Information for Year 5 and 6

We welcome your child to the Senior School and trust they will have an
enjoyable and successful two years.

The following information will help children new to the team transition
smoothly to the Senior School, and make our Year 6 students aware of
some opportunities exclusive to them.

Senior Students
All year 6 children are presented with a Senior Student badge once they
have read and understood the Senior Student contract, shared it with
parents/caregivers, then returned it signed to school. Their badge identifies
them to others as a person who will step up and show strong citizenship.
Throughout the year, children need to uphold the conditions of the contract
in order to retain their badge.

Senior Leaders
Senior Leadership is a role for Year 6 children which involves working with
a designated year 0 - 3 class. Tasks may include accompanying the
children to assembly, providing guidance during morning tea and lunch
breaks, helping organise special activities, along with other responsibilities
negotiated with the designated class teacher.
Senior Leaders are chosen by Year 5 teachers at the end of the year. They
will have shown maturity, initiative, and have been an exemplary role
model, throughout their time in Year 5. They also need to have shown
confidence when leading groups of children and have strong interpersonal
skills.
Children who miss out may get the opportunity to be chosen for New
Entrant classes starting during the year.

School Councillors
Each Year 5 and 6 class has 2 School Councillors, preferably a boy and a
girl.
School Councillors run weekly class meetings to discuss suggestions and
concerns and then bring these ideas School Council meetings. They meet
and greet at school assemblies. School-wide fundraising for charity is
organised through the school council.
School Councillors chosen by staff following a short prepared speech
explaining their suitability for the role.
Successful School Councillors think outside the box, make rational
decisions, and follow through with tasks they take on.

House Captains
Each house has 2 House Captains from Year 6, preferably a boy and a girl.
The House Captains’ main role is helping organise school-wide House
events, collating school-wide house points and assisting in Celebration
Assemblies with announcing the winning house group. They also run house
meetings twice a term.
House Captains are chosen by teachers following a short prepared speech
explaining their suitability for the role.
Successful House Captains are fair, communicate well with others, can
organise groups and enjoy being active.

Sports Leaders
Eight students from Year 6 will be selected to take on this leadership role
(two students from each of the school houses).
Sports Leaders main role is helping with school sporting events and
introducing/demonstrating sport activities to other year groups.
Successful Sports Leaders will have excellent collaborative skills,
enthusiasm for physical activity and commitment to complete tasks.

Please note that children can not be School Councillors and House
Captains.
Librarians
All Year 6 pupils have the opportunity to be librarians, but they must be
aware of their prior commitments particularly sporting and road patrol.
They must commit to one duty a week, terms 1 and 2 or terms 3 and 4.
Duty times are before school and morning tea or lunchtime.
Librarians complete a worksheet over a term to gain their library badge.
Responsible for the running of library if Tania away and being a role model
for younger pupils.

Road Patrol
Year 6 children have the opportunity to be a road patrol monitor. Names of
those interested are collected at the end of Year 5. Mrs Evans and Senior
School teachers then choose the most suitable candidates. Children must
be reliable, show maturity and be a sensible role model. Students are road
patrollers for two terms (terms 1 and 3, or terms 2 and 4). There are two
parts to their road patrol duties.
Morning session: 8.25am - 8.55am.
Afternoon session: 3pm - 3.15pm.

Sport
At Elmwood, Year 5/6 students participate in Friday sport, either at school
or against other schools.

Summer Sport
All Year 6 students will have the opportunity to represent Elmwood offsite in
competitions against other schools on a Friday afternoon in terms 1 and 4.

Students will indicate their 3 sport preferences on a list and from this, the
sports teams will be decided. Students may not get their first choice,
however in term 4 they will play a different sport to the sport they played in
term 1. This ensures students have a chance to play in a different sport,
and the opportunity to play with different people.
Year 5 students will develop their sporting skills onsite. Whilst at school
they will be exposed wide range of sport that will draw and develop sporting
skills which will prepare them for the sports that they will represent in Year
6. There will be a specific focus on communication, teamwork, leadership
and awareness of the different codes.

Winter Sport
Both Year 5 and Year 6 students will have the opportunity to represent
Elmwood offsite in competitions against other schools on a Friday
afternoon.

There will be trials held for all sports offered near the end of term 1 and/or
early term 2, and these will be overseen by several members of staff. The
final decision on the teams is based on the performance of the student on
the day and decided by the teachers overseeing the trials.

Students who do not play a sport offsite will develop their sporting skills
onsite, as mentioned in Summer Sport.

Sports Uniforms
It is intended that all Yr 5 / 6 children wear their sports uniform on Fridays
and at other sporting events.

Thursday Electives
On Thursday afternoons from 2 - 3pm, the Year 5 and 6 children are
involved in an Arts based Electives programme.
Children take part in one of the following for the entire year:
● Kapa Haka (led by Rihari Walker)
● Choir
Other options from the arts
Each child’s preference and the makeup of the group is taken into
consideration when compiling the groups.

Maths Classes
This year at each year level, there will be one extension Maths class and
two mixed ability classes.
Testing from last year and the beginning of this school year, will assist in
determining the extension class.

Elmwood Enrichment Programme

At Elmwood each teacher caters for all the different learning styles and
abilities within their own classroom programme. There are also enrichment
programmes that the children can be involved with.

● Future Problem Solving

Children are selected by staff and Mrs Debenham, using a set
criteria, for FPS groups. These children work with Mrs Debenham for
a block session once a week. There is a homework component.

Facebook, School Website and Newsletter

The Elmwood Facebook page and our website are good places to see what
has been happening around the school along with regular notices and
photos.

Home Learning
Home learning is an extension of the school programme that supports,
enhances, and consolidates teaching and learning. Children are expected
to spend time reading and consolidating basic Maths facts.
Teachers will outline their expectations at the Meet the Teacher evening.

Winter Terms (terms 2 and 3)

Children need to leave their shoes in the designated shoe bay at the
bottom of the stairwell, before coming upstairs. We encourage children to
bring slippers to school to wear during this time.
Itinerant Music lessons
Children in years 4, 5, 6 can apply for one of the limited places in the
‘Itinerant Out of School Hours’ tuition programme, funded by the Ministry of
Education. Tuition is available in the following musical instruments: violin,
clarinet, cello, flute.
During week 1, an information letter will be given to children who show
interest in these classes. The instrumental tutors will carry out the
auditions.