if I need to talk anything through. That said, we will ensure your child has at least one of the children they name in their class. Familiar faces matter, but making new friends is important too!
Please do not request specific teachers, as we cannot accommodate these requests. Lucky for us - all our teachers are amazing!
Children will have the opportunity to meet their new teacher and class before the end of the year. Thank you for helping us plan a positive start to 2027 for everyone. And don't stress about change - we want the very best for your kiddos so will make every decision around them! If you have any questions about class lists, just pop in and see me (Sarah).
Sharing our footpaths safely: A reminder from Roadsafe Taranaki
With the recent change in law, please have a chat with your tamariki about riding safely and being considerate of others when cycling on footpaths.
Remind them to:
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Ride at a safe speed and slow down around people.
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Watch for vehicles entering and leaving driveways.
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Take extra care around older people, young children and people with limited mobility.
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Ring their bell well before approaching someone from behind.
Not everyone can hear a bell or a call, and some people need more time to move. If someone doesn’t move aside, slow down, be patient and only pass when there is enough space to do so safely.
A little care and courtesy helps keep our footpaths safe for everyone.