We couldn’t be prouder of the kids who took on the New Plymouth Schools Cross Country event - whether they were sprinting at the start like gazelles, trying to survive the hordes at the first hill, or dodging slippery patches of mud on tight corners! They were very well-behaved, and showed some serious resilience and competitiveness. And even though it was an afternoon full of huffing and puffing, they never stopped supporting each other.
Congratulations to the following children who achieved a top 10 result:
Arden Hunt - 2nd in 9 year old girls
Raine Donnelly - 2nd in 10 year old girls
Elsie Stone - 5th in 11 year old girls
Joe Zimmermann - 8th in 10 year old boys
Josh Gillum - 9th in 10 year old boys
In our eyes every child was a champion out there, and we just loved their determination. Well done, team!
Like all schools across we’re working hard to improve levels of attendance across the school. The Ministry of Education has set a target for all schools to have a high proportion of students with an attendance rate of 90% and better.
The evidence shows that attendance is directly related to how well learners achieve, in both primary and secondary school. The more learners attend, the higher their achievement. There is no safe level of non‐attendance – even missing just two days a term is linked to lower achievement.
Going to school is important for learners’ wellbeing too. The research shows that more frequent non‐attendance is associated with worse wellbeing outcomes, including schoolwork‐related anxiety, decreased sense of belonging, and fewer friendships with peers.
We’re keen to work with you to ensure all children have access to regular learning. If you have any aspects of attendance that you need to discuss, I recommend making a time to talk with your child’s teacher.
