Throughout the year, students at Fairhall School participate in a variety of programmes on our events calendar each year. Some of these activities are part of the curriculum and some are additional but all are very much part of the culture of our school.
Sport
Fairhall School supports the promotion of a wide range of sports for students to actively take part in. Each year in Terms 1 and 3 our school’s Sports Co-ordinator arranges visits from most sporting codes to expose students to a variety of sports. We currently have school teams representing Fairhall School in Netball, Hockey, Volleyball, Basketball and Tennis.
More on sport.
Education Outside the Classroom (EOTC)
At Fairhall School we value the importance of being active outdoors and run an effective programme of camping and tramping for students from Year 4 through to Year 8. Our camping programme progresses from a 3-day campsite experience for our Year 4 students to a week-long tramping experience for our Year 8 students.
More on camps.
PMP
Year 1 and 2 students may take part in the perceptual-motor programme (PMP) which develops coordination, eye-tracking skills, spatial awareness, and balance and helps develop brain connections to enhance learning. The programme takes place in Te Whare Kahikatea during Terms 2 and 3.
Environement
At Fairhall School we are committed to a long-term sustainability journey in the nationwide Enviroschools programme where we aim for our ‘tamariki (students) students to connect with and explore the environment, then plan, design and take action’. Our school has a student-driven Enviroschools Council made up of a group of Year 6 to 8 students and teachers who are passionate about making a difference in the world we live in.
Cultural Connections
We value the importance of celebrating the cultural identities of all whānau and ethnicities within our
kura (school). We aim to ensure all learners and their whānau to have a strong sense of belonging. We continue to strengthen our implementation of te Reo Māori me ōna tikanga across our kura in consultation with our school whānau. We have a school kapa haka that practice regularly for events like Taiopenga.
Choir
Each year we offer participation in our school choir for Year 5 to 8 students. These students will prepare for the annual music festival alongside other schools from the Marlborough region.
Golden Grapes
At Fairhall School we emphasise the positive and to do this each student represents one of four House/colour teams: Omaka (Red); Okaramio (Yellow); Rarangi (Green); and Waihopai (Blue).
For showing Fairhall PRIDE students are given Yellow Ribbons which they wear for the day at school to be noticed by all. At the end of the day they place their ribbon in their House container at the school office and the team with the most Yellow Ribbons at the end of the week receives a Golden Grape. The team with the most Golden Grapes at the end of the term receives a special treat.
Rural Schools Cluster
Show Day
Fairhall School takes part in the Marlborough rural schools cluster, which involves organising and participating in events with other rural schools in the region, such as cross-country running, swimming sports and athletics. The school also maintains close links with the Marlborough Boys and Girls Agricultural Association.
Planning for Show Day starts around the beginning of Term 3 with schedules and entry forms to go out to families. All students are required to take part and will receive a Show Day booklet with their entry requirements. Students compete with their lambs, calves, goats, rabbits and project chickens. Some Indoor creations as well as livestock entries from our show day also go to group day and are then taken to the Marlborough A & P show.
Students are still asked for diaries to be kept for project chickens and rabbits, however, students no longer do projects on lambs, calves or goats. The indoor creations are always changing and have over the years included pressed leaf collections, kites, photography, pet rocks, decorated bottles, soap carving, propagation projects, paper mache animals etc.
Group Day
Your child may come home from our school show day with an invitation to compete at the Marlborough Boys and Girls Agricultural Group Day Event. In broad terms, the event is an inter-school competition between participating primary schools and is a stepping stone between a school show day and the local A+P show.
Since the end of the 80’s the agricultural club has been run by a group of volunteers, with support from the rural sector, to keep the Marlborough Boys and Girls Agricultural Group Day an annual event on our school calendar.
The movement began around 1916 but the focus has always been to encourage compassion, empathy, patience, respect and responsibility. These qualities are just as important whether you were born in the 20th or 21st century.
Schools compete for the Group Day Shield which Fairhall has won a number of times over the years. Winning the shield is a combination of entry numbers and placings on the day. As a school, we encourage students to participate in events such as Group Day.
Fundraising
Fairhall School relies heavily on its community and the wider community to engage with activities that will provide extra funding for the school outside the operational funding received by the government. Fundraising is used to support a range of activities and projects for the school. It helps to reduce major costs for our camping experiences and supports the purchasing of equipment to support the children’s learning.
Fundraising is generally run by Friends of Fairhall Incorporated. This consists of the Friends of Fairhall and the Duathlon Committee, who organise the Kids Duathlon and this event is solely to support the school’s school camp (EOTC) programmes.
What Events do we run?
May – Tramp The Ned – (every two years)
As well, the organising committee for Fairhall Fundraising Incorporated (FFI) will require community assistance with the running of the Harcourts Marlborough Kids Duathalon | Annual
Plus:
Sausage Sizzles
Food Stalls at school events
School Disco (to raise funds for Y7 & 8 camps)
More about the Friends of Fairhall.
Graduation Hui & Leavers dinner
At the end of each year, we hold a formal prize-giving hui to recognise the achievements of our Year 8 students before they leave Fairhall School for their secondary education. It is a celebration at which all students are expected to attend. In addition, the Year 8 children and their parents are invited to a special leaving dinner.