Kaponga Primary School

28/10/2026

Our tumeke tamariki doing their best on stage!
Most of them, it’s their first time ever performing in front of anyone and wow, we couldn’t be prouder of our incredible little group 🖤

28/10/2026

Last term, our junior and middle classes entered the Road safe Taranaki design competition. We were very lucky that one of our year 2s helmet design was one of the incredible winners!

Thank you Road Safe Taranaki for bringing Laurels helmet design to life!

23/10/2026

Rakau Class Camp 2026: Day 3 Recap

Day 3 was packed with more iconic Wellington experiences, museum visit, incredible animal encounters, and plenty of water action!

The tamariki kicked off the day exploring Te Papa, taking in all the amazing interactive displays and hands-on exhibits and having a look through the WW2 exhibit. Next, it was off to Wellington Zoo for an unforgettable highlight, a special behind-the-scenes experience where the kids got to step into the shoes of real zookeepers and see what it takes to care for the animals up close.

To round off another fantastic day, the group headed down to the waterfront with Ferg's Kayaking. Everyone had an absolute ball getting out on the water, building confidence, and paddling up a storm along the harbour!

Bring on day 4!

21/10/2026

🌏 ShakeOut NZ – National Earthquake Day! 🌏

Today, with our seniors away, the rest of our kura took part in ShakeOut NZ!

Our tamariki did a fantastic job practicing what to do during an earthquake. They quickly got under the tables and found the correct safe positions. We were so proud of how well they listened, followed instructions, and took part in this important safety practice.

Afterwards, our Kākano tamariki spent some time with Mrs Linders, watching some great educational videos about how earthquakes happen and how we can keep ourselves safe when the ground starts to shake.

It was a great opportunity to learn, practice, and build confidence in knowing what to do in an emergency. Ka pai, tamariki mā!

20/10/2026

Rakau Class Camp 2026: Day 2 Recap
Day 2 in the capital was packed with hands-on fun and classic Wellington experiences!

The tamariki kicked off the morning taking in the iconic sights aboard the Wellington Cable Car—a ride everyone thoroughly enjoyed. From there, they spent the day exploring Space Place, diving deep into the mysteries of the universe. The hands-on learning was such a hit that many are already asking when they can go back!

Next up was a visit to Wētā Workshop, where both the kids and adults were fizzing with excitement. Everyone got stuck into the creative side of movie magic, learning how to craft fake blood and other wonderfully gnarly special effects props.

To top off a brilliant day, our tamariki took part in a cherished Kaponga Primary tradition: getting dressed up in their absolute finest for a formal group dinner out in the city. It is always a highlight of the trip, and everyone loved the chance to feel extra special together.

Another jam-packed day of adventure is already underway—stay tuned for more updates soon!

19/10/2026

Rakau Class Camp 2026: Day 1 Recap
Camp 2026 is officially underway! The Rakau tamariki departed school on Sunday lunchtime, enjoying a smooth bus ride down to Wellington filled with excitement for the week ahead. After settling into their rooms, everyone refueled with burgers for tea.

Monday kicked off with an early start at Adrenalin Forest, where the tamariki showed incredible bravery high up in the treetops. Next, they headed over to Parliament for a fascinating tour of how Government works. To wind down after an action-packed day, the group enjoyed a fun splash at the pools to soothe their tired muscles.

We can't wait to see what adventures Day 2 brings!

19/10/2026

What a fantastic show of school spirit! A huge round of applause to our incredible students, families, judges, and staff for braving the rain on Friday and making Pet Day such a success!

With Senior Camp kicking off this week and a jam-packed Week 3 ahead, postponing wasn't an option—but our amazing school community didn't let a bit of wet weather damp our spirits! Our calf, lamb, and pony owners were absolute stars, showing true dedication and earning every bit of their rewards.

A massive shout-out and thank you to our sponsors—Eltham Vets, New Zealand Livestock, and FMG! Your support means so much to us and allows us to give that extra little bit back to our deserving tamariki. And, of course, to our judges - Greg Campbell, Jock Coplestone, Stan Barnett, Kay Linders, Brittany Simpson and Michelle Geater, thanks for coming to help us out. Enjoy your chocolate!

Inside, the school is bursting with colour and creativity! The artwork lining our walls is a testament to all the hard mahi put in at the end of Term 3 and throughout Week 1—plus all the fantastic creations brought in from home.
If you couldn't make it down in person, keep an eye on our page! We have heaps of photos coming up so you can scroll through and enjoy all the highlights.

Finally, WOW—the Bake Sale! We were completely blown away by everyone's amazing generosity. The queue stretched right down the corridor (which might have had a little something to do with escaping the pouring rain!), and everything sold out!.

Thank you, everyone, for bringing so much warmth, energy, and community spirit to a soggy Pet Day!

13/10/2026

Kia Ora everyone!

Here is the first newsletter for term 4.

We are very busy getting all the artwork ready for Friday. We hope to see you all here at school to support all the tamariki.

Kaponga Primary

11/10/2026

It’s been a total hive of activity around school over the break!
A massive thank you to Carus for doing such a fantastic job on our fresh paint job—the school is looking bright and ready to welcome everyone back.

Our play areas have had some exciting upgrades, too! Brad Gibbons Builders were hard at work installing a brand-new seesaw, swing, and step. They also removed our old sun shelters to clear the way for our exciting new deck project coming in the next holidays.

Community workers came in on Thursday to tackle some well-overdue jobs—tidying up the sandpit, straightening up behind the bus shed, and clearing out an overgrown flax bush.

Finally, Scott Malcolm has been working non-stop mowing, spraying, and weed-whacking to keep the grounds looking sharp.

With Pet Day and Big Rigs coming up fast, the school is looking in tip-top shape to welcome all our visitors. Thank you to everyone who pitched in to make it happen!

11/10/2026

Touch starts Tuesday!

Kia Ora. Touch rugby starts this week. Please see the draw below. Contact your school to find out what your team name is.