Enrolling Your Child

Thank you for considering to enrol your child at our school.

For those enrolling a child due to turn 5, please utilise our pre-school visit that lets them meet their teacher and class mates to help ensure their first day is as smooth a transition as possible. These visits can be organised through our school office. Please email office@orewabeach.school.nz to request our online enrolment application and to request a visit.

Our school sits in a wonderful position close to the beach and opened on the 22nd May 1978. We cater for students from years 1-6, our current roll is growing and we expect to reach around 450 students by the end of the year.

Wendy Naidu – Principal

Our school focuses on a positive, warm friendly and safe approach, the students are at the core of all our decisions and helping them on their learning journey for the futures they want to create.

A partnership between parents and school is so important for students to reach their full potential. We encourage you to work with us and have open lines of communication.

We have dedicated staff who are passionate about working with your children in helping them create their futures.

Tips to prepare your child

Tips to prepare your child for starting School as a New Entrant.

These notes are a guide as to the types of things parents can focus on with their children in the time leading up to their start to assist with a successful transition into primary school.

Reading to Your Child

The single most important activity for building the knowledge required for eventual success in reading is reading aloud to children. If you haven’t already done so join the local library and regularly take your child to select new books.

Life Experiences

As a family make sure you take the time to go out and do things together. Children benefit from experiencing as many things as they can which increases their life experiences that they bring into their learning at school. Visit the zoo, the beach and all those other great places we have in our local environment.

Talk to Your Child

In our busy world surrounded by technology it is surprising the number of obstacles we have talking with each other. Have times where you turn off the television and computer and talk to your children. Use the experiences above and times of reading to talk about and have children express their feelings about the book you are reading to them or the place you have visited. Successful oral communication is the foundation of so many things children learn at school.

Social Interaction

Although the majority of children will learn to play and interact with other children through some form of Early Child Education Centre it is important to ensure that they have as many experiences of being with other children whether this is with brothers and sisters, cousins, neighbours or children of family friends. Through these types of situations children learn the importance of sharing and taking their place. Children also benefit from an understanding of what the word “no” means as they move into the world of being involved with others.

Other Useful Things To Work On

Knowledge of colours and shapes.
The numbers 1 to 10 and letter names and sounds.
How to hold a pencil.
How to use scissors.
How to flush a toilet and wash their hands.
How to blow their nose rather than just wipe it.
How to tie laces if not wearing Velcro.

Useful Information, documents & resources

5-Year-old students starting at Orewa Beach School

Traditionally, children in Aotearoa/New Zealand start school on their fifth birthday or any school day after that. Recent changes to the Education Act mean schools can now adopt cohort entry: enrolling children in groups on specific days. Schools are choosing cohort entry to support positive transitions, well-being, and learning.

The Ministry of Education supports schools to implement cohort entry with 5-year-old children starting school at the beginning of each term and the midpoint of each term (8 intakes across the year). Tamariki must be at least 5 years old to start school, but are not required to start school until their sixth birthday. This moves away from all children starting on the day they have their fifth birthday.

Cohort entry has a range of benefits for children’s well-being and learning, schools’ ability to structure transitions more easily, and for teachers, due to fewer interruptions, more time to teach. Cohort entry is about helping tamariki to settle better into school. Evidence shows that starting school alongside other children helps them build relationships and supports a smoother entry into school life. Schools that are already using cohort entry believe it offers their tamariki the best start to their school life.

There are two entry points, the first at the beginning and the second cohort will be in the middle of the term, with start dates specified by the Ministry of Education. There will be an exception for children who require a slow transition to school, usually those tamariki who are being supported by Early Intervention.

Term 1 – 2026

For birthdays on or before Thursday, 5th February, students will start on Thursday, 5th February. Any students with Birthdays after Thursday 5th of February, will start on Monday, the 9th of March.

Term 2 – 2026

For birthdays on or before Monday, 20th April, students will start on Monday, 20th April. Any students with Birthdays after Monday, 20th April, will start on Tuesday, 25th of May.

Term 3 – 2026

For birthdays on or before Monday, 20th July, students will start on Monday, 20th July. Any students with Birthdays after the 20th of July will start on Monday, the 24th of August.

Term 4 – 2026

For birthdays on or before Monday, 12th October, students will start on Monday, 12th October. Any students with Birthdays after the 12th of October will start on Monday, the 16th of November.

Cohort entry does not apply to any 5-year-old who is already school-age and has been attending a different school

Click on the buttons below to access the most current information available. Online Enrollment Applications are available from the school office please email: office@orewabeach.school.nz.

Enrolment Zone Information

Written Description of Zone

Kelly Club Before and After School Care

Wastewise Care Code

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