The Ellerslie School 5Bs are: Be A Good Friend, Be Helpful, Be Kind, Be Respectful and Be Responsible.
The Ellerslie School 5Cs are: Collaborative, Compassionate, Confident, Creative and Curious.
If your child/ren are going to be away from school, please do one of the following BEFORE 9:00am each morning:
● call the school (579-5477), press option 1 and leave a message on the answer phone
● use the Absence submission template on the Ellerslie School App
● send an email to office@ellerslie.school.nz
● use the Absence submission form on the school website
Please clearly state your child/ren’s name, Guardian Group and reason why they are absent.
We have a number of children who have serious food allergies. We take the health and safety of these students very seriously and follow Allergy New Zealand’s recommendations and guidelines when developing policies and procedures within the school. Our focus is on educating staff and students around the management of food and how to minimise student exposure to allergens as much as possible. While self management for children that have allergies is an ultimate goal, this takes time to develop in children. Self management is particularly more difficult for students in our junior school, where teachers closely monitor lunchboxes to check for potential triggers. While we do not ban any particular foods, being mindful of nut allergies may be helpful to you when planning and packing lunches. If you have a child that suffers from allergies, please contact the school to discuss an individual action plan so we can work together to ensure their safety.
If your child is away for 5 continuous days, please note that you are required to either:
- Before Travel - complete an “Application for Student Extended Leave Form”
- Illness - provide a Medical Certificate.
There are a number of bus lines that your child is able to catch to and from school. A permission form is required to be filled in and returned to our office prior to your child catching a bus home from Ellerslie School. All students who have permission to bus home will meet a monitor outside our new block directly after school for roll call, and will then be escorted onto the AT Transport operated bus. As the bus information is always changing, this link provides updated information in regards to bus routes and times: https://at.govt.nz/bus-train-ferry/timetables/school-timetables/ellerslie-primary/
Ellerslie School is a BYOD school for Years 5-8 students. Students are permitted to bring a chromebook to school to assist with their learning programme. The devices are only used to support and enhance the learning experiences. The school also provides a number of school owned iPads and Chromebooks which are allocated to the teams and able to be used by the students. Students are able to utilise apps like Seesaw to track and reflect on their learning. This also allows them to share their learning with their peer group and whanau.
The Ellerslie School car park is for staff and official visitor use only during school hours. Any visitors need to report to the school office on arrival. There is a mobility parking space outside the school office if this is required.
We always encourage feedback both positive and anything you think we need to work on to keep making our school a great place for our learners. The Concerns and Complaints procedure encourages concerns to be resolved informally through discussions with the person concerned. If this is appropriate, please contact the relevant person directly. If this is not appropriate, the procedure provides for other avenues to resolve issues. Copies of our procedures can be found here.
We have an open door policy at Ellerslie School and love having contact with our parents and whānau. We recognise that many families will be used to receiving daily or weekly PDFs about activities at preschool and kindergarten, and that daily conversations at pick up about your child's day are common. At school this isn't possible due to the number of students, however rest assured that if we have any concerns we will be quick to touch base. Likewise don't be a stranger and if you have any concerns just hang around after school and when the crowds clear pop into the pod. Our seesaw blogs are up and operational and are a great tool for us to share some of what happens at school. If you require more time speaking with a teacher, please email us to arrange an appointment.
The Volunteer Hub consists of our school’s whānau & members of Ellerslie community who volunteer at one or a variety of school fundraising events, social events or projects. Every volunteer opportunity provides a great way to meet new people in and outside school, have fun, make a difference, & be a part of our fantastic community. There is no minimum number of hours that people need to volunteer for. Every hour given is very much appreciated and counts. The Volunteer Hub meets twice a term for those that are available, & shares news & volunteering opportunities on their What’s App & FB page. Please contact Sarah, School Engagement Coordinator, at sarahn@ellerslie.school.nz if you are interested in joining, or please pass on details to those that you think might be.
Our teachers can be contacted by using the following format: First name, last initial, @ellerslie.school.nz / e.g. fionay@ellerslie.school.nz. Detailed lists of our staff email addresses are listed here under “Staff”. The school office can be contacted via email office@ellerslie.school.nz.
The School views outdoor education as an essential part of our curriculum. The school has the philosophy that where possible the outdoor education will be utilised to enhance learning. The highlight for many students is the biennial Year 7 and 8 camp. This is alternated with a biennial Year 5 and 6 camp. The 4 day camp offers students a wide range of activities and challenges. Activities include archery, orienteering, confidence course, bushcraft, mountain biking, and adventure based learning. The camp is held at the end of the school year. Also, during the year our students attend additional trips outside the school in connection with their classroom programme and inquiry topics.
The Board of Trustees has an enrolment scheme in place based on a Home Zone. Applications for a place must be made before enrolment can be offered. All enrolments must be accompanied by Birth Certificate or Passport as proof of age and residency. All in-zone applicants are guaranteed places. Out of Zone Applications are subject to ‘Enrolment Periods’ being determined by the Board of Trustees if there are spare places. Generally there will only be one ‘Enrolment Period’ which is when applications are called for the next year. Applications for enrolment can be made before your child’s 5th birthday but children start school on the Monday after they turn 5. We encourage you to enrol your child up to one year before they turn 5 years old.
Please like and follow our Ellerslie School Facebook page. We recommend this as an effective way to get information in an emergency situation, reminders, celebrations and is a great way to hear all the exciting initiatives we have underway.
Children are organised into guardian groups and have a guardian teacher. Within a pod there will be multiple guardian groups and teachers working together. Your child will start and end the day with their guardian teacher and that teacher will take responsibility for the pastoral care of your child. They will be your first point of contact if you wish to discuss your child.
We are committed to keeping our children safe in the sun and have developed Sun Safe Procedures accordingly. Children are required to wear school uniform hats when playing in the sun in Terms 1 and 4. It is essential that children have hats at school every day. We strongly encourage the wearing of hats to and from school.
A copy of Ellerslie School’s current Health and Safety policy can be found under SchoolDocs. More information and login details can be found on our school website under the "Forms and Info" tab.
Becoming ill is part of being a child. Please keep your child at home if they are unwell or potentially contagious. If your child is showing signs of vomiting, diarrhoea, flu, chicken pox, etc they will need to remain at home until they are no longer infectious, which is usually 24 hours from last symptoms so as not to infect other students and teachers.
Our preferred method of payment is through your myKindo account. This offers an easy way for you to view and pay for your child’s needs online. It’s quick, secure and open 24/7, and offers many card and bank transfer options, and options to hold an online balance or pay-as-you-go. Access is via our school website, app or go directly to www.mykindo.co.nz.
If your child is late to school, please ensure that they report to the office immediately on arrival to sign in and collect a late slip to give to their teacher. These are issued at the back desk of the office, entry through the door between Miro and Rimu Pods.
If you are taking your child out of school early, a parent/caregiver must personally sign the child out at the school office, providing a reason while the child is leaving. A sign-out slip will be provided - this must be given to the class teacher and the child will then be released from their class.
Lost property is stored to the left of the school office. All named items are returned to the owner’s class. If your child misplaces a uniform item, please let the class teacher know. Your child’s teacher will try to locate the item at school. Similarly if you find your child has taken another child’s uniform item home by mistake, please return it as soon as possible, to your child’s teacher, so it may be reunited with its actual owner.
Lunch orders are available every day of the school week through Kindo. Order anytime on the day before 9:00am, or schedule in advance. These are delivered and distributed to students at lunchtime. Daily lunch options are as follows:
Monday - EZ Lunch
Tuesday - Sushi
Wednesday - EZ Lunch
Thursday - Pita Pit
Friday - Subway
Ellerslie School is one of six schools that makes up the Maungakiekie Community of Learning. (One Tree Hill College, Bailey Road School, Stanhope Primary School, Sylvia Park School and Panmure District School are the other five schools in this group.) Nick Coughlan, Principal of One Tree Hill College is currently the lead principal of the Kāhui Ako.
Wherever possible, with the exception of asthma medication, we encourage you to administer all medication at home. If your child has medication which must be taken within school hours, please complete the appropriate forms at our office. Please do not hand medication to your child’s teacher or send it to school with your child. All medication (with the exception of asthma medication) must be administered from our office. We will not administer the first dose of a prescribed medication at school, in case of allergic reactions.
If your child is bringing a cell phone to school it must be handed into the office in a named plastic bag for safe keeping on arrival at school and collected at the end of the school day. Intermediate classes hand phones to teachers and are sent to the office together.
These are sent to parents and caregivers via email second Thursday but can also be found on our website and school app. The newsletters are a great way to stay connected with the school community and keep you informed of events and important upcoming dates.
The school office is open from 8:30-3:00pm on each school day. The office can be contacted on phone (09) 579 5477 and email: office@ellerslie.school.nz.
During term time, we continue to offer a diverse range of exciting lunchtime Passion Clubs for our keen students in Years 1-8. If your child is interested in trying one of these fantastic activities, please contact their Guardian Group teacher.
- Fun Music Club
- Crochet Club
- Pasifika Club
- Enviro Club
- Lego Club
- Soccer Club for juniors
- Chess Club
- Craft Club
- Kapa Haka
- Martial Arts Club
Also, if you are interested in offering your skills to teach a Passion Club, please email sarak@ellerslie.school.nz.
The official Ellerslie School app can be downloaded from the Google Play Store or iTunes for free onto any Android or iPhone device or tablet - search for “Schoolapps/Ellerslie School”. We use this channel to send out important information quickly to our community.
Every Friday morning we have a celebration assembly outside in our courtyard, beginning at 9:00am. These are a wonderful opportunity for the whole school and parent/whanau community to come together to celebrate our learners and their successes from the previous week. If the weather does not permit us to hold the assembly outside, we will hold these inside the pods.
Determined by the Board of Trustees each year, this is actually a voluntary donation. Paying a donation helps reduce fundraising and compensates for the reduced government funding received as a Decile 9 school. School donations are necessary to provide items such as sports equipment, library books, Teacher Aides, Specialist Music Teacher, and additional teachers to help reduce class sizes.
Classes open for arrival: First block: Fruit break: Second block: Morning tea and play: Third block: Lunch break and play: Fourth block: School ends: | 8:30am - 8:50am 8:50am - 10:00am 10:00am - 10:10am 10:10am - 11:20am 11:20am - 11:40am 11:40am - 12:50pm (includes 10 minutes supervised eating time) 12:50pm - 1:35pm 1:35pm - 2:45pm 2:45pm |
Students and caregivers are required to sign Scooter and Bicycle User Safety Agreements before being permitted to bring their bicycles and scooters to school. There are reminders about road and user safety on these documents. These can be collected from our school office and returned once signed. Scooters and Bikes are to be walked (not ridden upon) into the school grounds from the Kalmia Street crossing. Students are responsible for storing and locking these at the bike/scooter racks.
On our website you can find links to our Seesaw blogs. These are organised by pods and will have snapshots of your child’s learning and experiences for you to view. This is a great way for you to keep in touch with what your child is doing in class and to share the learning with your whanau. You will be able to leave comments and view other pods with the touch of a button.
Children who are feeling unwell, or who receive an injury, are cared for and treated in our Sick Bay, which is located by the office. Details of all incidents/injuries/illnesses treated at school are recorded in our Student Management System, including the date, nature of illness/injury, treatment provided and by whom. Contact is made with parents by phone if the person giving treatment has any concerns at all. In a situation where it is thought that a child is too ill to return to a classroom, or is in need of further medical treatment, parents/guardians will be contacted to come and collect their child. Children with suspected contagious conditions, e.g. impetigo, head lice or conjunctivitis, will also be required to be collected from school.
Ellerslie School currently has a number of specialist teachers for the following subjects:
- Reading Recovery - Linda Sperring
- Music - Dylan Symonds
- STEAM - John Macnaughtan
Stationery packs are available to purchase online through your Kindo account. Here you can select the required stationery pack for your child. After you check out it will be delivered to school and will include everything your child needs. Items will be issued to your child by their teacher as required. Textbooks and library books are provided free of charge but pupils are responsible for loss or damage.
Ellerslie School has a specialist Learning Support Co-ordinator available to assist families with specific learning needs. Bailey Harrison can be contacted via email baileyh@ellerslie.school.nz.
In Term 1, Year 0-6 students have swimming lessons at YMCA Panmure pool once a week. Students in Years 7/8 will have swimming and water safety lessons during Term 4.
Ellerslie School uniform is compulsory for all students. Uniform can be purchased from our online supplier, Argyle: https://www.argyleonline.co.nz/shop/auckland/ellerslie-school.
We do not encourage items of value to be brought to school and do not accept responsibility for damage or loss. Personal items such as toys and collectables are not to be brought to school. They can get broken, become lost and cause disruption There will be times when your child's teacher requests them to bring something from home for sharing. In this instance it is permitted, but needs to be handed in to teachers.
It is school policy that anyone entering the school grounds during school hours, must sign in at the school office. For the safety of all, please adhere to this.
At Ellerslie School we have an informative website with lots of up to date information for you to read. We update this regularly and upload all school newsletters here. On our website you will also find links to our classroom blogs where you can keep up to date with your child’s learning. Please visit http://www.ellerslie.school.nz/ to learn more.
At Ellerslie School we run a whānau house system across the entire school. There are 4 whānau houses: Whero, Kakariki, Kowhai and Kikorangi. Upon beginning school, your child will be allocated a whānau house which they will remain in until they leave the school. The primary purpose of our school houses is to develop a sense of belonging and community within our school. Throughout the year students will be provided many opportunities to earn whānau points. This will include the chance to earn daily points for learning, effort and behaviour as well as participating in whānau house challenges, sporting and cultural events. Whānau T-shirts are available for purchase from Kindo.
Ellerslie School participates in the Yummy Sticker Promotion. For all the stickers that we save, we can apply for a share of free sports gear on offer to Primary and Intermediate Schools in New Zealand. You can help by saving the “Yummy” stickers from apples and seasonal fruit such as nectarines and peaches. A form can be downloaded here and once you have completed this, please drop this into the school office.
