Pōhutukawa Team News Term 3 Week 10 2026

Kia ora Whānau,

What an incredible finish to the term! Over the past fortnight, the Pōhutukawa Team has been buzzing with talent, brave public speaking, and hard work as the students pushed themselves to finish the term on a high note.

Here is a look at what we've been up to.

Speech Competition

We held our speech finals, and the level of confidence and argument on display was outstanding. A massive congratulations to Luna, who took out first place. Public speaking is no easy feat, especially when taking a stand on an issue, so a huge shout-out to every single student who gave it a go. We are so proud of your effort!

Beckenham's Got Talent

The talent across our team has been on full display! A huge congratulations to Aubrey, Beckett, Ruby, Mia, Ethan, Laurence, Louis, Felix, and Kit for making it through to the Beckenham's Got Talent competition on Friday. We have been so excited to support them as they step into the spotlight!

Planting at the Ponds

Our students headed down to the ponds this week to get their hands dirty for a great cause! They worked hard putting new plants in the ground to help care for our local ecosystem, showing fantastic teamwork and pride in looking after our environment.

Sunhats for Next Term

Sunhats will be needed for outdoor play next term as the weather warms up. Please make sure your child has a clearly named hat ready in their bag so they can safely enjoy the sunshine.

Important Reminders and Happy Holidays!

With the final bell for the term just around the corner, we want to say a big thank you for all your support over the last ten weeks. We hope you and your tamariki get to enjoy a relaxing, safe, and well-deserved holiday break together.

Enjoy the break, stay safe, and we look forward to welcoming everyone back refreshed for Term 4!

Warm regards,

The Pōhutukawa Team

Pōhutukawa Team News Term 3 Week 8 2026

 

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

Read on for news and information about what has been happening around the hub in the last two weeks!. Have a great weekend everyone, kia pai ngā rā whakata.

Wow what a busy time we have had in the Pōhutukawa team! Over the last few weeks we have done Cycle Safe, Food for Thought Programme, Special Visit from Ross Meder (Volunteer Ambulance Officer), Kiwi Competition, Beckenham's got talent and many more! 

In class we have been learning about Body Systems. We got our hands on some clay and made some brains! What a fun wee hands on activity to focus in on the main component of our bodies here are some pictures of the creative outcome. 

Operation! 

We have begun the task of building our own version of the game Operation. We will be doing our own copper wiring, wiring it all up together and connecting it all to LED lights and a battery pack. This is how were getting on so far. 

Student Council News

On Sept 18th, next Friday, the Student Council has organised a Heritage Day to celebrate our diverse cultures. Children are invited to come to school dressed in something to represent their family's heritage. This could be a costume, something special about the country or simply wear the colours from the country's flag. Please bring a gold coin for Big Brothers and Big Sisters.

Big Brothers Big Sisters is an organisation that helps children and young people build confidence, resilience and positive relationships through mentoring.

The programme matches young people with caring adult or older-youth mentors who spend regular time together, talking, sharing activities and simply being there. These supportive relationships can make a real difference to a young person’s sense of belonging, self-confidence and ability to navigate life’s challenges.

Privacy and Social Media

Actively managing your tamariki’s privacy settings on the social networks they use can go a long way

towards keeping control of their personal information.

Any information that is easily available online, whether it’s an email address, date of birth, or pictures,

could end up causing harm if it gets into the wrong hands.

To help you navigate privacy on social media, Netsafe has put together a guide on

How to Use Privacy Settings on Social Networks. 

Have a lovely weekend, Ngā mihi nui. Kia Kaha.

The Pōhutukawa Teaching Team

Chris, Chloe, Nick, Kate, Rae, Megan and Laura