Rippa Rugby Competition
On the 9 of June, Welbourn competed in a Rippa Rugby tournament at the freezing, windy racecourse. We needed to keep warm after every game! The Welbourn competitive team did pretty well. We got 3 wins and 2 losses placing 6th - just missing qualification for the Grand Final.
The Welbourn Force went undefeated having an amazing 6 wins, while the Welbourn Reds had 3 wins and tied 2 games. The Welbourn Chiefs won 5 games and drew 1. The Welbourn Hurricanes also had 6 fantastic wins. Overall, Welbourn did super well and the important thing is we had fun competing with other schools in Taranaki.
Aevan Comia







Home and School
SEEKING A TREASURER. The Home and School Committee are on the hunt for a new Treasurer - full support will be given. We are after someone to take over from Matt Walsh , who has moved over to the board. This position takes care of the money side of things, so would be great for someone with some financial experience, or someone who has done this role for other committees or clubs in the past. We would love to hear from you. If you wish to find out more, just email homeandschool@welbourn.school.
PIZZA LUNCH. Last day of term pizza lunch - Home and School are celebrating the end of term (27 June) with a pizza lunch fundraiser. Cheese or Pizza $2.50 per slice, Gluten free $2.90, and there is a Dairy Free option at $2.90 per slice. Order via the Kindo app or head to https://shop.kindo.co.nz/app/
Cookie Time Fundraiser - H&S are fundraising to help with funds for the new Open Classroom and we are kicking off our efforts with a Cookie time Fundraiser. Forms will go out with tamariki so keep an eye out in the school bag. The cookies are the Original Chocolate Chip flavour, with 20 cookies per bag for $20. Forms are to be returned by Friday 18 July, and delivery of cookies will be around 2 weeks from then. Forms can be returned to the office with cash (please pop money in a labelled bag or envelope so we know who it belongs to), or you can return the form to the office and deposit the money into the Home & School account on the order form. Please put child's name and room number on details. We encourage tamariki to be safe while fundraising so asking parents friends, family, neighbours, parents work etc, rather than door knocking is preferable.

Sports News
Winter sports -
Winter Football - Cancellations can be found on the Central Football facebook page or http://www.centralfootball.co.nz/HOME-1
Hockey (Yr 3-6) Cancellations can be found on the Taranaki junior Hockey Facebook page or http://www.taranakihockey.org.nz/news-1/cancellations
Netball - Game times for future weeks can be found on the Netball Taranaki Website.
Community Sports
Taranaki Cricket are excited to offer students in Years 5 – 8 a fantastic opportunity to participate in an Indoor Cricket League during the July School Holidays! This is a fun way for students to stay active, improve their skills, and enjoy some friendly competition. The league will be held at the Sulzberger Indoor Cricket Centre on Hobson Street in New Plymouth. Teams will be drafted on the day, and with only 18 spots per grade, registration is essential to secure a place!
The event will be split into three sessions: the Year 5/6 Boys league will take place on Tuesday 8th July from 12:00pm – 3:00pm, the Year 7/8 Boys league will be held on Wednesday 9th July from 9:00am – 12:00pm, and the Year 5-8 Girls league will take place on Thursday 10th July from 9:00am – 12:00pm. Each grade requires a minimum of 12 players for the league to go ahead, so be sure to sign up early to avoid missing out!
The cost to participate is $24.99 per player, and registration closes on Sunday 29th June at 8:30pm. To sign up, please visit the registration link here: Indoor Cricket League Registration.
Winter Football -
Any queries to:
Sam Cresswell Sport Administrator,
Welbourn School Phone: 757 5810
email: sport@welbourn.school.nz

Screentime and Social Media use
Supporting Healthy Screen Time Habits at Home
As technology becomes a bigger part of our everyday lives, it’s important we work together to support healthy screen habits for our tamariki. Research into developing brains shows that too much screen time can impact children’s attention, emotional regulation, and sleep—all of which are vital for learning and well-being.
Sleep, especially, is affected by screens, as the blue light from devices can delay melatonin production and make it harder for children to wind down at night. Establishing screen-free routines before bed and encouraging active, creative play during the day can make a big difference.
We also want to remind whānau of the importance of parental monitoring and internet safety. Please take time to check in on what your child is doing online, who they’re communicating with, and what apps or games they are using.
A gentle reminder that social media platforms such as TikTok, Instagram, Facebook and Snapchat all have a minimum age requirement of 13 years. These platforms are not designed for primary-aged children and can expose them to content and interactions that are not age-appropriate.
Let’s keep the lines of communication open and work together to help our tamariki stay safe, balanced, and well. Ngā mihi for your continued support.
For more information please check out this link below
https://netsafe.org.nz/online-safety-at-home/managing-online-screen-time
Phones and Smart Watches

Reminder: Cellphones and Smartwatches at School
A friendly reminder to our whānau that, in line with our Cellphones in Schools Policy, students are not permitted to use cellphones or smartwatches during the school day. This helps us keep the focus on learning and face-to-face connections.
If your child brings a device to school, it should be handed into the office at the start of the day and collected at home time.
We appreciate your support in helping us create a focused and respectful learning environment for all tamariki.
Matariki mā Puanga
Celebrating Puanga Together – He wā whakawhanaungatanga!
Tuesday, our kura came alive with the spirit of Puanga, a special time to reflect, reconnect and celebrate new beginnings. It was heartening to see our ākonga, kaiako and whānau come together.
A highlight of the celebration was the sharing of a delicious soup lunch, prepared with vegetables generously donated by our community. Ngā mihi nui to the parents who came in to help with the preparation — your support and time is truly appreciated.
We extend a huge thank you to New World Merrilands and our Home and School for their generous donation of bread to accompany our lunch — your kindness and support is appreciated.
A very special thank you to our kapa haka group, who performed with pride and passion. Your performance helped set the tone for the day and reminded us of the power of connection through waiata and haka.
We also want to acknowledge the incredible mahi of our teachers and tamariki — from learning about the significance of Puanga to preparing and sharing the kai. This event was a beautiful example of learning, culture and community coming together.
As we head into the long weekend, we wish all our whānau a happy and safe Matariki mā Puanga. Safe travels to those who are heading away. May this time be filled with reflection, rest and reconnection.
Ngā manaakitanga ki a koutou katoa.
Important Dates
Kia Ora whānau. On Monday July 14th we have our Teacher Only Day at Welbourn. School is closed to students on that day. The first day for them is Tuesday 15th July.
In week 2 we have Learning Conferences on Monday July 21st and Wednesday July 23rd. Please see the poster below for link to book a time and additional information.

Social and Emotional Coaching Tip

At Welbourn, as educators, we understand that one of our goals is to teach our tamariki that they are capable of handling "hard" things. To help with this we use some "shared language" in the form of YOU statements. The image here shows you a good example of the wording that we use.
WHY? Research tells us that by using these YOU statements, we are growing an internal script for the children , which is helpful to them. It grows their self belief. It helps in developing their mana. And of course teaches them that they can do hard things.
Interschool with Frankley
HOCKEY: It was a tough game against Frankley! They had really great players and they were really good at defence. Both teams made some great passes. Frankleyś goalkeeper was excellent. Frankley scored some good goals. They got one in the corner. Elissa had some great attempts at goal for Welbourn and our goalkeeper, Emily, did an awesome job. The final score was 2-2 and I got a goal. Ryan Mason
INDOOR BOWLS: Interschool indoor bowls was lots of fun. Welbourn and Frankley played well. I liked having Tracy teach us how to play. We played two games and won one each. It was my first time playing and it was Maisie and Jazleen`s first time too. Jazleen was noticeable for learning how to play really quickly and she ended up being a really good player for our team. Lexi was great too. She had played before.
FOOTBALL: On the 5 of June Welbourn played against Frankley. In the first half Frankley scored 2 goals. Unfortunately we didn't score any goals the whole game. In the second half Frankley scored 2 again making it 4-0 to Frankley. The captain was Brody. I think number 14 was the captain of the Frankley football team. The player of the match for both teams was Aevan and number 17. We had a few chances but we just couldn't connect. We will definitely do better next time I`m sure. Aevan Comia
NETBALL: On Thursday Welbourn had their third interschool. This was competing against Frankley school.
It was a tough game. Frankley was amazing at getting intercepts. The score was 10 to us and 3 to them. Our defense was working great!.
The player of the day in the netball A team was Ruby! I hope you guys enjoyed it.
Thank you to all the staff and parents who made this happen. Aria and Leah B
RUGBY: Yesterday it was inter school. We had a fun time playing rugby with Frankley. The score was 45 to 35 to Frankley. We lost by 10 points. Jay and I paid close attention to the score. I think Frankley was a good team, good at their defense and I think we did good at tackling and running the ball.
I think Frankley was good at running the ball too. I think we need to work on our defense. I also think we need to work on getting over the rucks with speed. The player of the day was Hudson.
Overall it was a good game. Nixon and Jay
Winter Sport updates
Winter sports -
Uniform & Gear Return
If you still have any sports gear or uniforms from Term 1, please ensure these are cleaned and returned as soon as possible. This allows us to reissue everything in time for the new season.
Winter Football - Cancellations can be found on the Central Football facebook page or http://www.centralfootball.co.nz/HOME-1
Hockey (Yr 3-6) Cancellations can be found on the Taranaki junior Hockey Facebook page or http://www.taranakihockey.org.nz/news-1/cancellations
Netball - Game times for future weeks can be found on the Netball Taranaki Website.
Community Sports
Taranaki Cricket are excited to offer students in Years 5 – 8 a fantastic opportunity to participate in an Indoor Cricket League during the July School Holidays! This is a fun way for students to stay active, improve their skills, and enjoy some friendly competition. The league will be held at the Sulzberger Indoor Cricket Centre on Hobson Street in New Plymouth. Teams will be drafted on the day, and with only 18 spots per grade, registration is essential to secure a place! The event will be split into three sessions: the Year 5/6 Boys league will take place on Tuesday 8th July from 12:00pm – 3:00pm, the Year 7/8 Boys league will be held on Wednesday 9th July from 9:00am – 12:00pm, and the Year 5-8 Girls league will take place on Thursday 10th July from 9:00am – 12:00pm. Each grade requires a minimum of 12 players for the league to go ahead, so be sure to sign up early to avoid missing out!
The cost to participate is $24.99 per player, and registration closes on Sunday 29th June at 8:30pm. To sign up, please visit the registration link here: Indoor Cricket League Registration.
Winter Football -
Any queries to:
Sam Cresswell Sport Administrator,
Welbourn School Phone: 757 5810
email: sport@welbourn.school.nz


Matariki mā Puanga

Matariki mā Puanga marks the Māori New Year — a special time to remember loved ones who have passed, celebrate with whānau and friends and look ahead with hope and intention.
- Whakamaumahara – Remembrance:
Honouring those we have lost. - Whakanui – Celebration:
Sharing food, stories, and songs and strengthening our connections. - Wawata – Visioning:
Setting goals, dreams and intentions for the year ahead.
Why Puanga in Taranaki?
While many iwi celebrate Matariki, Taranaki iwi look to Puanga, a bright star that rises earlier and is more visible in our western skies. Puanga guides us into the New Year here, rising proudly above Maunga Taranaki.
Ngā manaakitanga
Welbourn Kaiako (teaching and support staff)
Caught being good and caught in a book
Caught being good: Hudson Rm 6, Jamie Rm 8, Paige Rm 10 & Scarlett Rm 12. Caught in a book: Angus Rm 1 and Willow Rm 10
Welcome to Welbourn
Addison Williams-Bocock
Home and School
The Home and School Committee are on the hunt for some new committee members, and we also have a couple of key roles to fill -
Treasurer - full support given, we are after someone to take over from Matt, who has moved over to the Board of Trustees. This position takes care of the money side of things, so would be great for someone with some financial experience, or someone who has done this role for other committees or clubs in the past.
Kindo - This person is the key to our school lunches, setting up the Kindo app, and then sending the collated orders to the Pizza place. Great for an organised individual.
Both roles will have full support, and training, and are small on time, but big on need. We would love to hear from you if you wish to find out more, just email homeandschool@welbourn.school.nz
We wish to say a huge 'Thank you' to both Matt and Jo for their amazing contribution to the Welbourn Home & School.
Teacher Only Day reminder
On Tuesday June 4 the school is closed.

Puanga - Matariki Celebration
On Tuesday June 17th at 12.15pm, everyone is invited to come along ( bring your own mug) and share some yummy soup made by each class. We would love to see you !

Social and Emotional Coaching Tips
There is a myriad of research around to help us understand why our children sometimes show BIG emotions.. For this week these 3 pictures and statements explain this in a simple way.



Enviro Group trip to Rotokare
On Thursday the 22nd of May the Enviro group went on a trip to Rotokare to celebrate World Biodiversity Day. We went on an enormous bus that could fit around 50 people. When we arrived, we sat down on a big mat and we had some food. There were lots of other schools there. We got briefed then we went off. Our first activity was bugs which was when we learnt that a millipede has a pair of legs on each side and a centipede has 1 leg on each side. Our next activity was trees. We got a sheet that had different leaves that we had to find on a short bush walk, such as kawakawa and pigeonwood. Then we ran up a hill to do our next activity, which was spotting birds. Lots of groups found and heard loud chirping saddlebacks and we saw many tuis.
At the lizard area, Sophie showed us lizard skin and lizard poop. Then we looked for lizards in big glass enclosures. They were camouflaged really well and we only found 3 out of the 6. The last thing we did before leaving, was to check the possum traps , so we got to see lots of dead possums, which was really cool!
Also a big thank you to Kingston's dad for taking us there and back in his fancy bus.
By Katie and Leo ( room 12)

Term 2 Science and Social Science Tō Tātou Waka
Our schoolwide inquiry this term is looking at Floating and Sinking. In addition to exploring the science of floating and sinking, we are learning the history of Tokomaru waka , which we can see in our school pepeha visual and hear in our school pepeha, written. Connecting this to the mana model we use at Welbourn, the children demonstrate MANA TANGATARUA when they can understand and reflect on Māori history in their local area.
Ask your child to retell you the story of Rata and the Waka.

Sports News
Winter sports -
Uniform & Gear Return
If you still have any sports gear or uniforms from Term 1, please ensure these are cleaned and returned as soon as possible. This allows us to reissue everything in time for the new season.
Winter Football - Kings Birthday Festival this weekend for those who have registered. Draw will be available on Central Football website.
Cancellations can be found on the Central Football facebook page or http://www.centralfootball.co.nz/HOME-1
Miniball (Yr NE-4) - Starts 12th May.
Basketball (Yr 5-6) First game is Wednesday 14th May.
Hockey (Yr 3-6) First game is Saturday 3rd May.
Cancellations can be found on the Taranaki junior Hockey Facebook page or http://www.taranakihockey.org.nz/news-1/cancellations
Netball - Season started Tuesday 29th April ( Yr 5/6) and Thursday 1st May ( Yr 3/4) Game times for future weeks can be found on the Netball Taranaki Website.
Thank you again for your support and time throughout the past term. We’re looking forward to a smooth and fun-filled winter sports season ahead!
Winter Football -
Any queries to:
Sam Cresswell Sport Administrator,
Welbourn School Phone: 757 5810
email: sport@welbourn.school.nz