A day at Ridgway School for a new entrant

A day at Ridgway School for a new entrant


The current 'usual' run of the day in Kōtare, this will change as our year progresses.

Children should arrive at school between 8.30am and 8.50am (a teacher will be in the room to greet them). Parents are encouraged to say goodbye at the door and leave. This allows the child plenty of time to independently:

  1. Put their lunch box and drink bottle on the shelf in the corridor

  2. Bring their book bag into the classroom and choose a new browsing book to take home for the night

  3. Play with their friends until the bell goes

When the bell rings at 8.55am the children come quietly to the mat to sing a welcome waiata or two, and to also say a karakia. The roll is taken at this time - if your child arrives late to school, after 8.55am, please inform the office.

The class goes out for daily fitness at 9.05am, either on the pavement outside, on the courts by the adventure playground, or down to the field.

Then it's reading groups time, and writing time . During this time the children have a fruit or veggie snack break - usually around 10am.

Reading may be small reading group sessions, or a whole class book and language activities. The children are taught how to manage their books, the equipment and their behaviour during routines at this time.

Choosing Library books to take home will be a part of reading tasks. They can have up to 4 books for a maximum of two weeks.

Morning-tea is from 11am. The children wash their hands, put on a hat (compulsory in terms one and four), eat a couple of items of food in the classroom then head out to play in the areas around the buildings or down to the field. There are teachers on duty at break times, wearing high visibility vests. The office is always manned at this time.

A bell rings at 11.25am giving the children a few minutes to walk back to class and if needed to use the bathroom and to have a quick drink.

Maths starts after morning tea. Maths takes various forms: whole class, small groups working with a teacher, children using concept related activities using materials/games or on an iPad, or groups of children working independently.

From 12.40 - 12.55pm Kōtare children eat their lunch inside and then to go out to play with their friends. We discuss who they might be playing with, and they choose where they might like to spend their time: the field, the bank, the sandpit, the adventure-playground, the courts, the climbing stumps, the library, the garden.

A bell rings at 1.35pm, and the children come back to class for the afternoon roll and a story.

The afternoon programme varies and can include topic discussions, art, music, P.E. kapa haka or assemblies. We have not yet set a day or time for using the bike track, but will inform parents in a future panui about when this is starting. Many children bring their own bike or scooter and helmet and we welcome parent help.

Book bags (also called journal covers or reading pouches) are put into school bags before children go home. Every day your child will bring home at least one book and a word caterpillar; please read the book with your child or listen to them read. Make reading a fun experience, e.g. when your child gets stuck on a word just tell them what it is rather than asking them to work it out. Word caterpillars have five commonly used words written on them. The intention is - seeing and reading the words regularly makes them easily recognisable.

Parents/caregivers wait outside the classroom by the tables immediately outside Rooms 4 and 5 to collect their children after school. If it's raining parents wait in the shelter outside Room 1 until their child is dismissed from class. Allow plenty of time to find a park, even if it means parking further away from the school and walking to it. Always cross safely at the pedestrian crossings and park legally at all times. Please don't risk the safety of your or other's children because of bad weather or because you are in a hurry.

R-cards are given out throughout the day to encourage or reward Ridgway's school values: Responsibility, Resourcefulness, Respect and Resilience. We also run a marble jar whole class reward system.

Parents are asked to read the Kōtare weekly email, the school newsletter, and also to check the calendar on the school website regularly to keep up with school events.

Currently we are workshopping the 'Spotlight' app as a way for us to report learner achievement to parents and we will be informing our community when we have this up and running.

If you have any concerns about your child or their learning, do email.  Happy to chat or book an appointment with you.

Nga Mihi,

Julie

julie@ridgway.school.nz





MoST Content Management V3.0.8634