General Information...

School Hours
Staff are available at school between 7:30am and 4:30pm. Children will be supervised at school from 8:30am until 3:15pm.

9:00am to 10:40 am - Instruction
10:40am to 11:00am - Interval
11:00am to 12:30pm - Instruction
12:30pm to 1:30pm - Lunch
1:30pm to 3:00pm - Instruction

Class Composition
At Fairton School we are lucky to have two well maintained and resourced classrooms. The Junior Room has children from Year 0/1 to Year 2 and currently has 17 children. The Senior Room children are from Year 3 to Year 6 and there are currently 14 children in this room. Both classes join together for activities were possible, such as Buddy Reading, and interact well with each other.

Fairton School Bus
Fairton School is fortunate to have a bus route dedicated to our children and their transportation needs to and from school. The bus leaves from Ashburton at approximately 8:15am and arrives at school and approximately 8:50am. Travel on the bus is free to those children who are eligible for a Ministry of Education funded bus run. There is a charge for students who are not eligible although the Board is currently discussing travel options. Please contact the school office for more information on this service.

Communication with Parents/Caregivers
A school newsletter is sent home with the eldest child in each family every Wednesday. Parents, caregivers and children alike enjoy the weekly update on what's happening at school and the successes that the children have enjoyed. Each class also sends home regular class newsletters with relevant information about the classroom programme and up-coming events.
Both classes at Fairton School have adopted KIT books as a form of communication between home and school. A child's KIT or Keeping In Touch book is a notebook where messages/notices/class newsletters can be placed so as to create an open line of communication between home and school. KIT books are checked every day and have proved to be a quick, reliable form of communication for busy parents and teachers alike.

Reporting to Parents/Caregivers
At Fairton School we believe that it is important for parents/caregivers to be fully informed about their child's progress and be able to celebrate successes, however big or small, with their child. It is for this reason that Fairton School uses Individual Learning Programmes (ILPs) and portfolios to share children's work with their families.
Individual Learning Programmes (ILPs) provide detailed information on each child's current acheivement in Numeracy, Literacy and Essential Skills, what the next steps in learning are for that child and how these will be achieved. Parents, caregivers, children and teachers meet together in March to discuss the programme and share ideas on it's implementation. At the conclusion of this meeting the programme is formally typed and a copy is sent home with parents. Together home and school will work to assist each child in the achievement of their next steps, which are reviewed after six months and new targets are set at the next ILP meeting.
Each child also has a portfolio which goes home with them in the final two weeks of each term. In it is a selection of work that they have completed at school during the term in different curriculum areas. This work can range from stories written in class, pieces of artwork, handwriting samples or self assessments in Physical Education or Music. The teachers ensure that work is marked (where appropriate) so as to give the child and their parents/caregivers an accurate picture of their progress. At the and of each set of work, there is a comments page where the child, teacher and parents/caregivers are invited to comment on the parts of the child's work that they really like. The children are all very proud of the work that they have produced throughout the year and are very excited to look back and how they have progressed.

House Groups
Throughout the term, children can earn house points through their good behaviour, efforts in the classroom and good sportsmanship in the playground. The progress of each of the houses (Kowhai, Whero, Kakariki and Kahurangi) is tracked over the term through the house points graph. At the end of the term, the winning house is given a house treat (video and nibbles in the library on the last day of the term). The competition is tight and fiercely fought out by the children.

Assembly
The Junior and Senior Room join together each Friday to have a school assembly in the school library. During this time we are able to share recent successes, discuss upcoming events and enjoy each others company. Certificates are also awarded at this time.
At the end of each term we hold a Parents Assembly. Parents and family members are invited to come and see some of the work that the children have done throughout the term and catch up with other parents of the school.

Parent Help
In a small school it is vital to have the support of parents and caregivers in the running of our classroom programmes. The children enjoy having adults around to interact with and learn from. Parents are invited to help both in the classroom and during outdoor education events.