Berhampore Primary School caters for children from New Entrants to Year 6. Children from our school contribute to South Wellington Intermediate School. Berhampore School also offers Montessori education at the primary level.
To facilitate planning for optimum learning the school, is divided approximately into three groups; Senior (Year 5 & 6), Middle School (Year 3 & 4) and Junior (Year 1 & 2)
The school has about 170 pupils, and 10 teaching spaces and teachers, Principal and Support Staff
(Office Manager, Librarian, Caretaker, Teachers Aides, Cleaners).
Children's Safety
Children should use the Briomart Street crossing when coming to or leaving school. This crossing is manned by children from 8.30 - 8.55a.m. and 2.55 - 3.10p.m.
Parents are also asked to take extreme care when using the school drive should the need arise. Remember children's behavior when playing is not predictable. We ask parents not to bring vehicles up on to the play area - particularly immediately before and after school.
It should be noted that the job of patrols and wardens is one of great responsibility for 10 year olds so please think of and co-operate fully with these.
Do not encourage children to cross roads other than where warden or patrol can assist crossing is safety.
Parking
Students safety is often endangered by thoughtless or careless parking, please give the patrols and wardens plenty of space to see traffic without having to stand in the middle of the road.
Neighbours and pedestrians would also appreciate driveways and footpaths not being used for turning and parking.
Buses
There is no special school bus service available.
Children can use the public transport service click link for timetable Rideline - Timetable - Entry
This school has planned procedures to be put into action in case of a civil emergency, such as a serious earthquake. Since you as parents have a part in this it is necessary for you to know what we are going to do and how you can help us.
We will keep all children at school under supervision until they are collected by parents or another adult specifically nominated in writing by you. You can nominate that person in advance and it will be recorded. When children are released it must be entered on a special register so that if any later inquiry is made we know where the children went.
We suggest that you discuss this in your family and have a plan in case you are separated for a long while. The staff will be co-operating with the Civil Defence Organisation who may use the school as a base in a civil emergency.
An After School Care service operates between the hours of 3.00 - 5.45p.m.
Children can be booked into After School Care on a regular or casual basis by informing the school office.
Children may be enrolled at 5 years of age and must be enrolled by age 6 years.
Children are not permitted to begin school until 5 years of age. Enrolments can be made with the Principal, Office Manager or Assistant Principal.
There is certain information required to enroll each child;
Birth Certificate, child's full name, parents initials, address, telephone number for home and place of work, alternative phone numbers for emergencies, medical information, inoculations, medications, allergies etc., custody situations, permission to contact Doctor if parents cannot readily be contacted.
Where possible, we like New Entrants to have experienced a morning and afternoon visit prior to their starting full time. This has been found to be beneficial to both child and parents. Parents are welcome to stay for these sessions. Pre school visiting day is on a Thursday.
These are generally conducted on alternate Monday afternoons at 2.30p.m.
Parents are welcome to attend these assemblies.
SCHOOL ABSENCES AND CHECKING SYSTEM
A master list of absentees is drawn up daily from your telephoned notification that your child(ren) will be absent.
Class teachers notify the school office of non-attenders each day and these are checked against the master list. Where parents have not notified the school we will endeavour to contact home to ensure the child is safe. The success of this system is reliant upon parents ringing in before 9.00a.m. each day. If the phone is unattended please leave a message on the answer phone.
Please notify the school...
If your child has a notifiable disease-infection.
If your child has to leave the school grounds for any reason.
If you change your telephone number or address.
If your child will be absent for the day or longer.
If your child will be late for school.
All drinks etc brought to the school should be in plastic containers.
We do not want chewing gum or sweets at school.
Yoghurt must come in a reliable container (we have problems with yoghurt spilling in school bags and rubbish bins).
It is preferred that children do not leave the school grounds at lunch time.
A school lunch system operates Monday to Friday.
Staff are trained in First Aid and we have good First Aid facilities at school. If children are too ill for school we attempt to contact parents so the child may be collected and taken home. Every attempt will be made to contact parents in case of injury or sickness but it may be necessary for the child to be taken quickly to a Doctor, thus it is important we have updated phone numbers and emergency number/contacts.
Children requiring medication such as Asthma Inhalers or bee sting treatment can either leave this (named) in the Medical Room or keep it with them. A list of children with allergies is kept in the Medical Room - again keep us informed.
Children who are not well should be kept at home. Experience shows they often get distressed and require collecting from school. They also infect other students and staff with their illness!!
Particular care should be taken with Pediculosis (Headlice) and Impetigo (School Sores) and these should be treated accordingly and the school notified. Parents are also requested to inform the school if their child has contracted a communicable disease such as measles, mumps, chicken pox, rubella, whooping cough, hepatitis, tuberculosis, H.I.V. or Aids.
We are able to refer, with your approval, children to the Public Health Nurse who would follow up any checks with you.
Vision and Hearing checks are carried out regularly as part of a free service provided by the Health Department.
Dental Clinic
Our school has a mobile dentist visit and qualified School Dental Nurse to serve the immediate needs of local pupils and pre-schoolers. This is a free service.
Children can enrol from age 2 years by parents signing a consent form.
Children who have attended school elsewhere will be included on the Clinics roll as a matter of course as the Dental Nurse updates her records from the school roll.
LIBRARY AND INFORMATION CENTRE
All children spend one period of class time each week in the Library with their class teacher. They are free to use the Library during lunch time and for individual work.
The Library is open to all parents who wish to borrow books to read to, or work with their children. We hope many will avail themselves of this opportunity to share the Library with their children.
& Book Clubs
Once or twice a term children, if they wish, are able to order reasonably priced books for their own book shelves through the Scholastic Book Club scheme. The school cannot accept responsibility for the titles offered.
Our policy in sport is to give the children the opportunity to learn many different skills leading to games suitable for their level of development.
We believe it is not always desirable for young children to play sports designed for adults. We use a variety of "Kiwisports". "Kiwisports" simplify the rules, reduce the skills to a child's level and give greater participation to a larger number of children. In all activities we encourage good sporting behaviour.
Our range of activities includes swimming, athletics, netball, basketball, fitness programmes, soccer, and miniball.
We welcome parent involvement in sport and if you are interested in helping us please contact the school office. office@berhampore.school.nz
We also take part in sporting events with other schools in the area.
Swimming Instruction
Swimming is an important part of the Physical Education programme and all children are expected to participate. Excuse from these lessons should be by way of a note.
Saturday Morning Sport
This is available to all interested pupils.
Soccer, Rugby and Hockey are all organised through local clubs who make initial contact with the school.
Netball is organised through the school with parent coaching.
INTERVIEWS AND REPORTING TO PARENTS
Parents are always welcome to telephone the Principal or another member of staff to arrange an appointment to discuss aspects of the school life of their child/ren.
Reporting takes the following form;
Conferences with parents during the first six weeks of the first term. This allows parents and teachers to have an early exchange of information that may be of use throughout the rest of the year. Goal setting for Middle and Senior school students are also developed.
Mid-Year Interviews (20 weeks into the school year) following a report to focus the Interview and the goal setting is reviewed.
End of year written reports for all children who have been at school longer than one term.
After a day at school, children need time to relax at home so homework will be kept to a minimum and at a Year 6 level should not exceed 30 minutes, 3 times a week. It will always be based on work being done at school. It is our hope that children's interest in the work done at school will carry over to the home and that many will study and discuss from their enthusiasm.
The school would like the children to revise their spelling and tables at home regularly, at least twice a week. Time spent on reading recreationally, for information in discussing local and world events, and in following their own interests is time well spent by children. Formally set homework assignments can never replace this kind of learning.
Pupils may return to play in the school grounds providing they have been home and gained Parent’s permission to do so. This is unsupervised play and is the responsibility of parents.
Berhampore Primary School policy encourages visits to a wide variety of interesting places. Parents are always advised by a note from the class teacher detailing cost and asking for permission. The cost of any visit is always carefully considered. Buses are usually used but if it is more convenient to travel by car, parents are asked to provide transport.
In addition during each school year we endeavour to bring at least two live performances for pupils to experience if you so wish. We take care to select dance, music and drama performances of the highest possible standard for pupil viewing.
We will endeavour to create a secure and friendly atmosphere in a pleasant, welcoming environment so that all children in our care will have the opportunity to make maximum progress in all aspects of school life.
The staff will maintain high standards of professional conduct and we will do our best to keep the community informed of our plans and actions, whenever possible. We will involve the community in appropriate areas of the school. The learning process can best be achieved with complete understanding and co-operation between home and school.