General Information

Appointments
Children should attend school every day.  Appointments and family celebrations should be made, where possible, outside school hours.  If you do need to take your child to an appointment during school hours you are required to sign yourself in at the office and take a leave slip to your child’s class teacher, come back to the office and sign yourself and your child out of the school.  It is also advisable to let their teacher know in advance if you can.  Please allow yourself extra time to go through this process.

To make an appointment to see your child’s teacher please contact them directly or the school office.  If you would like to meet with the Senior Leadership Team please contact the office.

Attendance and Absences
Children should attend school every day, unless they are unwell.  Appointments, holidays and family celebrations should be made, where possible, outside school hours.

Children’s attendance at school is tracked and monitored, electronically.  The class roll is taken formally at 8.55am and 1.30pm. Parents will be sent a text if their student is absent from school without notification.  Parents, please contact the school as soon as you know your child will be absent or late to school by using one of the methods below:

• Calling the absence line:  473 8603 ext 1; or
• Email: [email protected]
• Online: Report an Absence Online

Please remember to leave the child’s name and room number and the reason for the absence.  If your child is late to school, he/she must come to the school office to let the office staff that they have arrived at school.

Bicycles and Scooters 
Only Year 5 and 6 children are permitted to ride a bicycle/scooter to school unaccompanied – they must firstly complete a Bike/Scooter licence form which can be obtained from the office and signed by their parents, requesting permission to do so. It also gets approved by the Principal.  They must follow all safety rules, wear shoes, a helmet and should bring a padlock to secure it in the appropriate place.  They will be provided with a school licence showing they are able to bring them to school.

Cellphones and Smart Watches 
Children are not permitted to use mobile phones or smart watches during school time.  All mobile phones and smart watches must be turned off and handed into the office each morning, to be collected again at 3pm.

Custody of Children
The school expects that both parents will have full access to, and disclosure of information regarding their children.  A copy of any current Protection Order or Shared Custody Agreement must be filed with the Principal if there is an issue of legal custody.

Enviro-School 
Torbay School is an environmentally friendly school.  Projects are continually undertaken to enhance and sustain a healthy environment.  Torbay School has a zero lunch rubbish policy.  All lunch rubbish is to be taken home in student’s lunchbox.

Gates
We have two gate entrances into our school.  These have been provided by the Ministry of Education and will be shut when the school crossing monitors come in each morning.  Parents, please keep the gates shut during school hours (8.55am to 3.00pm).  If you are dropping your child late to school (i.e. after the bell at 8.55am) please walk them into the grounds as they may have difficulty opening them themselves.

General Safety
We encourage you to talk to your children about keeping themselves safe and, in this context, to walk to and from school in pairs or groups.  If you normally meet your child and find that for some reason you cannot do so, please do not hesitate to ring the school office as soon as possible so that alternative arrangements can be communicated to your child.  You should also stress that, if by any chance your child is left waiting at the gate after 3.15pm (or when the crossing patrols finish), your child should go to the office and stay there until arrangements have been made.  If your child does not arrive at home at the expected time, once again please contact the school and every assistance will be given to locate them.

Gifted Education Programme
At Torbay School students are extended within classrooms with differentiated programmes and offered a variety of opportunities.  They are identified following specific criteria and catered for across the curriculum.

Learning
Learning is shared in a variety of ways – in classrooms, books, on devices, through our website and individual sites/blogs.

Lost Property
Lost property is located in outside the hall; please check this for lost items.  Clothing and other personal property that is named will be returned to the owner.  Occasionally small items are handed in to the office so please check with them if you are looking for anything other than clothing, hats, shoes, lunchboxes and drink bottles. Please Name All Items

Messages to Children
Contact the school office if you have an urgent message for your child.  Please do not ask to speak to your child personally on the telephone. Arrangements for after school should be organised with the children before they leave home in the morning.

Open Door Policy
Our school has an “Open Door” policy that encourages parents to come in assist in our educational programme. We have a very supportive Board of Trustees who strives to achieve what is best for our school. We foster a family atmosphere and environment, with students taking pride in our CARE values.  Parents and caregivers are welcome at the school.

Teachers are the first point of contact, by emailing or making an appointment. Teachers are often involved in school meetings and professional development before and after school.  If you would like to meet with The Principal and/or Deputy Principals please make an appointment through the office.  When collecting students at the end of the day please wait outside the classroom.

Please contact the following staff regarding the following matters

Parking
Please do not use the school car parks and the mobility car parking in Deep Creek and Alexander Road car parks, unless you have permission to do so (e.g. mobility sticker).  Please do not park in the Bus Bay/Drop Off Zone at any time – this is a drop off zone only and cars must keep moving through this area.

At various times throughout the year safe parking practices are monitored by Auckland Transport.

To ease traffic congestion and promote “push play” we encourage families to Park and Walk: parking away from the immediate school gate and walking part way to school.

Road Safety
Please ensure that you use the appropriate crossings and entrances around the school. School car parks are not for pedestrians to use.  In the interests of child safety please model safe practices.

Second Hand Uniform:
These will be on sale every Thursday morning between 8:30 – 8:55am.

Smokefree
Our school is completely smoke free at all times.

Sun hats 
School sun hats are compulsory in Terms 1 and 4.  Children without a hat at school during that time will only be permitted to play in shaded areas.  Hats can be purchased from Janbells Uniforms and at the school office.

Sunscreen
Please ensure you apply sunscreen to your children at home before they come to school.  We have sunblock available in the classroom for students to use should they need to reapply during the day.  Sunblock will be sent with first aid kits on all school trips for students to re-apply.

Visitors
To meet the requirements of the school’s Health and Safety Policy and Guidelines as set out on our website, all visitors (including parents, caregivers and any other person(s) in relation to a student or staff member at Torbay School) to the school between 9am and 2.45pm must sign in and out at the school office.