Welcome to our parent dashboard. This is a central hub for our parents and caregivers, providing everything you need in one place.
INFORMATION FOR PARENTS/CAREGIVERS
AttendanceIf your child is away from school, there are three ways to notify us:
Attendance Information
It is compulsory for your child to attend school each day unless they are sick or absent for a justified reason. The school policy outlines justified reasons for attendance. As per our safety policy, it's important to notify us prior to your child being absent or before 9am on the day of the absence. The school will phone home if we have not been notified by an adult of your child's absence. If we're not able to establish the safety of your child, the Police may be notified. Truancy
Lateness is considered truant behaviour. The Truancy Officer will be contacted if students are repeatedly late without a justified reason. Terms & Holidays 2026school terms
holidays
LearningHomework
The purpose of homework is to revise core learning in literacy and numeracy. Reading and basic facts should be given priority. Teachers will explain homework routines at the beginning of the year. A reading log, purchased via the school office, is used to record reading at home. It is expected that homework will be completed on Mondays to Thursdays. Teachers are happy to discuss any issues relating to homework as soon as they occur. library
All students are encouraged to make full use of the school library. Each class will visit the library at least once per week to issue new books. A staff member is in the library for half-an-hour at lunch times and is happy to assist children with choosing and issuing books. Reporting
Parents/caregivers receive a written report in the middle and at the end of each year for Years 4 to 6. New Entrants to Year 3 will receive their reports every six months from the anniversary of their 5th birthday. At the beginning of the year we have a 'meet and greet' evening and ten-minute interviews with students, parents/caregivers, and teachers are held in the middle and at the end of the year. Parents are welcome to come into the school at any time during the year to discuss their child's progress with their class teacher and/or the principal. Please contact the school office for an appointment if you require this. Stationery
A stationery list is provided for each student at the time of their enrolment or at the end of each school year. While parents are free to purchase stationery at any outlet, Paper Plus in Gore offer the school a rebate. It is necessary for you to inform their staff that you are supporting West Gore School in order for us to receive this benefit. All students are encouraged to cover exercise books to ensure that they last the whole year. Students transferring from another school during the year should bring any stationery they already have and discuss any additional requirements with their new teacher. West Gore School has a commitment to being an innovative place for learning and leading the way in Education. Learning SupportSpeech Language Therapist
Learning support, through the Ministry of Education, provide Speech Language Therapists for our students for the diagnosis of and support for speech difficulties. This service is limited due to high priority given to students under five years of age. Referrals are made by the principal, teachers, and parents/caregivers. Please speak to a classroom teacher or a member of our leadership team for referrals. Resource Teaching of Learning & Behaviour
The school is supported by the services of Resource Teachers of Learning and Behaviour. This service is for students who require extra support for learning or behaviour needs. The principal or class teacher may discuss a referral with parents/caregivers if a need is identified. All applications require parent/caregiver consent. Learning Support Coordinator
Two Learning Support Coordinators are based at West Gore School as a school cluster shared resource. They are available to our students, teachers, and parents. Strategy & Visionstrategic plan
The main function of the Board of Trustees is to develop the Charter in consultation with the school community. Annual targets are identified and key information will be shared with parents on our Parent Dashboard and via our school News. annual reports
Strategic Intentions
Vision Our place to grow. Values
Key Competencies
Principles Our principles put students at the centre of teaching and learning, asserting that they should experience a curriculum that engages and challenges them. It is forward-looking and inclusive and affirms New Zealand's unique identity. Our principles underpin all decision-making within our school. Our principles are:
Strategic goals
Student Learning
All students will engage and achieve success in learning, across all areas of the NZ Curriculum, giving priority to literacy, numeracy, and physical activity. Priority Learners
Community
We are responsive to the needs of the 21st century learner. At West Gore School, we believe our students will grow by developing the strategies, skills, and knowledge to become lifelong learners. |
CommunicationWe aim to make communication simple and efficient. Each of our communication channels is explained below.
parent dashboard
You are currently on our Parent Dashboard. This is a central place for parents/caregivers to find all information from the school. school app
Our school app is where you'll receive time-sensitive information from the school throughout the year.
On our school app, you can view:
It is essential that all parents have downloaded the school app.
Once you have downloaded our school app, follow these instructions to join alert groups:
School News
Our School News page is where you'll find stories from our school community and updates about upcoming events. Stories from our news page are emailed to subscribers every Friday. Parents/caregivers are automatically subscribed to this email on enrolment, but can unsubscribe anytime. You can subscribe to this email here. Email
On some occasions, important information may be shared with parents/caregivers directly via email. Social media
From time-to-time we share positive stories from our school with the broader community via our social media pages. Meet our TeamOur highly skilled and friendly staff are always happy to be contacted by parents. Each teacher can be contacted directly via the Teachers page.
Our teaching team is dedicated to achieving the highest professional standards to ensure the best teaching and learning experiences for all students. Health & SafetyAccidents
School staff will administer simple first aid for children in the event of minor accidents. These will be recorded in a register. A copy of the cause and treatment of any head injuries will be sent home with your child or a member of staff will phone you to inform you of these details as a precaution. It is our intention that all teaching staff members and most support staff members hold current first aid certificates. Bicycles & Scooters
Children who ride bikes/scooters to school must be able to ride competently and must know the rules of the road. Bicycles/scooters must be safe and appropriate helmets must be worn. Bike stands are provided for students to use, and bikes need to be locked during the day. Parents/caregivers are asked to check their child's riding skills and road knowledge before allowing them to ride to school. It is recommended by Police that students should be at least nine years of age before cycling to school as they may not have the skills and judgement to ride in traffic prior to this age. Bus Transport
Go Bus operate bus services to West Gore School for eligible students. The principal will assist with the organisation for students to travel on these bus services at the time of enrolment. Feeder busses stop at West Gore School to collect students and transport them to Māruawai College (previously Gore High School) where students can transfer onto their appropriate bus for transport home. Assistance is given to new pupils by senior students or staff. Parents may, in certain circumstances, arrange transport with the bus companies for ineligible students. The principal can give you the appropriate contact details. Please note that in this situation, the arrangement is of a private nature between you and the bus company and a fee may be charged. Private arrangements are at the discretion of the bus company. All bus students are accounted for each afternoon by a duty teacher. It is essential that parents/caregivers of bus students let the school office know if their child is not going to be travelling by bus on any given day. Dental Therapist
The Dental Therapists are located at a clinic at the Gore Health Centre. Their contact details are provided below. Your child(ren) will receive an appointment in the mail or by phone. You will need to collect your child(ren) from school, if necessary, and take them to the appointment. Please inform your child's teacher when you need to do this. Gore Dental Service Birch Lane (03) 203 9042 PO Box 313, Gore EmergencIES
In the event of an emergency, the school will, in the first instance, call 111 and then immediately notify the parents/caregivers. Hearing/Vision Therapist
The Hearing/Vision Therapist will visit the school approximately once each term to assess the hearing and vision of all new entrant children. They may also assess the hearing and/or vision of other students in the school where a concern has been expressed by a teacher or parent/caregiver. This service is diagnosis only and follow-up appointments will be the responsibility of parents/caregivers. Illness
If your child becomes unwell during the day, a member of staff will contact you or one of the nominated people on your child's records and request that you collect your child. All care will be taken to look after your child until you get to school, but it is important to note that the school is unable to provide constant supervision of your child for any length of time. We appreciate you ensuring that your child is collected as soon as possible. Please ensure you have notified the people you have nominated as emergency contacts so they are aware that they are likely to be phoned. We ask that you update these emergency details we have recorded as soon as they change. medication
If your child has medication that must be administered at school, please see a staff member at our school office. You will be provided with the appropriate documentation to complete and the school will take all reasonable steps to ensure that your child's health needs are met. The school retains the right to refuse to administer medication to a student if circumstances put staff members or the student at risk. In such circumstances, parents/caregivers may be required to provide specialist, professional assistance and adequate training to school personnel. Public Health Nurse
West Gore School has a nurse who visits the school regularly and is able to meet and discuss any child health issues with you. You will be encouraged to complete a health form on enrolment of your child. The principal and teachers may also refer health issues to the Public Health Nurse for follow upp with families. The Public Health Nurse can be contacted through the school office or at the Community Health Centre in Hokonui Drive. For the Health Centre, please phone (03) 208 7015. Road Patrol
The safety of our students is of paramount importance. Traffic Wardens operate between 8:30am and 8:50am and 3:00pm and 3:10pm. Kitchener and Robertson Streets are patrolled, but require support from parents and the community. Supervising students operating these crossing is a partnership between parents/caregivers and teachers and we welcome any support for this from parents/caregivers and other members of our community. Sun Hats & Vests
Sun hats must be worn during terms one and four, and fluorescent vests are to be worn by all students both to and from school and to any out-of-school activities. UniformUniform items
The uniform items are:
* No Canterbury pants or shorts and no Croc footwear. The uniform is available for purchase from Southern Workwear in Mersey Street, Gore. Pleas ensure that all uniform items are clearly named. sports & Fitness
Appropriate footwear for fitness is also required on a daily basis. Students playing on the fields during winter months must bring a change of clothing and footwear to ensure classrooms are kept clean. protective clothing
Art work and similar activities are frequent at school. Please ensure you send your child with suitable clothing for theses activities. IF you have any spare large-size shirts the school would appreciate them for this purpose. Teachers will encourage students to wear protective clothing when there is a risk to their school uniform. Other Info.Heated lunches
During winter months we offer heat-up lunches. Children can bring items suitable for placement on a pie-warmer on Wednesdays. Please ensure that heat-up lunches are wrapped in aluminium foil with your child's name and room number written on the outside. These should be placed in the container at the school office before 8:55am. Children can collect their heated lunches from the school hall at 1pm. Photos
Photographs are taken annually, usually at the beginning of term four. This service is offered through the school who acts as an agent for a local photographer. Notification of timing, costs and other details will be communicated via the school news. You are under no obligation to purchase school photos. Parents/caregivers are given the option of class, individual and/or family groupings. |
