Gilberthorpe School

20/09/2026

2026 Gilby Wheel-A-Thon – Online Fundraiser

Event Overview
Date & Time: Friday, 23rd October, starting around 1:30 PM
Activities: Riding bikes/scooters around the course, spot prizes, class/individual rewards, and a decorated bike competition.
Lunchtime: Sausage sizzle (students pre-order), Juicies, and drinks available for families joining their children.

Decorated bikes were a highlight last year, so let’s do it again! Please make sure there is nothing obstructing the view of your child safely riding their bike around others.

Purpose & Fundraising Goal
Target: Raise funds to upgrade our Kapa Haka Uniforms and build a Performing Arts kit.
How to Get Started
Visit the fundraising hub: https://gilberthorpewheelathon.raiseit.co.nz/ (or scan the event QR code). Click SETUP A FUNDRAISING PAGE.
Multiple children? Set up additional pages under the same main email account after logging in.

Share the page link with family, friends, and colleagues worldwide.

Need Help or Prefer Cash?
For technical support: email [email protected]
For cash sponsorship queries: contact the school office directly.

Or use the QR Code to visit the hub page:

Prizes:
We have a great range of fundraising prizes available, including
sign-up prizes (like below), spot prizes and overall prizes for classes/individuals and for decorated bikes on the day.

18/09/2026

Kia ora whānau,

We want to let our community know that, from Monday next week, the Senior Playground will be closed, and we will begin the process of dismantling it.

This decision has not been made lightly. The playground has deteriorated over time, and after considering its condition, the health and safety of our students must remain our top priority.

Senior Playground Update
The Board of Trustees is now working through the next steps to replace the playground. We are currently getting quotes and exploring different options for how we can finance a new playground, with the current estimated cost being around $125,000.

We know the Senior Playground is an important part of our school and that our students love using it. While it is disappointing that it has reached the end of its life, we are excited about the opportunity to eventually create a safe, modern, and engaging space for our senior students.

We will keep our community updated as we work through the process and will share more information about our plans for a new playground when we are in a position to do so.

If you know of a company, trust, funding opportunity — or perhaps a very generous secret millionaire! — who might be able to help us with the significant cost of a new playground, we’d love to hear from you! Every lead could make a difference.

Thank you for your understanding and support as we make sure our playground spaces are safe for all our tamariki.

Ngā mihi,

Simon Scott
Principal
Ara Tū Whakatā Gilberthorpe School

16/09/2026

Friendly reminder: School photos are tomorrow!

Time to hope the bed hair cooperates, the toothpaste stays off the school shirt, alarms go off to be at school by 9am and nobody decides to cut their own bangs tonight! 🙃

09/09/2026

Kia ora whānau,

We have some amazing news to share!

Yesterday, we learned that Gilberthorpe School is one of just 10 schools across New Zealand to receive new classrooms to support roll growth over the next 12 months. This is fantastic news for our school and our growing community.

You can read the Government's announcement here:

Government funds more classrooms for growing schools
https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/government-funds-more-classrooms-growing-schools

As our school roll continues to grow, these new classrooms will take a lot of pressure off our current spaces. Most importantly, it will also mean that we can get our library back as a library, rather than using it as a classroom.

This is a really positive step forward for Gilberthorpe School and will help us continue to provide great learning environments for our tamariki as our school grows.

A big thank you to everyone who has supported our school and our roll growth planning. We are excited to see this next step take shape!

Ngā mihi,

Simon Scott
Principal

Staff and students at ten schools with significant roll growth pressure will benefit from 34 additional classrooms and a new gym, Education Minister Erica Stanford says.

02/09/2026

Kia ora whānau,

Believe it or not, we are already starting to plan for 2027! 📚✨

If you have a child who will be starting at Ara Tū Whakatā Gilberthorpe School in 2027, we would love to hear from you and have their enrolment completed as soon as possible.

Having enrolments confirmed early helps us plan for next year, including class numbers, staffing, learning spaces and the programmes we can offer our tamariki. It also helps us make sure we are ready to give every new student a great start to their time at Gilberthorpe.

If you have a child who will be:

Starting school for the first time in 2027
Moving to Gilberthorpe School from another school
Joining a sibling already at Gilberthorpe
Please use the QR code attached to submit your enrolment, or feel free to contact the school office to assist with this.

And, if you know of a family in our community who is considering Gilberthorpe for 2027, please encourage them to come and have a chat with us. We would love to welcome them to our school whānau! ❤️

**All new enrolments received by the 30th of October 2026, will go in the draw to win 1 set of new school uniform! **

Ngā mihi,

Simon Scott
Principal
Ara Tū Whakatā Gilberthorpe School

30/08/2026

29/08/2026

Bookings now open! (Apologies, slight issue with the previous QR code, this one works)

28/08/2026

Daffodil Day 2026 - not too late to make a small donation. https://www.daffodilday.org.nz/t/gilberthorpe-school-team?fbclid=IwY2xjawT4t2FwZG9mBWV4dG4DYWVtAjExAHNydGMGYXBwX2lkEDIyMjAzOTE3ODgyMDA4OTIAAR5Ree1itLGN6IX8Q8fvnPO1kjVp-Ps9K_FTB7ODWNMZ_3eY0RvwgqcEs90-6A_aem_ogBaWQa-bCOFlfveNVJMiQ

22/08/2026

So proud of our Jump Jam team today taking home

* Excellence in Presentation

* Excellence in Technical Ex*****on

* and 3rd Place!

These performers have done incredibly well this year, especially with the changes amongst the coaches.

1 man down on the team due to a literal last minute injury on the way to the backstage. We hope you are ok. These guys did you proud!

We sure did miss Miss Shaw, who along with Miss Southorn formed this team and got them off to a really good start.

It has been so fabulous to have Miss Southorn still a massive part of getting us to performance level today and being up there on stage with them.

Massive thanks to Mrs van Zyl, who inherited the jump jam team and like the students she has given up lunch breaks, had back to back practices and more than likely a few sleepless nights leading up to today.

Also, Mrs Cox, for being there in the background for support and encouragement and taking practices when needed.

To the coaches and the performers, you are all amazing, and we couldn't be prouder of you!

21/08/2026

Book Week 2026 - staff participation!

The Little Miss characters, Big Bad Wolf & 3 Little Pigs, and Where's Wally & a Burglar all made an appearance.

Will have more photos up over the weekend. Off to organise tonight's disco now :)