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Policies & Procedures

Policies & Procedures

Attendance Strategy

Attendance Strategy

 

Growing our future by inspiring a passion for life long learning

 RESPECT   |   RESILIENCE   |   RESPONSIBILITY   |   EXCELLENCE

 


 

Welcome from the Principal

Welcome to Wakanui School – Growing the Future

Kia ora koutou

Established in 1876, Wakanui School has a long and proud history of catering for local Year 1 to 8 students. Situated 10km east of Ashburton, and inclusive of an enrolment zone, we enjoy a rural environment whilst maintaining urban connections.

Our small class sizes ensure that we can cater for individual learning needs. Students in Year 4 and up utilise learning technologies to support their learning through a 1:1 ratio and BYOD programme. Our senior Year 6, 7 and 8 students have many opportunities to develop leadership skills both within and beyond the school. 

At Wakanui School, we believe in supporting our students to develop skills and knowledge in the key learning areas in conjunction with strong links to our community, rural environment, and modern technology. Our school values of Respect, Responsibility, Resilience and Excellence underpin all that we do.

Our school is very whānau oriented. We encourage active involvement from those who are part of the wider Wakanui family – parents, friends, grandparents, neighbours and community members. This gives Wakanui a strong foundation and a hard-working and generous support network.  

Ngā mihi

Trena 

Tumuaki | Principal

 

Welcome from the Principal

 

Wakanui School 150 Years - Facebook Group

Registration Form

 

What's happening at Wakanui School?

Upcoming Events in October

Mon 26

Labour Day- School Closed

26 Oct 2026

Tue 27

Postponement day- Pet/rural day

27 Oct 2026

Latest Notices

Yr 5/6 Camp
23 Oct 2026

Hi everyone,

We’re planning to take bikes on our Year 5/6 camp so we can explore the tracks at Bottle Lake Forest.

Please let us know if your child doesn’t have a bike or helmet they can bring, so we can try to organise one for them.

Thanks!

 

Ross and Dylan

ross@wakanui.school.nz

dylan@wakanui.school.nz

Counties Athletics Information and Qualifiers
23 Oct 2026

Hi there,

A successful day at our cluster Athletics Sports on Monday with excellent results! Congratulations to all!

You will find attached the qualifiers for the next stage and what events they have qualified in.

You will also find attached information about the day with event order and times for events. This event is Wednesday November the 4th (pp. Friday 6th) 

I am based there for the day on Long Jump duty, we will have another staff member at our 'spot' to guide you and give out your child's name tag on arrival.

For those in 1 or 2 events, please just make sure your child is there in plenty of time for their event.

Any questions, come and see me or email.

Thanks,

Ross

Counties-Athletics-Information-sheet-2026.pdf

Counties-Qualifiers.pdf

Pet afternoon tomorrow
22 Oct 2026

Good evening all

A few reminders for pet afternoon tomorrow:

It’s looking likely to be a scorcher, so please make sure your child wears their sports uniform and school hat, and has sunscreen applied before school. School sunscreen will be available for children to reapply at lunchtime, and there will also be some at the arena.

Please make sure your pet has enough food and water, and that relevant pets are kept on a lead.

Pets may arrive from 1.00 pm with the formal parade starting at 1.15. Most pets can enter through the main gate and animals arriving in a trailer or float can be taken to the grassy area beside the hall. They can then be walked through. Please make sure all gates are securely closed when entering and leaving. Your child or a senior student will meet you at the gates and show you where your pet can stay when it is not parading. If no one is available to help, please ask someone where to go—the areas are labelled. The parade order will be displayed on the outside wall of the library, and you’ll also be called in plenty of time. Please let me know if your child or pet has been accidentally missed off the parade list, or if they haven’t been included in the dress-up parade.

When your child is not with their pet, please encourage them to sit with their class around the arena. This helps make sure the later parade participants have an audience. Where possible, please keep your pet housed until it is called.

While we sort the certificates, adults are welcome to afternoon tea, kindly put on by the parent support group. Please encourage your child to stay with their class in the arena at this time. The food on the tables is for adults; children will receive an ice block.

After afternoon tea, we’ll gather everyone together to announce the certificates. There will be first, second and third place certificates for lambs and calves and some dress up certificates also. It is just the first two lambs and calves that can go through to the next stage at the A&P Show.

We look forward to seeing you and hope you have a lovely afternoon! 

Any questions, you can email karen@wakanui.school.nz

Karen Digby
 
 

 

 

Agricultural Projects - important dates
22 Oct 2026

We hope that those who are doing Agricultural Projects have them well under way and that things are going well.  We have these students who are doing projects: Ben, Edison, Liam C, Tessa, Henry W, Lucy, George C, Angus, Holly, Florence, Dylan and Makoi.   Mrs Digby and Mrs Begg met with the children last week to share some important dates with them. If anyone is missing from this list then please let us know.  Some children who had said they were doing projects at the start of the year didn't come to the meeting last week so they may have gotten missed off our list.

Projects due in: Monday 16 November - this is the week after camp and a long weekend.

Judging: Projects will be judged during the week of Monday 23 November - Friday 27 November.

Can you please email Julia  julia@wakanui.school.nz  to let us know what time and days would suit to have your child's project judged and we will do the best we can to accommodate this.

Please contact us if you have any further questions. 

Julia Begg and Karen Digby

Mid Canterbury Counties Athletics
21 Oct 2026

My apologies the Counties Athletics are on November 4th with postponement November 6th. I had named these as Zones on the events calendar.

Supporters and Sponsors

Parents, please support our local businesses

Ryal Bush Transport Ashburton ElectraServe Roger Smith Contracting Ltd Ashburton Contracting Limited Sustainable Water Limited Pool & Pump World OfficeMax KIDOGO Ravensdown Hinds Tots to Teens Welshy Contracting Limited Charlotte Evans - Property Brokers Hunts Auto Parts CWS Construction Mid Canterbury Shearing Dairy Platforms Canterbury
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