Mini News from our kura

Colour Quest is Back! 

We are excited to share that our much-loved Colour Quest is returning — bringing with it a vibrant mix of fun, fitness, and fundraising for our kura.

Over the past two years, Colour Quest has become a highlight on our school calendar. In 2024, the event was a huge success as a fundraiser, raising over $8,000 to support camps, EOTC opportunities, and sports equipment. In 2025, we continued the fun and energy of the event as a non-fundraising activity, focusing on participation, hauora, and enjoyment for all.

This year, we are excited to bring both elements together again — combining the joy and community spirit of Colour Quest with a fundraising focus to support our tamariki.

Supporting EOTC – Learning Beyond the Classroom

Funds raised will go towards our EOTC (Education Outside the Classroom) programme. These experiences are a vital part of learning at Carterton School, giving our tamariki opportunities to extend their learning beyond the classroom through real-world, hands-on experiences. Your support helps ensure these opportunities remain accessible, safe, and high quality for all students.

Prizes & Participation

There will be a range of exciting spot prizes and awards for fundraising efforts across individuals and classes — adding an extra layer of fun and motivation for everyone involved.

On the Day

Students will take part in Colour Quest during school hours. We encourage tamariki to wear white clothing that can get colourful, and to come ready to run, laugh, and enjoy the experience.

Further information about fundraising and how to get involved will be sent home with your child closer to the event.

We truly appreciate the ongoing support of our whānau and community, and look forward to another fantastic day filled with colour, laughter, and connection.

TERM 2 YEAR 7 & 8 DAY:
Our Year 7 & 8 ākonga took part in a fantastic inter-school Activity Day on Wednesday, joining students from Carterton School, St Mary’s, South End, Dalefield, and Gladstone for a day full of learning, connection, and new experiences.

This day was coordinated across our local schools with a shared goal of helping students build relationships and confidence as they look ahead to college. It was wonderful to see our tamariki stepping into new environments, meeting new people, and embracing a wide range of opportunities.

A Wide Range of Learning Experiences

Each school hosted different workshops, giving students the chance to explore new interests and strengths:

• Carterton School: STEM challenges and Taskmaster-style activities, encouraging problem-solving, teamwork, and creativity.

• South End School: ANZAC Art and Eco-building, combining creativity with hands-on, outdoor learning.

• Gladstone School: Photography and Cooking, blending artistic skills with practical life experiences.

• Dalefield School: Bush Skills, where students developed confidence and resilience in an outdoor setting.

• St Mary’s School: Survivor challenges, promoting teamwork, strategy, and perseverance.

Our photos capture some of the highlights, including the engaging STEM activities here at Carterton School and the creative ANZAC artwork at South End.

🤝 Building Connections

A real highlight of the day was the opportunity for students to connect with peers from other schools. Whether working together on a challenge, travelling between venues, or sharing experiences, our ākonga showed manaakitanga, respect, and a willingness to step outside their comfort zones.

We are incredibly proud of how our students represented our kura—with positive attitudes, enthusiasm, and a readiness to give everything a go. Days like this play an important role in supporting both learning and wellbeing, while helping our Year 7 & 8 students feel more confident about the transition to college.

We look forward to continuing these opportunities and strengthening these connections throughout the year.

NEW PLAYGROUND MARKINGS:
We recently formed a student media team – Lilith, Lachlan & Kataleya. They will be sharing more articles throughout the year.

At the beginning of the school year, Miss Hunter our principal, had some of our playground markings repainted.

It has been fantastic to see our playground come back to life and the change in atmosphere during break times was immediate. It has reached a point where the games are drawing in more than just the students. We often see staff members drifting over during their intervals to watch the matches, or even jump in for a quick round themselves. These changes have led to more activity on the playground and more friendships being made through play.

The refreshed playground has sparked a lot of inspiration among the student body. It is great to see such high engagement with the three handball courts in constant use. However, the single Gutterball marking is struggling to keep up with the sheer number of students wanting a turn. We also have a faded outdoor chess board that is often used on Fridays, our chess comp days.

The current layout would benefit from more options. The student body has shown interest in Snakes and Ladders, more Gutterball markings, and a repainted Chess board.

If anyone in the community is able to help us make these ideas a reality, please get in touch at: admin@carterton.school.nz or call 06 379 4010.