Before you begin
Please download our enrolment form, fill it out and bring it with you to the School Office. Copies are also available for you from the School Office. Come in and ask Kerry, Jan, or Janet for one. We would love to see you!
Enrolment Form
You will also need to bring the relevant identification, immunisation and birth certificate information with you when you enrol.
Vision & Hearing Opt Out Form
Epuni School works with the Hutt Valley Health board to carry out Vision and Hearing screening tests throughout the year. Please fill this form out if you
do not want this to happen for your child.
Transition Visits
We support the transition from early childhood education to school by fostering a child’s relationship with their teacher and other children.
We usually have three visits on consecutive Wednesdays with increasing periods of time before a child begins school. Whaea Karen, the New Entrant Teacher, will contact you directly to arrange this. However, every child is different, and we work with whānau if your child may need extra visits. The teachers will look for ways to promote your child’s self-esteem. This will help with their feelings and confidence in their new school environment.
Being open and welcoming to parents and whānau supports a positive relationship between home and school, teacher and parent. It is through the combined efforts of all these adults that tamariki will be given the maximum opportunities to develop and learn.
Starting DAY ONE
Your child will participate in new and exciting experiences in Kahikatea. Expect that they will be tired when they first start school as there is much to learn and remember and lots of new people to talk to each day. Learning takes place through structured learning experiences and meaningful play.
We look forward to welcoming your child and supporting their transition into our school community!
Learning Through Play
Learning through play is actively encouraged in our Junior School to help children develop:
- their oral language
- a sense of self-empowerment and how to work with others
- relationships, learn to solve conflict, negotiate and regulate behaviour
- their own understandings around experiences and interests
Whaea Karen
Meet Whaea Karen, our wonderful new entrants kaiako. You can find her in the Kahikatea classroom.
Fruit in schools
Each day the classes get fruit in their classrooms. The teacher will allow time for students to have a break and have a piece of fruit.
Lunches
The school is provided lunches from Pita Pit each day. We get hot lunches on Tuesday and Thursday.
Water Only
Epuni School is a water only school. Your child can have a drink bottle (named) with them in class.
Whakamihi
At the end the first week of each term, we have a Whakamihi to welcome new whānau and tamariki. This will be held in the hall, usually at the end of Week 1 each term. We will give you more information about this when your child begins school.
Toys
We discourage children from bringing personal items from home. Toys are not to be brought to school as they can get broken or go missing.
Pick Ups
Pickup at the end of the day can be quite an overwhelming time. Whaea Karen will stay with each new entrant child until they are picked up by an adult or older sibling at the classroom to travel home.
Late & Absences
If your child is late, they need to come to the office to get a late pass to give to their teacher.
If your child is away, please call the school office and leave an absence message with your child’s name and classroom and reason for the absence.