School Information

The School Office must be contacted, if your child is going to be absent.

Please call 09 275 4699 to speak with the Office Secretary, or use our website ‘Report An Absence’ Tab, or email office@viscount.school.nz

If you do not contact the School,  you will receive a call or a text for an explanation.

Duty teachers and Office staff attend to minor matters. 

Parents/caregivers will be contacted if your child becomes ill or if an accident requires specialised attention. In such cases, we advise that children are collected.

Please keep the School up to date with your emergency contact details and your child’ health needs e.g., asthma or allergies.

If your child requires medicine at during School time, ensure this is discussed at enrolment and indicated on your enrolment form.  Parents/caregivers will need to complete our special form, kept in the Office.

Welcome parents/whānau to join us for class assemblies!

Teams have fortnightly assemblies where we celebrate learning achievement, sing/dance, and to promote/reinforce good social behaviour.

We will be introducing full School Assemblies in 2024, beginning Term 2.

Nau mai, haere mai, afio mai! 

All students must attend School, unless sick

Our school has a no tolerance policy for bullying and teaches children to develop self-discipline through an emphasis on positive behaviour and a reflection on choices made.

If problems occur, we find a joint approach between home and school is the most effective way to help children learn more appropriate behaviour. As a result, we will contact you if there are any major problems. We also encourage children and/ or parents to report any concerns.

• Students are not permitted to leave the school grounds during school hours without your permission
• If you need to collect your child earlier for an appointment, call the Office Reception in advance
• Children must be collected and signed out from the Office Reception only between 11:30 to 11:45 am
• If your child has any special custody/access orders, please ensure we know in advance and supply a copy for the School’s confidential student records

Parents who drop off and collect their children by car are asked to only drop off at Room 1-4 or to use the Rugby Club grounds.

Children have access to computers in their classrooms. The computers are used as one learning tool within the normal class programme and all Internet access is supervised. The school ueses N4L as a firewall to protect students from unsafe sites.
We teach children to be a safe user of the internet and teach children about digital safety.

Please ensure the office has up to date phone and address details in case we need to contact you. Children are not permitted to use the school phones unless it is an emergency. If your child needs to bring a cellphone to school, it must be handed in to the office for safe keeping during the day.

District Health Boards (DHBs) provide oral health services for Schools. 

Dental staff will check on children’s teeth if your child is enrolled.

The Dental Clinic is onsite, next to our carpark. 

This is a free service: open from 8.00 – 4.00 p.m

Contact: 09 275 4747

EOTC is considered an important part of the learning programme. Children will bring home notices of planned trips and we need the permission slip to be signed and returned to school prior to these outings. School policy also requires a risk assessment plan, specified ratios of adults and seat belts when children are transported by car.

Drills are held each term. All students and parents must keep calm and follow the instructions of the fire warden. NB.  Parents and visitors on site during a drill or real evacuation MUST follow the directions of the site warden and follow all evacuation actions.

For fire, a long bell will signal teachers to evacuate children to the court behind the Hall. In the event of a real fire, children will be released to parents from this point only after the roll has been called and the warden has given the all clear. There are evacuation notices in each room.

For earthquake, children are instructed to seek shelter under tables and in doorways. A continuous bell will sound when it is considered safe for children to move to the assembly area. The collection of children will proceed as above.

For lockdown, you will receive a text to your cell phone.  Please do not contact or visit the School, as we will be keeping the students and staff safe.  When it is safe to come out of lockdown, we will text you.  Please check our School website for announcements.

Common sense must prevail at all times to ensure everyone’s safety.
We wil notify you through the school’s website and text to your phone, of any emergency, if at all possible and provide informaton for collection of students.

The school operates a Breakfast Club in the Hall 8:20 am to 8:45 am.  

Free fruit is provided to students.

We are part of the Ministry of Education’s free lunches Ka Ora Ka Ako programme.  

No sweets, fizzy or high sugary foods.  Please keep these and other sugary processed foods at home.

No food is sold onsite and all children can bring healthy morning tea (or if you choose to supply your own healthy lunch).  “Pack in, Pack out” any packaging brought from home goes home with/in your child’s lunch box/bag.

The school seeks to provide a safe environment for pupils, staff, parents and visitors. We ask that parent helpers, visitors and contractors sign in at the office on arrival. Please report any hazards you notice while on the school site and follow evacuation instructions in the unlikely event they are issued.

The Health Team service includes Mana Kids with Turuki Healthcare.

Contact details
Pleas call: 0800 493 552

Homework is a regular part of the school programme. All children will be expected to read, as well as learn basic facts and spelling.

In Junior years, children will bring home a variety of reading material, which have been read successfully in their classroom.

PRACTISE ON EASY MATERIAL IS CRITICAL FOR SUCCESS

• Please aim to make reading together enjoyable and successful. If your child is struggling with a book, read along with them and tell the teacher
• Please make sure that children return their reading books in their bags each day

As children progress through the School they will be required to learn spelling, tables, complete class work or undertake research.  Library books will also come home for recreational reading

The Library is a special part of the school and children are keen to use it regularly. Each class visits at least once a week and children can also visit during lunch times. Children may bring home books but due to the high cost of books, parents will be sent a notice of overdue books and charged if these books are not returned.

A newsletter will be available every two weeks and will be sent home or can be found on the school website.

Between 8.30 AND 8.50am, and at 3.05-3.15 the Viscount Street and Idelwild Road crossings are supervised by staff and parent volunteers and we encourage all students to cross these roads when the patrols are out.

All students are expected to take part unless prevented by ill health. Our sports programme includes inter school events and a range of sports teams including netball, rugby, soccer, cricket and hockey coached by staff and parents. We are very proud of past pupils who have excelled at sports and seek to have our current students follow their example

Our nurse visits the School on request to check on students with health concerns, and to check on the hearing and vision of our New Entrant students. 

Your permission is required and  sought prior to any appointment.

Term 1 – an informal meet the teacher evening
Term 2– a written report for all students and parent teacher conferences
Term 4 – a written report and a parent teacher conference will be held for all students.

If you have any issues at other times, contact your teacher and make a time to chat.

8:30 – 8:50 am Gate Duty/Patrols

8:55 – 11:00 am Learning time

11:00 – 11:30 am Break time

11:30 – 11:45 am Kai Tahi (main lunch eating time)

11:45 – 1:00 pm Learning time

1:00 – 1:40 pm  Break time

1:45 – 1:55 pm Kai Iti (small eating time)

1:45- 3:00 pm Learning time

3:00 – 3:10 pm Home time, Gate Duty/ Patrols, playground cleared

Social Workers in Schools (SWiS) is a Government-funded, community social work service available in Primary and Intermediate Schools, and Kura Kaupapa Māori.

Message from our SWiS

Talofa lava, Mālō lelei, Fakaalofa lahi atu, Kia orana, Bula, Kia ora tātou

My name is Esther and I am the Social worker in School (SWiS) for Viscount School.

I am passionate about helping whānau and children in Mangere.

I have had the privilege of helping families relocate into a new home, understand their full Work and Income privileges, find temporary support for food/clothing and much more.

I am in Viscount School Monday to Friday so if your family or child needs any support please call the Office or me 021 792 032.

It is illegal to smoke or vape any where on the School site or inside our buildings.

Please visit or call the Office Reception.

In 2024 the Board has agreed to utilise some of the MoE donations funding to provide free stationery for all students enrolled at Viscount School.  

Term 1: Thu 1 Feb – Fri 12 Apr
Term 2: Mon 29 Apr – Fri 5 Jul
Term 3: Mon 22 Jul – Fri 27 Sep
Term 4: Mon 14 Oct – Fri 13 Dec

In 2024, the Student Council has been renamed Student Leaders.

Students can nominate Y7/8 students to stand for election to the Student Leaders’ Team.

Nominees will prepare and present a 2 minute mini video. All classes will view the videos of the final nominees before voting for 7 Student Leaders.