School Information
Our school is organised into three syndicates. The school roll ranges from 300 to 350 students, depending on the time of the year.
Tāne Mahuta | Junior Syndicate (Year 0 - 2)
Room 15 Sarah Dunckley and Claire Lovelock Year 0
Room 9 Andrea Bathgate Year 0-1
Room 6 Dominique Grant Year 1
Room 2 Rochelle Fisher Year 1-2
Room 7 Erin Barclay Year 2
Room 8 Siobhan Hayward / Pauline Ramsay Year 2
Tāwhirimātea | Middle Syndicate (Year 3 - 4)
Room 11 Kirsty Smith Year 3
Room 12 Elizabeth Murray Year 3
Room 10 Cathy Taiaroa Year 4
Room 17 Jo Drake / Sarah Wilson Year 4
Tangaroa | Senior Syndicate (Year 5 - 6)
Room 1 Fiona Wilcox Year 5
Room 3 Chelley Leov Year 5
Room 4 Sarah Strowger Year 6
Room 5 Ingrid Hanrahan / Sara Jamieson Year 6
Geraldine Primary School has an enrolment scheme in place to manage student numbers and class sizes.
Prospective parents should contact the school office to determine if where they are living is within our Enrolment Zone. We welcome enrolments for students who are about to turn five, through to students who are in Year 6.
Children who are about to turn five will visit the school prior to enrolment as part of their transition to school. They may visit with their local early childhood centre, along with other children who are due to start at GPS. They will also have school visits, where they come with a parent or caregiver. The number of visits can be negotiated with the New Entrant teacher – there is no set amount.
Prior to a five year old starting at GPS, they are welcome to attend our junior syndicate’s developmental programme, which is run on a Friday morning. Please contact your child’s early childhood centre or our New Entrant teacher for dates and times.
Parents are encouraged to enrol their children early, once they know they will be attending GPS. This helps us to make accurate roll number projections and when we can employ additional New Entrant teachers throughout the year.
To view the school's current ERO report, click on this link:
https://www.ero.govt.nz/review-reports/geraldine-primary-school-24-05-2019/
We report to parents in writing about the progress and achievement of their child twice a year as follows:
- Years 1 – 6: At the end of Term 2 (Interim report)
At the end of Term 4 (End of Year report
3 Way Conferences are held twice a year, normally in Term 1 and 3. The teacher, student and parent(s) meet to discuss goals, achievement and progress. Bookings for the 3WC are made on www.schoolinterviews.co.nz and are done with a specific code, which is given to parents when bookings are opened.
Parents are welcome to meet with their child's teacher as required throughout the year. Please arrange to meet at a mutually-convenient time.
All our policies are reviewed on a three-year cyclical basis. They are all found online through the School Docs website:
- If you are asked for a user name, enter gps
- If you are asked for a password, enter geraldine
- This will take you to our School Docs home page.
In the search bar (top left), type in the name of the policy to be reviewed or that you are interested in and click ‘search’.
Read through it and if it is due to be reviewed, go to the Red Policy Review button on the top right.
Click the parent / caregiver option and type in your name if you wish. A new window will appear – you can now review this policy. Click ‘Submit’ when you’re done.
This is how our policies are reviewed by parents / caregivers, staff and Board members.
Please feel free to look at any other policies.
You can send feedback on any policy at any time to the Principal via email by clicking the Blue Send Feedback button.
Stationery lists are sent home near the end of the school year, for the following year.
Suggested suppliers are Office Max (online here) or at Warehouse Stationery, both of whom give the school reward points. A suggested local option is the Geraldine Bookshop / Postshop, which is located on the main street in Geraldine.
Parents are asked that their children have the required stationery at school on the first day of Term 1. As items are used up, we ask that these are replaced and that all students have the necessary equipment available throughout the school year.
If your child is joining us during the year, they are welcome to bring any exercise books from their previous school and use these. Your child’s new teacher will advise if any additional items are needed.
Term 1
Thursday 31 January – Friday 12 April
Includes the following public holiday:
- Waitangi Day – Wednesday 6 February
Term 2
Monday 29 April – Friday 5 July
Includes the following public holiday:
- Queen’s Birthday – Monday 3 June
- Teacher Only Day - Tuesday 4 June
Term 3
Monday 22 July – Friday 27 September
Includes the following public holiday:
- South Canterbury Anniversary – Monday 23 September
Term 4
Monday 14 October – Tuesday 17 December
Includes the following public holiday:
- Labour Day – Monday 28 October
Our school day starts at 8.50am and finishes at 2.45pm, as detailed below. Children are allowed in the grounds from 8.20am. At the end of the day, the grounds are to be vacated by 3pm.
- 8.50 – 10.40 in class
- 10.40 – 11.00 interval
- 11.00 – 12.15 in class
- 12.15 – 1.10 lunch
- 1.10 – 2.45 in class
Office hours are 8.15am - 3.15pm, Monday - Friday
Students at Geraldine Primary School wear a very distinctive apple green polo shirt. This shirt is accompanied by a navy blue polar fleece, with school logo, both of which can be purchased from The Warehouse in Timaru.
On the lower half, students wear something navy – trackpants, shorts, culottes, but not jeans. This item of clothing should not have dominant writing or logos. For footwear, student can wear sport shoes or black ‘school’ shoes or sandals. Jandals and boots are not permitted. These shoes are worn with white, black or blue short socks.
Geraldine Primary is a Sunsmart School and as such students are required to wear a navy brimmed or bucket styled sunhat in terms 1 and 4 when they are outside.