Friday, 22 August 2025

Pōhutukawa News Term 3 Week 6 2025

Ngā mihi e te whānau, warm greetings to you all,

Read on for news and information about some exciting upcoming events. Have a great weekend everyone, kia pai ngā rā whakata.


2025 Keeping Ourselves Safe

From Tuesday 19th August until Friday 29th August,  the New Entrant to Year 8 teams will be teaching the personal safety programme by New Zealand Police - Keeping Ourselves Safe. We cover this programme every two years as part of our Health curriculum. 

What will children and young people learn?

They will learn:

  • to work out when their safety is at risk

  • how to keep safe when they meet and mix with other people

  • who and how to ask for help if they, or someone they know, is being abused

  • to go on asking for help until someone does something to stop the abuse

  • that it is important to make and follow personal, family and school safety rules

They will know:

  • that abuse is never okay

  • that abuse is never their fault

What part do parents, caregivers and whānau play?

Parents and whānau are strongly encouraged to support Keeping Ourselves Safe.

You can:

  • find out about abuse and what to do if you think a child you know is being abused

  • talk to your child about what they have learnt in Keeping Ourselves Safe

  • set safety guidelines with your family

  • help young children with the Keeping Ourselves Safe activities they bring home

  • give the same safety messages as the school is giving

  • look at the whānau section of NZ Police Keeping Ourselves Safe for more information

  • frequently asked questions - click here

Keeping Ourselves Safe will be taught by your child’s Home Group teacher, with support from

Constable Meg Moynihan, our local Police School Community Officer, as required. The lessons are age appropriate in content and delivery.

To be successful, Keeping Ourselves Safe needs your help and support. It is important that you

participate as much as possible and talk to your child about what they have been learning. This will

reinforce the messages the school is giving, and help your child to use their skills with confidence.

If you require more information about the Keeping Ourselves Safe programme or wish to discuss the

learning, please speak with your child’s Home Group teacher in the first instance.

Cycle Safe: Chris and Megans Home Groups

Cycle Safe started today! It was great seeing all the kids out and about on their bikes! Here are a few snaps from todays session. 









Planting Day with the Christchurch City Council

We have more planting to do!

As part of our ongoing kaitiakitanga (guardianship) of our Beckenham Ponds, Pōhutukawa students will again have the opportunity to work alongside Christchurch City Council to plant native trees and shrubs at the ponds.

This is our fifth year of planting at ngā pūroto, and it’s a hands-on way for our tamariki to live out our school kete value We Care – Arohaina te tangata me te taiao (we care for people and the environment they live in, including our wider community).

When: Tuesday 2 September

Each home group will spend 45 minutes planting with the Christchurch City Council team.

What to bring:

  • Gumboots, or old shoes they don’t mind getting muddy and a bag to bring wet muddy shoes home in!

  • A raincoat (just in case!)

If the weather is too wet, we’ll postpone it to another date.

Ngā mihi
Rae Marsh

Kaiako ~ Pōhutakawa Team
Beckenham Te Kura o Pūroto

Year 5/6 Volleyball Tournament

On Monday 11th August the Year 5/6 Pōhutukawa team entered two teams into the Primary Sport Canterbury Year 5/6 Volleyball Tournament. The teams both did an amazing at representing our school, playing well and showing amazing sportsmanship! Well done to all those involved! 





Kā mau te wehi! Our Year 5/6 Red Volleyball team took out 1st place at the 2025 Primary Sports Canterbury Volleyball Tournament! They were undefeated all day, played some awesome games, and really showed what they’re made of. Ka rawe, team!



All You Need to Know About TikTok

Tiktok is one of the fastest growing social media apps. It’s a platform for creating, sharing and discovering short videos – and many young people love it! From new dance crazes to funny clips to animal videos, Tiktok can inspire creativity and bring joy.


But it’s important that parents and whānau help their tamariki navigate Tiktok safely. Today we’re sharing the Netsafe Tiktok Family Safety Toolkit so you can help guide your whānau to a fun and safe digital experience.


Ngā mihi nui. Kia Kaha.

The Pōhutukawa Teaching Team

Chris, Gayle, Nick, Megan, Rae, Georgie, Viv, Stacey and Laura


Friday, 8 August 2025

Pōhutukawa News Term 3 Week 4 2025






Ngā mihi e te whānau, warm greetings to you all,

Read on for news and information about some exciting upcoming events. 2 more weeks of Winter Sports! Have a great weekend everyone, kia pai ngā rā whakata.


Year 5/6 Pōhutukawa Team Flag football GOLD Team
(Left to Right) Hugo Maier, Isabelle Gale, Archie Gardener, Hamish McCrae and Ruby Grice

Spring is in the Air

It's starting to feel more and more like spring, and as is always the case at this time of the year we have had a fair bit of sickness throughout the team. Thank you for your vigilance around keeping children at home if they are unwell. Also, with the variable weather at this time of the year, it's a good time to remind everyone about the importance of noticing when it gets warm that we need to look after ourselves by drinking lots of water, and taking a layer off...(and then looking after polar fleeces!), particularly in the afternoons. As always, there are many learning opportunities about managing ourselves and looking after ourselves. Thank you for your support around this, mā tātou kātoa te waka e hoe, we're all in the waka together. 


2025 Keeping Ourselves Safe

From Tuesday 19th August until Friday 29th August,  the New Entrant to Year 8 teams will be teaching the personal safety programme by New Zealand Police - Keeping Ourselves Safe. We cover this programme every two years as part of our Health curriculum. 

What will children and young people learn?

They will learn:

  • to work out when their safety is at risk

  • how to keep safe when they meet and mix with other people

  • who and how to ask for help if they, or someone they know, is being abused

  • to go on asking for help until someone does something to stop the abuse

  • that it is important to make and follow personal, family and school safety rules

They will know:

  • that abuse is never okay

  • that abuse is never their fault

What part do parents, caregivers and whānau play?

Parents and whānau are strongly encouraged to support Keeping Ourselves Safe.

You can:

  • find out about abuse and what to do if you think a child you know is being abused

  • talk to your child about what they have learnt in Keeping Ourselves Safe

  • set safety guidelines with your family

  • help young children with the Keeping Ourselves Safe activities they bring home

  • give the same safety messages as the school is giving

  • look at the whānau section of NZ Police Keeping Ourselves Safe for more information

  • frequently asked questions - click here

Keeping Ourselves Safe will be taught by your child’s Home Group teacher, with support from

Constable Meg Moynihan, our local Police School Community Officer, as required. The lessons are age appropriate in content and delivery.

To be successful, Keeping Ourselves Safe needs your help and support. It is important that you

participate as much as possible and talk to your child about what they have been learning. This will

reinforce the messages the school is giving, and help your child to use their skills with confidence.

If you require more information about the Keeping Ourselves Safe programme or wish to discuss the

learning, please speak with your child’s Home Group teacher in the first instance.


Calendar Art

The tamariki have been busy producing their Matariki-themed Calendar Art for the PTA fundraiser this year. The art is inspired by the Pinot & Picasso Art Studio here in Christchurch and their Matraiki art prints. https://www.pinotandpicasso.nz/

Keep an eye out for order forms coming your way soon.


Working hard in Mathematics in the Pathway






Cyber Safety


Gaming


Eighty percent of tamariki in New Zealand aged 8-17 have played games online. Games can have many benefits: entertainment, social opportunities, coordination development, problem-solving and multitasking skills. But, most of all, gaming is popular because it’s fun. But games can be tough for parents and whānau to navigate. How much gaming is too much? How do I make sure my tamariki aren’t seeing inappropriate content or chatting in-game with strangers?


Today we’re sharing Netsafe’s Online Gaming Whānau Toolkit so you have all the resources you need to keep your kids safe. 


YouTube Video: https://youtu.be/rPN_ev1RSDQ





This weeks Pōhutukawa Team Hui Certificate recipients

Back Row: Ada, Sanvi, Finn, Shannon, Alazaya
Front Row: Moana, Vivienne, Haydn, Harvey, Henry, Rosi

Well done everyone we are so proud of you! 



Snapchat


Snapchat is a popular messaging app that lets users exchange pictures and videos (snaps) that are meant to disappear after they’re viewed. Many young people love Snapchat but it’s important that they understand how to protect their privacy on the app.


Check out Netsafe’s Privacy on Snapchat page for some helpful information on Snapchat’s features. You can also find out more information about privacy, security and safety on Snapchat’s help centre.


Ngā mihi nui. Kia Kaha.

The Pōhutukawa Teaching Team

Chris, Gayle, Nick, Megan, Rae, Georgie, Viv, Stacy and Laura