Kia ora TPS whānau 
Like us
Principal’s Message
Welcome back! It has been wonderful to see the students return with such energy and enthusiasm for the new term. As we settle into the winter months, our focus remains on fostering a school environment where every child is ready to learn.
Center Stage: The Power of Performance in Term 2
This term, our classrooms will be buzzing with a different kind of energy as we dive into our Dance and Drama focus, culminating in our highly anticipated school production.
While the final performance is a highlight of the school year, the journey toward the stage is where the most profound learning happens. The arts are not just an extracurricular activity; they are a vital vehicle for developing confidence, collaboration, and creative problem-solving.
Through our dedicated Dance and Drama curriculum, students are currently exploring:
- Creative Expression: Learning to communicate emotions through movement
- Resilience & Discipline: Understanding that a polished performance is the result of rehearsal, feedback, and persistence.
- Social Connection: Working as a cohesive ensemble, where every student is essential to the show’s success.
When: Wednesday 1 July 2026 (last week of this term)
Where: Bruce Mason Centre, one evening show only – 6.30pm
School Community Group:
With many previous members moving on to intermediate, the School Community Group is rebuilding! It would be great if you could get involved and support in whichever way you can. (Please see notice below….)
Attendance:
It was great to see the strong attendance levels across our kura last term. In Term 1, 86% of our students attended school 90% or more of the time which is above the government’s regular attendance target. This is particularly good to see because we know that regular attendance supports better outcomes for children. Thank you for your ongoing support in ensuring your child is attending school regularly.
Important information about updates to our school attendance management plan:
Regulations require us to execute an attendance management plan which aligns with the Ministry of Education’s STAR(Stepped Attendance Response) framework. As part of this, we are required to let you know when your child’s absences have exceeded a predetermined threshold within the STAR framework. (See image below.) You will initially receive written communication of this via the HERO app and we may ask for a response from you.
We acknowledge that there are genuine and varied reasons that students may be absent. However, you will receive this written notification regardless of the reason for your child’s absences or whether you have followed the correct process. Thank you for your support and understanding as we implement these updates.
All whānau will receive a summary of their child’s overall attendance to date, in the end of term written report.
We are committed to working with you to support your child to attend school. If you’re having difficulty getting your child to school, please reach out to us for support. We can work with you to develop a support plan that addresses any barriers to regular attendance.
More information on attendance, including your rights and responsibilities as parents or caregivers, is available on the Ministry of Education’s webpage: Attendance
Anzac Day commemorations:
As part of the Anzac Day commemorations, there will be a Takapuna Community Anzac Service on Saturday 25th April. A group of students and teachers will represent Takapuna Primary School, and we invite anyone interested to join us for this important occasion.
If you have any queries or if your child would like to attend, please email Sarah to register prior to Saturday email – saraho@tps.school.nz
Teacher Only Day:
A reminder on Friday 22nd May (end of week 5), we have our second Ministry of Education, Teacher professional development day.
Property updates:
It is exciting to see that our building removal project was completed over the holidays. It is a very popular area of our playground at break times and provides an excellent outdoor teaching space for PE lessons. The car park is now open again. Please refrain from parking in the accessibility carpark, which is needed by members of our community.
Over the school break, we also began upgrading the guttering on our main block. This work will continue as funding permits. The previous guttering was worn and no longer worked well when we had heavy rainfall. Our new guttering has a wider profile and is able to hold more water, preventing overflow.
Parent Portal:
The Parent Portal is an online platform that provides parents and whānau with easy-to-use resources and tools to support their child’s education at home. You can find more information on the Parent Portal online: https://www.education.govt.nz/parents-and-caregivers/schools-year-0-13/parent-portal
School Policies:
Each term, the whole school community is invited to review and comment on specific policies and procedures. This feedback is captured using the review button on topics that are under review. The review topics for each term are listed on the Current Review and Review Instructions page.
General Feedback:
At any time, members of the school community can send general feedback on a topic to the school by clicking the green feedback button on the top right of the page.
Schooldocs:
Username: takapunaprimary
Password: deedsnotwords
School Donations: Bridging the Gap
Government funding only covers the basics. Your voluntary donation is essential to bridge the gap between a bare-minimum budget and the functional learning environment our students deserve.
Your contribution directly funds:
- Staffing & Support: Teaching Assistants to manage diverse classroom needs
- School Property: Maintenance of the swimming pool, playgrounds, and essential sunshades (not funded by the Ministry at all).
- Enrichment: Access to kapa haka, music, sports & specialist teachers.
2026 Suggested Donation: You can access this on Hero now.
- $260 per child | $420 per family
[NEW] Learning Support & Inclusion Fund:
For families who have asked how they can help more, or who are in a position to do so. This year, we have introduced a dedicated “Learning Support” budget line. This fund is used exclusively to increase Teacher Aide hours and specialised resources.
By contributing to this additional support, you help create a better balance within the classroom. While no single fund can solve every challenge, these extra “sets of hands” are designed to reduce pressure on our teachers. Our goal is to ensure that every student has a better opportunity to receive the care and attention they need to grow.
If you are in a position to help – either personally, through your business, or have family/friends that want to donate please let us know your pledge via the links below. You can choose to be acknowledged in our newsletter or remain completely anonymous.
For a parent of a TPS student Click here
For a business or extended family/friend donation Click here
IMPORTANT DATES:
Monday 27 April – ANZAC day public holiday (NO school)
Wednesday 13th and Thursday 14th May – School Photos
Monday 11 May – Board Meeting 6:00pm
Friday 15th May – School Disco
Friday 22nd May – Teacher only Day (NO school)
Monday 1 June – Kings Birthday (NO school)
Monday 8 June – Board Meeting 6:00pm
Wednesday 1 July – School Production at Bruce Mason – 6:30pm
Friday 3 July – Last day of Term 2
Please feel free to contact your child’s teachers or any of the leadership team if you have any further questions.
Regards, Devika and the TPS team.
English
Arabic
Chinese (Simplified)
Dutch
French
German
Italian
Japanese
Korean
Maori
Portuguese
Russian
Samoan
Spanish
Vietnamese
