Our theme for the movies this year was open. Congratulations to everyone involved in the production of this movie. Please click on the link to view other Te Hiku Film Festival movies. Please enjoy and feel free to leave a positive, thoughtful and helpful comment below for the students.

What a fantastic effort from everyone for our Book Character Dress-Up Day!

We had so much fun showing off our costumes and joining the rest of the school for a fun parade at morning assembly. There were some amazing and creative characters on display!

A special congratulations to Hamuera, who was voted Best Dressed in our class as Harry Potter! Well done, everyone! It was a great day celebrating our love of books.

Last Friday we had a special visit from an author/ illustrator called Paul Beavis. He has illustrated many books such as Nee Naw, Stink-o-saurus and Jungle Bells Rudolph smells. He loves drawing and told us that when we draw pictures we are illustrators too. We all had a go at drawing a MONSTER following his instructions. The results were absolutely fantastic and you can see them below.

NOW we are going to introduce our MONSTER PETS to you. Our planning document is below. Look out for our finished writing!

First Term 3 Class Photo (we are missing 5) but look how much everyone has grown!!!

Our Matariki learning has been awesome! We started by making woven whetū (stars). The tamariki really took their time with these—choosing colours, weaving carefully, and helping each other when things got a bit tricky. Every star looked different and had its own personality, which made them even more special.

We also made manu tukutuku. They were bright and colourful and look beautiful on our wall at the front of the class.

A big highlight was heading along to the Matariki festival at Waiharara School with schools from from Awanui to Te Hāpua. It was awesome seeing so many kids and teachers all coming together to celebrate. The performances were fantastic and our tamariki performed proudly and passionately!

It felt great being together, learning together, and celebrating Matariki together!

What an incredible day of planting and connection to our Taiao at Lake Gem. This Arbor Day, 100 tamariki from our kura came together to make a real difference in our environment, planting an amazing 2,800 trees with the support of Summit Forests and a fantastic team of whānau helpers.  It was a true community effort—kids, families, and supporters all working side by side.To finish the day, everyone enjoyed a well-earned sausage sizzle , before heading back to school for a well-deserved play.

Click here to check out our Arbor Day photos – click here

Our class had the wonderful opportunity to attend Te Rarawa’s Matihiko event at Te Ahu.

They told us that Matihiko is designed to expose tamariki to exciting digital technology experiences through interactive workshops and activities.

The tamariki had the chance to experience the following workshops;

Robotics workshops
VR experiences
Environmental science & technology workshops
Interactive digital activities
Movie theatre experience
Hands-on learning stations

It was an awesome event that our tamariki were so happy to be a part of, we really appreciated the time and effort that went into organising! The workshops were very engaging and our students learnt so much! Ngā mihi nui to Te Rarawa and all the people that made it possible.

It was Amaia’s birthday and she had a great day! Check our her thank-you letter to Te Rarawa.

I loved Matahiko! It was so much fun. I had a lovely day. Thank you so much for my birthday celebration. It was so exciting! I love what you do. It makes kids happy. I loved everything, and I can’t decide what my favourite activity was because I had such a great time. I hope you can come back next year. I also loved the Kauri presentation, and I enjoyed watching the movie called The Sheep Detectives. It was so funny!Robotics was awesome too. The most interesting thing was that the technology was connected to the ball, not the iPad. I had the best time learning about it. Thank you for giving us such an amazing experience!

Ashanti loved the day too …

Let me tell you about Matahiko!

We went on a trip on Thursday. The first activity I went to was VR. After that, we used the tablets. On the tablets, we got to customise our names, and it was really fun.

The next activity was my favourite. The best thing about the day was that it was Amaia’s birthday! I got to have a photo with her, and I was so happy. We all sang “Happy Birthday” to her, and I hope Amaia has the best birthday ever.

I had an amazing day at Matahiko!

Cooper enjoyed most of the day …

I went to Matahiko. It was so much fun! The only thing that wasn’t fun was the gym track. Aaaaa! We had to hang on a pole—and not just any pole, a slippery pole! My favourite activity was the VR!

Gage loved it all …

A couple of weeks ago, the school went to Matahiko for a break from school. It was about technology, animals, and lakes.

My favourite activities were VR headsets, Minecraft, and robotics. At the end of the day, there were prizes in the afternoon. One of the prizes was an iPhone charger, but I didn’t get anything. Still, we had fun.

It was great not being at school. We got to watch movies, learn about lakes, Lego, and more. It was amazing!

I thought it was an amazing experience.

Link to more Matihiko Photos – click here

Check out our Pink Shirt Day Writing and the photos from Pink Shirt Day – Google photos link 

What a memorable way to wrap up our ANZAC Day learning! Today, our class travelled back in time and explored what meals may have been like for soldiers during World War I.

Here’s what we tried:
• Bully beef and onions
• Hardtack – an old-style army biscuit
• ANZAC biscuits

We began with the bully beef. Although a few students were unsure at first, most were willing to give it a taste—and many were pleasantly surprised! A few even came back for more.

The hardtack was a hit with lots of the class. We talked about how soldiers often softened it by dipping it in tea. Thankfully, our tamariki didn’t need to do that—they handled it just fine!

To finish, everyone enjoyed an ANZAC biscuit—crisp, sweet, and golden. Quite a contrast to the plain, tough biscuits soldiers would have eaten.

It was a great shared experience, and I was really impressed with how open-minded and brave everyone was in trying something new.

On Tuesday, Te Tinana, Te Manga, Te Rau, Te Puāwai, and Te Kauru took part in Ngā Rā Whakanui o te Roto o Ngātu – a celebration of Lake Ngātu. This was an amazing learning experience for the tamariki, organised by Enviroschools and the Northland Regional Council.

The tamariki learnt all about the different pests that threaten our lake and the native and endemic species that live in and around the lake. Our class learnt so much.

Please scroll down to read what the tamariki learnt on the day.

Ngā mihi nui to our wonderful Enviroschools Te Hiku Facilitator, Shoda Tua and the marvellous team from the Northland Regional Council for making this day so memorable for all our tamariki.

Click on this link for more photos

Check out our learning experiences from the day …

Amaia 

Yesterday, I went to Lake Ngatu and I held an eel. At first, I was scared, but when it was my turn, the lady helped me not to be afraid. I held it and learned that pest clams can have 400 babies and koi fish are predators. If you have a fish you don’t want, don’t put it back in the river. Use buckets, or give it to someone else so it doesn’t become a predator.

Cairo 

Yesterday, all the senior classes went to Lake Ngatu. We were learning about pest clams. One clam has 400 babies per day. If you wait for a year, that is 80,000 clams! Then we had morning tea. After that, we went to a blue box of eels. There were two eels—one was long and thin, and one was short.

Skyler 

On Tuesday, the senior class got to go to Lake Ngatu. I learned about pest clams and that they can have 400 baby clams a day. That makes 80,000 babies a year! They are really bad for our environment. I also learned about longfin eels. They are called juvenile eels when they are young. We got to hold them and they felt slimy. It was a super cool day.

Rawiri 

Yesterday, the senior class went to Lake Ngatu to do activities. My group went to water quality first. We got to look in a tube with magnets to see how far down you could see them. Then we went to the pest station. We learned that you should not put pests in Lake Ngatu. We played a game where you have to pick up the native animals, not the pests. Then we had some morning tea and played for a little bit. After that, we played a clam game. We had to run and collect two clams on the kayak, then run back, put them in the bucket, and clean the kayak paddles. Then we had to dry them for the next person. The other team won the game, but the lady said everyone won!

Noah 

On Tuesday, all of the senior classes went to Lake Ngatu. I learned about kauri trees. If you walk on the soil, the tree will get sick. You will make it get sick! Next, I had fun in the kayaks. We had to find the clams and clean the gear with a spray bottle and a wipe. My last one was water quality. The water looked black, and you had to see how far you could see into the tube.

Islah

 In my group, we went to the VR. It was fun and my cousin Nellie was in my group. Once I put the headset on, I saw a big whale. I saw 91 whales! My favourite was the eel one. They were both baby eels. AI learned that an eel trap is called a hinaki. I touched it, and I threw the fishing line too.

Ashanti 

I went to Lake Ngatu yesterday. Do you know what I learned? Let me tell you! First, I learned about the bad pests, like the koi fish and the goldfish. At the next station, the eels were slimy. I saw the eels get caught, and my teacher held one as well!  

Bryn

I learned how to throw an eel trap, and it kept going round. I did the mud activity and I got halfway. The purpose of it was to see how far the mud could spread. I was amazed at how many gold clams they can produce a day. The number is 400—that’s a whopping number! I wish we could have stayed for longer so we could go to all the stations. I wish Sir stayed longer too.

Kiara-Rose 

On Tuesday, I didn’t go on the VR glasses because I went on the wrong thing. I got to pick an eel up! The clams were not hard to find. I love the pest-free Lake Ngatu. 

Georgia 

My favourite station was the VR because it was Māori. The pest-free Lake Ngatu was the best because we need to keep it pest-free and plastic-free. Lake Ngatu needs to be healthy. 

Cooper 

Yesterday, the seniors went to Lake Ngatu. I held a long eel, but I dropped it by accident! Then the two eels got a bit wriggly and tried to get out.

Nikora

Yesterday, the senior classes went to Lake Ngatu. I learned how to pick up an eel.

Hamuera

Yesterday, the senior classes went to Lake Ngatu. I learned that freshwater clams are a pest to lakes. They can have 400 babies per day—that is 80,000 a year! I also learned about the disease that kauri trees can get and why we have to clean our shoes in kauri forests.

Rani 

At Lake Ngatu, I saw two eels. The lady showed us how to hold the eel. At the water quality station, I couldn’t see the magnet after 56 centimetres. The VR was pretty scary!

Amelia 

I got to hold an eel. The Māori word for eel is tuna. We got to pick up the eel and have a look. We even got to pat them! We went on the VR, and I saw fish. I saw a whale, a lizard, a grasshopper, and my favourite—the kiwi.

Lorreus 

Yesterday, we went to Lake Ngatu. We went on the VR and I saw a big whale, and then it turned into a kauri gum tree! I was so scared because the whales splashed me. There were so many whales underneath me. The VR was so much fun! A girl told us about kauri gum trees. Then we went to the eel station. I went to touch the eel and it was slimy. The people in my group were Isla and Marshall. My teachers were Whaea Brooke and MissH. She took us to the plant station and showed us some seaweed she got from the lake. She said we could touch it.

Johnny Jolene 

I got to go on the VR set. I had to clean someone’s shoe before they went into the forest. I had to clean a boy’s shoe to save the kauri trees. I saw a kiwi and I tried to pet it. It was cool! I saw a whale, too. I was floating in a boat and the whales were invisible. There were two of them. It was a fun game; it was big and cool, and I got to have a long turn.

Koea

I like that the VR has fun games. My favourite was the eels. We learned the difference between a longfin eel and a shortfin eel. They felt very silky and slippery! Clams make 400 babies per day. That is a lot of clams!  

Millie 

On Tuesday, all of the seniors went to Lake Ngatu. I did the VR and it was fun. We had yummy kai—it was sausages! I learned so much.

Miko 

Yesterday, I went to Lake Ngatu with the senior classes. My team went to find the clamshells on the kayaks. You had to run back to clean the kayak and high-five the next person while you waited. Then my team went to the eels. I lifted one up and Sir lifted it up, too! After that, I went to play on the VR. It was so cool, but it was scary, too.

It has been a busy and engaging time in Te Manga, with lots of exciting learning happening across the curriculum. The tamariki have settled well into new routines and are showing enthusiasm, curiosity, and a positive attitude towards their learning.

Science – Biology  
Through our Biology learning within our school environment, the tamariki have taken a genuine interest in everything that is in our school environment, especially all the insects. Our classroom became a place to get up and personal with insects (that are no longer living). The enthusiasm for insect hunts at lunch time became legendary. We use the mantra that we are scientists and scientists appreciate and inquire about the world around us – all living things!

This lead onto Seaweek where students explored the impact of plastic pollution and began to understand how everyday choices can affect the marine environment. We also learned about the importance of marine reserves and how they help protect the ocean for future generations. It has been wonderful to see students making connections between their learning and real-life actions they can take to care for our environment.

Structured Literacy
In literacy, we are continuing to build strong foundations through structured literacy approaches:

• The Code – phonemic awareness, spelling rules, syllable types, and morphology (suffixes/prefixes) to improve students’ reading and writing.
• Handwriting – developing correct letter formation and presentation
• Writing and Reading – strengthening comprehension, sentence structure, and confidence

Students have responded really positively to our new learning format. The use of whiteboards across all areas has been a highlight—allowing the tamariki to practise, take risks, and receive immediate feedback in a supportive way.

Mathematics (PR1ME Programme)
In maths, we are using the PR1ME programme alongside online resources to support number knowledge. Our focus areas include:

• Basic facts and times tables (2x, 5x, 10x)
• Ordering Numbers to 1000
• Place value to 1000
• Odd and Even Numbers
• Rounding to the nearest 10

Students are building confidence and fluency through a mix of explicit teaching, hands-on practice, and digital tools.

Kawa of Care
As part of our digital learning, we have been exploring the Kawa of Care, which focuses on being responsible, respectful, and smart learners when using devices. The class worked collaboratively to create a movie to share their understanding of how to care for our devices and use them appropriately. This is the link to our movie post – https://pstemangawhanau.edublogs.org/2026/03/13/kawa-of-care/

Te Manga kids are fabulous!
Te Manga is a class that gets along well and enjoy learning together. We have had a few wet lunch times, and students have appreciated the opportunity to play and connect indoors. These moments have helped strengthen positive relationships within the class.

What a great term it has been. We have one more week to do and it will continue to be jampacked full of learning!

We have 23 keen, enthusiastic and positive students, ready to embark on their next learning journey. Independence and self-management are key focus areas in our classroom environment. In Te Manga we work to the best of our ability everyday, make positive choices in our learning and we follow our school values!

What a fantastic year it has been in Te Manga! The students have grown so much — they have curious minds, kind hearts, and enthusiasm for learning, as a teacher you cannot ask for more!!! We’ve explored exciting science experiments, dived into stories and writing, and shared laughter, creativity, and teamwork along the way.

7 weeks is a long time to be away from school and it’s so important to keep our young student brains active. Please encourage your child to read as much as hey can in the holidays with the PAPARORE SCHOOL SUMMER READING (everyone has a sign sheet) and if possible to check into the Summer Learning Journey on their chromebooks or home device. It’s a fun way to continue exploring, discovering, and learning while still enjoying the holidays. 

Thank you to all our amazing learners for their effort this year, to whānau for your support, and to everyone who made this year so memorable.

Wishing you all a restful holiday and a bright start to the new year!

(Unfortunately not all elves made it to the shelf or they’ve gone home before the photo and Simeon was away)

This term our class dived into a hands-on science unit that explored biology, physics, and chemistry through a series of fun, engaging, and highly interactive activities. The students enjoyed plenty of opportunities for discovery learning—experimenting, observing, and asking questions about the world around them.

The students know that science if all around us and Scientists observe and notice! That’s exactly what they did!

Click on the link to our SCIENCE page on our class site.

Click on this link to our Science Album

PREDICTION – What do you think will happen?
EXPLANATION – Can you talk about what is happening?
CONCLUSION – WHY did it happen?

Biology – Living Things

We began with biology, learning that biology is the study of living things. Through close observations, and outdoor exploration, they noticed the living things in our environment at different times of the day especially cicadas and Colette Bees who were nesting right next to our classroom in November.

Physics – Forces and Motion

Our physics activities focused on force and motion, helping students understand how things move and why. They experimented with pushes, pulls, friction, gravity, and speed, using everyday materials to investigate scientific ideas in a way that felt like play. From moving objects in different ways to noticing how surfaces affect motion, students were quick to make connections and share discoveries. The hands-on fun meant that everyone was deeply engaged and excited to keep experimenting.

Chemistry – Reactions and Properties

We wrapped up with chemistry, exploring reactions and the properties of different materials. Students loved seeing everyday ingredients transform right in front of them—bubbling, fizzing, changing colour, or producing surprising results!

Our science unit was a wonderful reminder that learning is all around us—and that the best way to understand the world is to get hands-on and start exploring!

Te Tinana & Te Manga Camp – Coopers Beach Adventures!

Our Te Tinana and Te Manga tamariki had an unforgettable few days at camp in beautiful Coopers Beach! From racing down the massive slippery slide to kayaking, every moment was full of laughter, teamwork, and new challenges. The kids loved Slippy Hockety, tackled the obstacle course with determination, and spent plenty of time enjoying the moana — swimming, boogie boarding, building sandcastles and sculptures, and even creating impressive dams in the creek.

Back at camp, evenings were filled with games of cards and basketball, bouncing on the trampoline, and relaxing with friends. It was the perfect mix of adventure, learning, and fun.

A huge thank you to our amazing whānau, Sir, and the Board of Trustees — your support made this incredible experience possible. A wonderful time was had by all!

Miss H made a cool video to share our photos – click on the link HERE

Click on the following link to check out more photos

Our whole school was buzzing with excitement for Halloween Dress-Up The parade was a colourful collection of superheroes, spooky characters and creepy creatures, and plenty of creative homemade costumes. Tamariki proudly showed off their outfits as they walked around the court, cheering each other on and enjoying all the Halloween fun.

After the parade, the energy went up another level as everyone took part in Jump Jam. There’s nothing quite like seeing witches, skeletons, dinosaurs, and princesses all giving their best dance moves. It was loud, lively, and full of laughter. Happy Halloween.  Click on the link to our Halloween Album/

Click on the link to watch our  Halloween Parade