ABC Information

If your child is going to be away, please either
ring 09 275 4699 or email admin@viscount.school.nz

If we don’t hear from you we will try to contct you to check your child is ok.

Duty teachers and office staff attend to minor matters. You will be contacted if your child becomes ill at school or if an accident requires ongoing attention. In such cases, it is advisable that children are collected and taken home. In an emergency, an ambulance and parents will be called immediately.

Please ensure we know about any problems like asthma or allergies and that we have up to date emergency contact numbers.

If your child requires medicine at school, this needs to be discussed with office staff and any medicines kept in the office.

SKIDS runs an after school care programme in the Hall. Please contact the school for further information.

Please check the school calendar for dates.
The children join together for singing, to celebrate successes in the classroom and on the sports fields, to reinforce good social behaviour and promote the arts in the school. Parents/ caregivers are welcome to join us for class assemblies.

Please ensure your children arrive at school in time to start lessons at 8.55am.
For your child’s safety, children should not be at school before 8.15am or after 3.30pm unless engaged in a supervised activity e.g. sports practice,on site after school care facility.

Our school has a no tolerance policy for bullying and teaches children to develop self-discipline through an emphasis on positive behaviour and a reflection on choices made.

If problems occur, we find a joint approach between home and school is the most effective way to help children learn more appropriate behaviour. As a result, we will contact you if there are any major problems. We also encourage children and/ or parents to report any concerns.

Students are not permitted to leave the school grounds during school hours without your permission. Parents or relatives wishing to take students out of school must sign their child out at the office.

If your child is subject to any special custody and access orders, please ensure we have a copy in our private file.

Parents who drop off and collect their children by car are asked to only drop off at Room 1-4 or to use the Rugby Club grounds.

Children have access to computers in their classrooms. The computers are used as one learning tool within the normal class programme and all Internet access is supervised. The school ueses N4L as a firewall to protect students from unsafe sites.
We teach children to be a safe user of the internet and teach children about digital safety.

Please ensure the office has up to date phone and address details in case we need to contact you. Children are not permitted to use the school phones unless it is an emergency. If your child needs to bring a cellphone to school, it must be handed in to the office for safe keeping during the day.

The dental clinic at school serves a number of schools. They will check on children’s teeth if your child is enrolled.

EOTC is considered an important part of the learning programme. Children will bring home notices of planned trips and we need the permission slip to be signed and returned to school prior to these outings. School policy also requires a risk assessment plan, specified ratios of adults and seat belts when children are transported by car.

Drills are held each term . All pupils and parents must keep calm and follow the instructions of the fire warden. Please note: Parents and visitors on site during a drill or real evacuation MUST follow the directions of the site warden and join evacuation actions.

For fire, a long bell will signal teachers to evacuate children to the court behind the Hall. In the event of a real fire, children will be released to parents from this point once the roll has been called and the warden has given the all clear. There are evacuation notices in each room.

For earthquake, volcanic eruption or a lock down emergency children are instructed to seek shelter under tables and in doorways. A continuous bell will sound when it is considered safe for children to move to the assembly area. The collection of children will proceed as above.
Common sense must prevail at all times to ensure everyone’s safety.
We wil notify you through th school’s website of any emergency, if at all possible and provie informaton for collection of students.

The school operates a breakfast club and a lunch club. Students are welcome to come to the Hall to take part. In classrooms, fruit and milk are available.
Please note that there is no tuck shop and all children need to bring their play-lunch and lunch to school.

The school seeks to provide a safe environment for pupils, staff, parents and visitors. We ask that parent helpers, visitors and contractors sign in at the office on arrival. Please report any hazards you notice while on the school site and follow evacuation instructions in the unlikely event they are issued.

Homework is a regular part of the school programme. All children will be expected to read, as well as learn basic facts and spelling.

In junior years, children will bring home a variety of reading materials, which have been read successfully at school.

PRACTICE ON EASY MATERIAL IS CRITICAL FOR SUCCESS.

• Please aim to make reading together enjoyable and successful. If your child is struggling with a book, read along with them and tell the teacher
• Please make sure that children return their reading books in their bags each day.

As children progress through the school they will be required to learn spelling, tables, complete class work or undertake research.
Library books will also come home for recreational reading.

The Library is a special part of the school and children are keen to use it regularly. Each class visits at least once a week and children can also visit during lunch times. Children may bring home books but due to the high cost of books, parents will be sent a notice of overdue books and charged if these books are not returned.

We encourage students to take responsibiity for their own property. Lost property is stored in the caretaker’s shed.
Valuable items and toys (including cell phones) are best kept at home, as the school cannot take responsibility for them.

A newsletter will be available every two weeks and will be sent home or can be found on the school website.

Between 8.30 AND 8.50am, and at 3.05-3.15 the Viscount Street and Idelwild Road crossings are supervised by staff and parent volunteers and we encourage all students to cross these roads when the patrols are out.

All students are expected to take part unless prevented by ill health. Our sports programme includes inter school events and a range of sports teams including netball, rugby, soccer, cricket and hockey coached by staff and parents. We are very proud of past pupils who have excelled at sports and seek to have our current students follow their example

Our nurse visits the school on request to check on children with health concerns and to check on the hearing and vision of New Entrants. Your permission will be sought prior to any examination.

Term 1 – an informal meet the teacher evening
Term 2– a written report for all students and parent teacher conferences
Term 4 – a written report and a parent teacher conference will be held for all students.

If you have any issues at other times, contact your teacher and make a time to chat.

Please note that the school site ( including buildings) is smoke free at all times

Your child’s teacher will give you a list of requirements on enrollment. These can be purchased through the school office or at a local shop.

Term 1: Tue 31 Jan – Thu 6 Apr
Term 2: Mon 24 Apr – Fri 30 Jun
Term 3: Mon 17 Jul – Fri 22 Sep
Term 4: Mon 9 Oct – Fri 15 Dec

8.30 -8.50 Patrols out

9.00 10.30 Classes

10.30- 10.50 Interval

10.50- 12.30 Classes

12.30- 1.30 Lunch break

1.30- 3.00 Classes

3.00 3.10 Patrols/ Playground cleared