• We follow the teachings and example of Jesus through the teachings of the Holy Bible.
• We aim to meet the needs of every child in the school.
• We involve all employees through teamwork and individual responsibility.
• We communicate openly with staff, parents and community.
• We strive to protect and enhance our environment.
• We recognise that our school is enriched by cultural diversity.
• We foster a spirit of honesty, integrity and respect of self and others.
• We recognise the uniqueness of each individual.
• We develop programmes to foster maximum student achievement.
• We have an expectation of excellence in teaching and learning.
• We promote the pursuit of wisdom and life long learning.
• We seek the promotion of partnership of home, church, and school in children’s education.
• We recognise that parents have the primary responsibility for their children’s education and we support them in this role.

CORE FOUNDATIONAL TEACHING VALUES

• Respect
• Service
• Compassion
• Truthfulness
• Self Control
• Initiative
• Perseverance
• Diligence

School Hours:

• 8.50 am ~ school commences
• 10.30am ~ 11.00am ~ morning interval
• 12.30pm ~ 1.25pm ~ lunch break
• 3.00pm ~ school finishes

Pupils not travelling to school by bus are requested not to arrive at school before
8.20am

We have a Secretary who is employed at the school Monday to Friday from 8.30am—3.30pm. Unless absolutely urgent, please contact the school within these hours so as not to disrupt teachers unnecessarily.

Should you wish to discuss any matter that will take some time with a staff member please make an appointment to do so through the Secretary or the teacher concerned.

Interviews with teachers can be arranged through the Secretary. Parents are very welcome to contact teachers before or after school for a very short impromptu chat about their child, but need to be flexible as teachers will not always be available without time being prearranged.

Absentees:

If a child is going to be absent from school on any school day, parents must inform the School, by phoning the office before 9.00 a.m. As school is compulsory, all absences are recorded. A note must be handed into the office on the child’s return back to school.

Assemblies:

Thursday mornings, 8.50 am - 9.30 a.m.
This is a whole school assembly that focuses upon recognising students achievement with certificates given out weekly to a few members of each class. We sometimes have input from students, a group or a guest speaker.
Parents are welcome to attend the school assemblies.

Uniforms:
All students are required to wear our school uniform which are available from the school.
The uniform shop is open on Wednesday afternoons from 3.00 p.m.

These are payable to the Association which own and manages the Land, Buildings and mortgages. The dues payable will be as follows:
Per Family Total
1st Child  $15.00 + GST per school week ($17.25 incl. GST)
2nd Child $10.00 + GST per school week ($11.50 incl. GST)
3rd Child  $10.00 + GST per school week ($11.50 incl. GST)
4th Child  $10.00 + GST per school week ($11.50 incl. GST)

Goal 1: To Provide a Christ centred education that is based on the seven national curriculum statements while recognising the special character of the school

• Devotions and prayer will be a daily part of school life.
• The revised school curriculum will be used as a basis to teach the revised New Zealand Curriculum from a Biblical worldview.
• All staff will actively support the above and provide an attractive active Christian role model.
• Students will be encouraged to develop a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

Goal 2: To be the first choice for families of the Christian community

• By operating a Biblically based curriculum.
• By providing and promoting a stable caring environment where students are encouraged to honour God and to excel in all areas of their lives.
• By helping students to be accountable for their actions and to develop a sense of responsibility.
• By developing in students eight core foundational values; respect, service, compassion, truthfulness, self control, initiative, perseverance and diligence.
• By actively promoting the positive aspects of Christian schooling in general and of Matamata Christian School in particular.

Goal 3: To actively form and maintain a close home and school partnership

• By working together for the educational benefit of the children.
• By encouraging parents in the school / home partnership of training children in the ways of the  Lord.
• By recognising the important role that parents have in the education of their children.
• By encouraging parental involvement and interest in the school.
• By involving parental participation in their child’s learning through their Learning Journal.
• To ensure parents have access to school staff as required.
• To promote regular consultation opportunities with the school community.
• To promote regular consultation opportunities with the Maori community.

Goal 4: To provide a quality education that maximises student achievement

• To ensure curriculum delivery is focused on promoting high student achievement and outcomes.
• To staff the school with highly motivated effective teachers.
• To help students learn about God, themselves and the world around them.
• To promote the development of student’s character.
• To develop literacy and numeracy skills.
• To promote critical thinking strategies.
• To develop the principles, values and key competencies of the school and revised New Zealand curriculum.
• To promote academic excellence and maximise student achievement opportunities.
• To develop a love of learning in students and staff.
• To develop student ownership of their learning.
• To develop students knowledge, understanding and skills to help equip them toward becoming productive members of society.

Goal 5: To reflect in our practices the diverse cultures in our school

• To recognise the Treaty of Waitangi and integrate basic Maori language and culture into the curriculum delivery.
• To recognise the uniqueness of each individual student.
• To be sensitive to the differing national backgrounds of students.
• To be sensitive to the differing Christian backgrounds of students.
• To promote tolerance and respectfulness regarding differences amongst students and families in those areas which do not compromise the goals and values of the school.

Goal 6: To develop and maintain the property and environment in such a way that maximises the opportunities for student learning and development

• To provide an attractive and functional environment.
• To present the school in a manner that shows God’s creation effectively managed and displayed.
• To develop, provide and maintain attractive and functional playground activities.
• To maintain a safe and pleasant learning environment for all staff and students.
• To encourage and display quality work.

Matamata Christian School values feedback and believes this is an important way for it to improve its performance. It believes complaints are a part of this and wishes to be able to resolve these in order to avoid anything standing in the way of it achieving its goals. Therefore anyone who may have a complaint about any part of the school life is encouraged to bring those complaints forward in a biblical manner.
These can be viewed by clicking on the link below.