Useful Information for Parents

Absence from School

If your child is sick or attending an appointment, you may call, text or email to let us know. Please mention your child's full name, their class and the reason for the absence.

Absentee Line: (03) 548 4972, extn 1

Absentee Mobile (text only): 027 759 0096

Email the school: attendance@nelsoncentral.school.nz

Or complete this form:

If your child becomes unwell or suffers an accident at school, school staff will provide supervision in the Medical Room until contact with a caregiver is made and the child is collected.

If a child requires urgent attention a staff member will accompany the child to the appropriate medical service while contact with a caregiver is made.

HERO Parent Portal

HERO is our main path of communication with parents, both with classroom messaging and student learning information. When you enrol your child you will be given a link to log in to the HERO app. Updates, posts, next steps and reporting are done through HERO. You can enjoy discussing their learning pathway with them.

Log on to your child’s HERO page here.

For help signing up, please view this page.

Digital Citizenship

Please view our Digital Citizenship Policy here

Restorative Practice

We use a model of Restorative Practice to address behavioural issues in the school. Restorative Practice is a powerful approach to discipline that focuses on repairing harm through inclusive processes that engage all stakeholders. Restorative Practice shifts the focus of discipline from punishment to learning and from the individual to the community.

Dogs on School Grounds

Nelson Central School values the benefits that interactions with animals can bring to our school community. We encourage appropriate behaviour when interacting with dogs so that students have a positive experience and to reduce the risk of accident or injury. The following are the guidelines found in the School Policies and Procedures:

Visiting dogs must have no history of aggression towards people and must be fully trustworthy in a school environment. Owners bringing a dog on to school grounds must follow the guidelines below. Disability assist dogs and support/therapy dogs are welcome at Nelson Central School and may be allowed inside school buildings.

• Dogs must be on a leash held by an adult, and kept reasonably close to the adult.

• Dogs can be tied up for brief periods e.g. long enough to take a child to their class. The dog must be on a short leash and away from entry points so that people in the school grounds have a choice about whether they come into contact with the dog.

• Dogs must not be left unattended.

• If the dog is considered by the council or any other authority to be a breed that needs muzzling, the dog must be muzzled on school property.

• Dogs are not allowed inside school buildings.

• Dog owners should help educate children about how best to approach their dog.

• Dogs are not allowed to drink from school water fountains.

• Owners must remove any mess left by their dog.

We report any stray dogs to animal control, and follow our lockdown procedure if there is a threat to the safety of students and staff.

Finance

Payments for donations, sunhats, new entrant packs or camps etc. can be made at the office by cash or eftpos (no credit facilities are available). Also you can pay by direct credit using your child's name and room number and item paid for as a reference. The bank details for the school are:

Account Name: Nelson Central School Board of Trustees 
Account Number: 12-3165-0192390-00

If you need any other information please email our Finance Officer: finance@nelsoncentral.school.nz.

Lost Property

This is kept on a rack outside the office or library. Please label your child's clothing, it makes it much easier to return. Any lost property remaining at the end of each term is donated to charity.

Nut Free Zone

Our school has moved to be a nut free school, effective Monday 27 July 2026.

Nelson Central School aims to provide a safe environment for students and staff with allergies by identifying and minimising risk, being prepared, and raising awareness. Allergies are common and can result in a range of reactions from mild to life-threatening. We support students with allergies to participate in the same educational and recreational activities as their peers.

We have children within our school who currently have allergies to peanuts some of which have life threatening reactions should they come into contact with them.

We appreciate your help in keeping our students safe from a nut reaction by eliminating nuts from your children's lunch boxes. This includes all items that contain nuts (such as peanut butter, some muesli bars, trail mixes and home baking). We will continue to encourage hand washing during the day, and teeth cleaning before school.

We thank you in advance for your cooperation with this and keeping our tamariki safe.

You can find more information here.

School Bags and Lunches

School bags need to be big enough for swimming togs, home pack, clothing and a lunch box. If children help to pack their bags they learn some independence and also know what is in it.

Children are encouraged to bring healthy, minimally wrapped lunches to school. Lunches may also be bought from the shops in Nile/Alton streets, but parents/caregivers are asked to make their own arrangements for these.

We are a water only school. Fruit juice, soft drinks and energy drinks are not appropriate for school lunches.

A named lunch box and plastic water bottle are a great idea. Children eat with their syndicate, and are supervised. Children are encouraged to take uneaten lunches home.

Sushi Thursday

From Term 1 2024 we will be running Sushi Thursdays each week.

To make an order you will first need a myKindo account. One account for the whole family! Click here or go to www.mykindo.co.nz to start ordering! For Apple and Android users download the mykindo app.

Medication

Medication is kept in a locked cupboard in the Medical Room and administered by school staff. We have facilities to keep medicines refrigerated if required. If your child requires medication at school, please complete our Authority to Administer Medicine form which is available from the office. If you're unsure about this, please contact us for more information. The use of inhalers should be discussed with your child's teacher and appropriate individual arrangements made.

Smoke & Vape Free

Nelson Central School is a smoke and vape free zone.

SunSmart

We are a SunSmart school. Wide brimmed hats are compulsory for children playing or taking part in outdoor activities in Term 1, and from 1 September through to the end of Term 4.

These can be purchased from the school office for $18.

We encourage children to play in the shade, wear sunscreen and sun protective clothing.

Stationery

Please follow the links to find the stationery lists appropriate for your child, or contact the class teacher or school office.

EOTC

Nelson Central School values opportunities for EOTC (Education Outside The Classroom) as part of ensuring a diverse curriculum that challenges and inspires. Our year 3/4 classes hav an annual overnight camp at Bridge Valley. Year 5/6 classes alternate between a biennial camp either near the Abel Tasman or Marlborough Sounds and termly “adventure days” in the alternate years. Te Pouahi enjoys an annual Noho Marae at Whakatū marae as an overnight experience.

There are many other opportunities for EOTC through our programmes. Teachers will communicate these as they are coming up.

Complaints/Concerns

If you have a concern about anything at school, please communicate this with us. If it is specific to something around your own child, your first port of call should always be their class teacher. For matters related to the wider school, you may wish to speak to one of the senior leadership team. Please contact the office to arrange this.

If you wish to take the matter further, please see our complaints procedure in our policy section.