Kia Ora to New Families
Welcome
We welcome you to Fernside School. We firmly believe in developing positive partnerships between home and school. This is why we take the time to learn about you and your child.
We invite you to share your unique knowledge about your child with us, so that we can all work together to make your child’s school journey successful. Good communication is vital to this. We need regular dialogue on issues of interest, praise and concern. Often this will take the form of an impromptu discussion, but if you would like specific information please make an effort to organise an interview at least one day in advance. The better prepared, the better the dialogue. Formal interviews and school social events are additional opportunities to meet with the teachers. Your participation in all aspects of school life is welcomed – parent help, working bees, school outings, Board of Trustees and home and school activities.
New Entrant Families
The Year 0-1 area of our Junior School is organised into three classrooms in two blocks (Kiwakiwa and Kiokio). These rooms are where you will find the Year 0-1 children. We are fortunate to have a very experienced teaching team with strengths across the curriculum.
Enrolment Zone
As we have an enrolment scheme in place only children living in the zone have an automatic right to enrol at Fernside School. Out of zone students must go through a ballot process. Please check our Enrolment Scheme page for details.
Pre visits
Once a term a New Enrolment Parent morning is held. Parents and children are invited along to school for a morning. This involves a school tour, information about how the school runs, stationery, uniform requirements and how we communicate to parents. It is a great opportunity for new parents to the school to connect and ask questions. The children get to spend time in their classroom meeting their classmates and teachers. If an additional pre school visit is required it is organised on this day. Morning tea is provided.
Additional Transition Support
Some children require additional support to transition successfully into the school environment. This can be structured in a variety of ways and is designed on a case by case basis.
Documentation
To confirm enrolment please bring along a copy of your child’s birth certificate along with any custody or citizenship paperwork.
Communication
We believe that a strong connection between home and school is key to your child’s success. To make sure you’re always informed and involved, we rely on three main communication tools:
The HERO Platform & App: This is your essential, secure window into your child’s learning. Use HERO to view their online progress reports, celebrate their learning journey, and easily report absences.
SchoolAppsNZ: Download our free mobile app for instant, urgent alerts about emergencies, bus delays, and more. You can also use it for quick absence reporting.
Email & Newsletters: Look for regular emails and our school newsletters with general updates, event news, and important school reminders.
We encourage all new parents to download both the HERO and SchoolAppsNZ apps—it’s the best way to ensure you never miss a thing!