Key Dates
For a full list of upcoming school events, please refer to the Fixtures page on StACNet (filter by "Preparatory School").
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Kia ora koutou
I hope you and your children have settled well into the term and are enjoying the last of the sunny afternoons before we fully head into the cooler weather.
Rector, Mark Wilson, and I thoroughly enjoyed spending time at Castle Hill on Monday, joining our Year 8 ākonga as they took part in a range of camp activities. It was wonderful to see ākonga so engaged, supporting one another, and fully embracing the camp experience. I was also very impressed by the quality of the facilities and the expertise of the instructors who work so closely with our ākonga. With one remaining Year 8 class on camp this week, we are all quietly hoping the weather continues to be kind.
This week, I also enjoyed spending time with our Years 1–3 Learning Team, where I saw Year 3 ākonga learning about simple machines and forces, alongside our New Entrant to Year 2 classes actively engaged in Mathematics learning. It was a pleasure to see such purposeful learning taking place for our youngest learners as they grow in confidence and curiosity.
As we move further into the winter season, lunchtime clubs are well underway, providing a range of opportunities for engagement and activity during school break times (see more on Clubs in the Notices). At this time of year, we also begin to see the usual winter bugs and seasonal illnesses. A gentle reminder to please keep children at home if they are unwell, to help us care for the well-being of all ākonga and staff. We appreciate your support with this.
To support the safety of our youngest learners, the Junior scooter stands have recently been relocated to just inside the Junior gate, rather than across the driveway. This change was made to minimise the need for ākonga to cross the driveway during drop‑off and pick‑up times. We will keep an eye on how this works in practice and consider further options if additional scooter or bike parking is needed.
I would also like to let you know about a small change to the timing of mid‑year reports. Mid‑year reports will be issued in Week 1 of Term 3, instead of in the last week of Term 2. This change reflects the shorter length of Term 2, aligns reporting with Parent-Teacher Conferences, and supports the curriculum refresh currently being implemented. It allows families to engage in timely conversations with teachers, ask questions, and inquire more deeply into student learning progress and achievement during conferences. It also provides teachers with greater opportunity to carefully moderate judgements against the refreshed New Zealand Curriculum.
Looking ahead, I very much look forward to seeing many of our Year 4–8 parents and whānau at the Cross Country event on Thursday 14 May. These events are always a wonderful opportunity to celebrate participation, effort, and school spirit.
Over the coming weeks, we look forward to engaging with you to gather your perspectives on extra‑curricular and co‑curricular opportunities, as outlined through the timetable changes in Term 1.
Thank you, as always, for your continued support.
Ngā mihi nui
Leigh Fowler
Principal of Preparatory School
Deputy Rector
For a full list of upcoming school events, please refer to the Fixtures page on StACNet (filter by "Preparatory School").
As part of the Aotearoa New Zealand’s Histories curriculum, our Year 8 students are exploring the inquiry topic “Remembering the Past”, with a focus on Anzac Day and the Gallipoli campaign. This learning is integrated with the Preparatory School’s Inquiry Learning model, supporting students to investigate, think critically, and communicate their understanding. Students are working towards creating a presentation that explains the significance of Anzac Day – why it is remembered, how it is commemorated, and what it represents. They are also examining the events of the Gallipoli campaign, including its causes and consequences, while demonstrating their understanding of the inquiry learning process.
During the Immersion phase, students build background knowledge through videos, texts, and online resources. They then move into the Thinking and Acquiring stages, where they respond to key questions such as how Anzac Day is commemorated in New Zealand, the symbolism of the red poppy, and the impact of the Gallipoli landings. To support their learning, students are creating mind maps to explore descriptive elements and cause-and-effect relationships, alongside completing a visual or craft-based component. In the final Communication stage, students will present their learning and complete a self-assessment linked to the inquiry model. They will also collaborate in groups to recreate Anzac Cove using Minecraft. We look forward to seeing the thoughtful ways students share their learning later in the term.
Guided by St Andrew’s core values, the Year 4 Writing programme supports students as they build confidence and capability in their writing. For their current writing focus, students engaged in a unit of writing inspired by the traditional wishing tale, The King of the Fishes. Through carefully sequenced lessons, they explored how authors use purposeful structure, rich vocabulary, and engaging language choices to craft effective stories. Learning was scaffolded through targeted word‑level and sentence‑level activities, where students investigated the meanings of new vocabulary, experimented with sentence construction, and practiced using features such as expanded noun phrases, relative clauses, similes and metaphors, as well as using speech marks correctly. Students also explored the underlying pattern of a wishing tale, before creatively innovating on the model text by designing new characters and wish‑granting creatures. Using this structure as support, students planned, drafted, revised, edited, and are currently publishing their own imaginative Wishing Tales, developing fluency, creativity, and pride in their written work.
The children in the Junior Department learn music using the Kodály pedagogy. This approach is singing-based and follows a carefully structured sequence of learning skills. Through songs, games, and the use of solfège hand signs (do, re, mi), students develop a strong understanding of pitch and pitch relationships. A key focus of learning is the development of musical literacy as children learn to read and write music. Children develop essential musicianship skills such as singing, listening, and performing together. These engaging lessons support musical accuracy, confidence, and enjoyment, while building a strong foundation for future music learning.
The Pre-school was visited by Class 1AH, who came to teach the younger children about PERMA-V (the Well-being Framework utilised across the College). The Year 1 students taught the Pre-schoolers a song to help remember that PERMA-V is about looking after ourselves and our own well-being and demonstrated ways to help calm their bodies and regain focus if they are feeling strong emotions. They also played a game with the younger tamariki to help them recognise the emotions we might sometimes see on the faces of our friends. Thank you so much Mrs Henley and 1AH for coming to visit us, and for sharing your knowledge and understanding of PERMA-V.
Last week, students from 8S and 8C spent three memorable days at Castle Hill Lodge for their annual camp, making the most of spectacular autumn weather. Students engaged in a range of outdoor learning experiences designed to challenge them both physically and personally. Hikes through the stunning beech forests allowed students to explore the natural environment while building resilience and teamwork. Around the campsite, students developed practical outdoor skills, such as baking pizzas over open fires and learning how to safely set rodent traps, deepening their understanding of conservation and self-sufficiency.
One of the highlights for many was abseiling down limestone rock formations. This activity pushed students beyond their comfort zones, helping them to build confidence, courage, and trust in themselves and others. The overnight camp-out was another standout experience, with students sleeping under the stars and gaining a real sense of independence and connection to the outdoors. Evenings were filled with energy and camaraderie, with games of spotlight bringing plenty of laughter, while the Alistair Sidey Mountain Lodge provided a warm and welcome space for rest and reflection on indoor nights. Overall, the camp provided outstanding opportunities for students to develop key life skills alongside their peers. They returned with greater confidence, strengthened friendships, and a deeper appreciation for the natural environment – experiences that will continue to support their learning and personal growth back in the classroom.
Flickr>A reminder to parents parking in the streets around the College at drop-off and pick-up times, please do not park on yellow lines, especially when close to intersections. When parked cars are blocking the line of sight it makes it difficult for other drivers to turn safely onto the roads, causing them to have to move further into the road to see. This could be dangerous not only for drivers but also for pedestrians and cyclists. We would also like to remind parents/caregivers not to park across driveways and to be courteous to College neighbours. Please take a moment to read the following ways you can help our community stay safe:
How you can help – Road Patrol
• Please keep to the speed limit of 30KM during the following times when Road Patrol is operating:
Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday: 8.00am–8.35am and 3.20pm–3.40pm.
Wednesday: 8.00am–8.30am and 2.25pm–2.40pm.
• Avoid parking on yellow lines or people’s driveways.
• Avoid stopping in the middle of the Road Patrol area.
• Please use the Road Patrol and follow the instructions of our road patrollers.
How you can help – Drop-off Zone and Carpark
• The speed limit is 5KM for drivers in the Drop-off Zone and Normans Road carpark.
• Avoid parking on yellow lines.
• Please remind your children to wait for your vehicle to park safely before attempting to open the door.
• Please be mindful and present.
Your cooperation is essential to ensure the safety of our students, staff, and community. Thank you for your support.
Our Years 4–8 Cross Country will be held on Thursday 14 May, in Week 3 of Term 2. It will be held in the morning on the Upper Secondary School Field, from approximately 10.30am–11.45am.
Exact times and all other relevant information will be emailed early next week to Year 4–8 parents/caregivers. We are currently in the process of finalising the schedule with the Secondary School who will be running their Cross Country in the afternoon.
Please see the course map provided here for the Cross Country.
Year Group: Laps of Cross Country Track (approximately 1KM each):
Next week we will be acknowledging Pink Shirt Day, a nationwide initiative that promotes kindness, inclusion, and standing up to bullying. In the week leading up to the day, students will take part in learning focused on understanding bullying, being an upstander, and creating a safe and respectful school environment — all of which align closely especially with our StAC Up Expectation of being respectful members of our community.
To show support for this important message, on Friday 15 May, students are welcome to wear an item or items of pink with their uniform.
We encourage families to talk with their children about what they are learning and how they can live out our StAC Up Expectations by being kind, inclusive, and standing up for others.
For more information about Pink Shirt Day, visit: https://pinkshirtday.org.nz
We’re excited to once again offer sibling portrait sessions for Preparatory School students in Years 1–8.
This is a special opportunity to capture a professional photo of your children together in their school uniform, set against a blue background and presented on an A4 layout with their names included.
Pricing options for ordering online in the normal way:
Please note that we are not offering sibling photos which include Pre-School and Secondary School students.
The photographer will be on site the morning of Tuesday 16 June, and this will be the only opportunity in 2026 to book this service.
To reserve your spot, please complete the Sibling Portraits Years 1–8 Booking Form by Friday 5 June.
Complete the Sibling Portraits Years 1–8 Booking Form
The following 2026 photographs are now available to order online:
Details of how to order the photographs can be found on our website by clicking the link below, and you will need to log into StACNet using your St Andrew's College login.
If you have any questions relating to this service, please email photography@stac.school.nz.
ORDER PHOTOGRAPHS ONLINE>In Terms 2 and 3, the Preparatory School Pastoral Care team will be offering a range of lunchtime clubs. All clubs will be supervised by a staff member, with support from our senior students. No registration is required for these clubs, except for Code Club.
For Code Club, parents can enrol online by clicking here. Students enrolled in Code Club in Term 1 will automatically roll over into Term 2; only new students are required to register.
We hope these clubs provide a fun and supportive space for students to connect, explore their interests, and enjoy their lunchtimes. Please feel free to reach out to the teacher in charge if you have any questions.
All children are encouraged to arrive at school from 8.00am onwards and can access learning spaces from this time.
Before-school Care is available from 7.30am–8.00am for families who need to drop their children off early. As this service has limited capacity and is designed for essential use only, we ask that families utilise it only if necessary.
Before-school Care enables us to provide active supervision, ensuring student safety while our staff prepare for the day.
Children arriving before 8.00am will be taken to Before-school Care. The small cost for this supervision will be disbursed to your child’s College account.
After-school Care continues to operate until 5.20pm each school day.
If your child is unwell, please keep them at home. To report any absence (due to illness or other reason) please complete the Student Absence Form:
If you are unable to use the online form, you may report an absence by emailing the appropriate address:
If you cannot reach us via the form or email, please phone our attendance line (term time only) on +64 3 940 2031.