FAQ
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When your child is away from school please ALWAYS notify the school office, either by phone (09 489 7216 ) or the via the HERO app. Please do this by 9.00 a.m. on EACH day of absence. If phoning the school, leave a message on the answer machine stating the child’s name, room number and the reason for the absence.
If your child has an appointment to attend during school hours please pick them up from the office (Shakespeare Road) and sign them out on the register provided. Parents are discouraged from taking children on holidays during the school term as it is disruptive to a child’s learning being away from school.
If your child arrives at school after 9.00am they are late to school. Please remind them to report to the office before going to the classroom to collect a “Late Pass” that is given to their teacher.
To encourage children to accept responsibility for their own actions and create a positive and secure environment, we have developed school expectations in which children learn to co-operate, be tolerant towards one another and be courteous.
If there are any issues, a child may be spoken to by a teacher or senior leader, depending on the severity of the incident. Most incidences are very minor and are dealt with quietly and quickly. If we have any concerns about your child’s behaviour, we will contact you. You are also most welcome to talk to your child’s teacher if you have any concerns about behaviour.
The “Cool Schools” Peer Mediation Programme is also operating. A number of Year 5/6 students elect to become mediators and they are provided with appropriate skills to sort out their peers’ conflicts in the playground. The mediators wear bright green T-shirts at lunchtimes to make them easily identifiable to children. The mediation skills are also taught in the classroom so that all children may gain an understanding of the causes of conflict and are empowered with the processes and skills to resolve conflicts.
We encourage cyclists (bicycle and scooter) to be in Years 5 or 6. Any children younger than this riding to school should be closely accompanied by an adult.
NZ approved safety helmets and fluoro vests should be worn by all Milford cyclists including unaccompanied scooter riders, to and from school.
Cycles and scooters are not to be ridden in the school grounds and should be stored in the designated bike and scooter stands. Cyclists should be courteous on their way to and from school and act sensibly in relation to cars and pedestrians at all times.
At Milford School, the cut-off birthdate for children to move from Year 1 to Year 2 is the end of Term 1. This means that in general, children who start school in Term 1 will be considered Year 1 and will move into Year 2 in the following calendar year. In general, children who start in Terms 2, 3 or 4 will be considered Year 0 and will move into Year 1 in the following calendar year.
We carefully look at all children’s progress if their birthdays fall within a month either side of the end of Term 1 date to ensure they are suited socially, academically and physically to the Year level their birthday puts them in. We will only move children out of their age group under exceptional circumstances and after full consultation with parents.
The main carparks, at the Shakespeare Road and Otakau Road entrances, are only open to staff. Please do not be offended if you drive into the school grounds and are asked to park elsewhere.
Students and their parents/caregivers should not walk through the car park. There are footpaths provided to walk in and out of school.
Please use the designated controlled crossing when you need to cross Shakespeare Road.
Parents and caregivers must not park on yellow lines or across residential driveways when dropping off or picking up children. In the morning you will notice that there is a “Clearway” on Shakespeare Road until 9am. The Auckland City Council police this clearway regularly and do fine drivers that park there.
CCTV cameras are situated around exterior areas of the school. The footage of these are only viewed when there is a need to do so eg a theft or vandalism. Their purpose is the safety and protection of the school grounds and those who use them.
Students should not have cellphones at school. If they are needed for before or after school arrangements, they must be turned off in the day and only accessed before 9am and after 3pm.
Children all come to school with varying abilities and needs. Most of these are well catered for in the classroom programme or in special programmes within the school, but some children with higher needs may require referral to outside agencies.
There are several agencies/services to use and these will be discussed with you, the class teacher and the Associate Principal before any action is taken. The services available from the Ministry of Education include MoE Special Education (for behaviour, speech or occupational therapy), Resource Teachers of Learning and Behaviour (RTLB for learning needs and behaviour needs), and Resource Teachers of Literacy (RTLits for reading and writing).
Referrals to these services are only available after consultation with parents and prior work in the class aimed at addressing the special needs. Other services available from private companies and counselling services are at parents’ discretion although it is very helpful for the school to have information about these if you use them. We have information about a range of private services available – please see the Associate Principal.
When a child comes to school as a five-year-old, he/she will be placed in the current New Entrant/Year 1 class. Prior to starting school, it is usual for each child to complete two preschool visits. At the beginning of each year, there are usually two New Entrant classes accepting children and a new class is opened up once these are filled.
Under the policies tab on this website, there is a easy to follow flowchart which may help.
The value to children of educational visits shared with other children from their own class and linked to their learning is well recognised and most classes are able to arrange at least one such visit per term.
Class teachers will request parent help if it is required for a trip. Teachers will endeavour to include all parents who offer their help during the school year. If your help is not required due to there being enough helpers already organised, we thank you for your support and will generally use your help another time. There is no provision for including pre school age children on our trips.
Students are discouraged from wearing these watches to school as they are expensive items.The school is not responsible for any loss, damage or mishap to a watch. Students who become distracted by any functions on the watch will be asked to leave them at home.
In line with our mobile phone policy, no student is to access phone or text capabilities while at school between 9.00am and 3.00pm.
Regular checks are kept on children’s hearing and eyesight. A form for consent/non consent of Hearing and Vision testing must be signed at the time of your child’s enrolment. All New Entrant children with consent will be tested, and all other testing after this occurs at parent or teacher request.
Head-lice are a recurring problem in all schools nowadays and we strongly advise parents to have weekly inspections of their children’s hair to prevent the spread of this problem.
Students in Years 3 – 6 have the opportunity to take part in these International Assessments. They are voluntary and all information is available in Term 1 each year. For past papers in each area, please click here: ICAS PAPERS
If your child is unwell, please keep them home from school. This is for their own well-being but also to help stop the spread of illness. The Ministry of Health has the following poster which outlines this.
They say that a child should stay home until 48 hours after the last event of vomiting or diarrhea. The poster is here.
KidsLink is an online community for connecting young people and families with local expert service providers. It is designed to make finding help for our children quick, and easy.
Check out their website by clicking on the image.
Pupils must have permission before leaving the school grounds once they have arrived at school and must sign out at the office. If children need to go home for any reason, there must be a written request from the parents/guardians. Children should be told by their parents, not to leave the school without permission.
The Library is open from 8.30am until 2.00pm.
Children are welcome to visit the library at lunchtimes where there will always be a adult on duty. It is often a safe, quiet place to visit if new children are feeling overwhelmed or in need of some peaceful time.
Classes visit the library at least once a week. Children in Years 1-4 may borrow two books for up to two weeks, while students in Year 5-6 may borrow three books. If they require an extension of time they should see the Librarian. When a child is ready to return the book(s) to the library they should place it in their class library box. When the class visits the library they leave the box with the librarian to check the return of books. If any books are lost the pupils will be billed.
Food or drink must not be consumed in the library.
Please visit the LIBRARY WEBSITE
All pupils’ clothes are expected to be named. Every endeavour is made to find lost property but if it is not named, there can be no expectation on the part of the owner of it being returned.
All lost property is placed in a large box situated outside the school office. Items of value are always handed into the office.
Children are under the supervision of a duty teacher for the first 10 minutes of the lunch hour. They are required to sit quietly and eat their lunch during this time. Any uneaten food should be taken home. No lollies, chocolate or fizzy drinks are allowed. Children may not share food with others as there is always a chance of the spread of germs, as well as food allergies. We have several children in the school who are severely allergic to nuts, and ask that parents keep nut products in children’s lunchboxes to an absolute minimum.
A wholesome, interesting lunch which children will want to eat should be provided by parents plus fruit or something for morning tea. If you have any concerns, please see your child’s teacher.
Lunch orders are available to our students. These include, Ezy Lunch options, Pita Pit and sushi.
Weekly newsletters are sent through the HERO app to parents/caregivers on Fridays and are also available on the home page of the school website.
The school office is attended between 8.15am and 3.30pm, Monday to Friday.
Parents are asked to make sure that all toys are left at home. Toys at school tend to be lost or broken, and any toy brought to school is the child’s responsibility.
If you are visiting the school for any reason, between the hours of 9.00am and 3.00pm, you must first sign in at the office and receive a visitor’s badge.