8 August 2025

PRINCIPAL'S MESSAGE 

Important Update: Proposed Changes to NCEA, We Need Your Input

The Ministry of Education has announced a significant proposal to replace NCEA Levels 1, 2, and 3 with a new national qualification pathway. 

These changes are designed to create a clearer, more consistent, and more meaningful educational experience for students, and our current Year 8 learners will be the first to experience this new system when they reach Year 11 in 2028.

What’s Changing

Some of the key proposed changes include:

• Removing NCEA Level 1 and introducing new qualifications at Years 12 and 13 to strengthen learning and reduce high-stakes assessment pressure in Year 11
• Introducing a new Foundational Award focused on core literacy and numeracy, or te reo matatini and pāngarau, beginning in Year 11
• Requiring English and Maths, or their te reo equivalents, at Year 11 to ensure strong foundational skills
• Moving to structured subject-based learning to replace the current credit-based system, improving clarity and consistency
• Simplifying grading using A to E letter grades out of 100
• Requiring students to take five subjects and pass at least four to earn the new qualifications
• Expanding vocational learning pathways that are co-designed with industry to better prepare students for work and training

These changes aim to support greater student engagement, ensure learning is more meaningful and consistent, and improve preparation for life beyond school.

Have Your Say by 15 September

We strongly encourage all parents and caregivers to click HERE to read the summary of the proposal, or alternatively, you can read the full proposal at https://www.education.govt.nz/consultation-ncea and share your feedback before consultation closes on 15 September.

Your voice is important, especially as our Year 8 students will be the first to experience this new system.

To have your say, please click the link below:
Feedback on A Proposal to Replace NCEA

​​​​​​​Kyle Brewerton
Principal

IMPORTANT DATES ​​​​​​​

2025 RI COMMUNITY SURVEY 

The Board of Trustees regularly reviews our strategic plan and the extent to which we are achieving our goals and meeting the expectations of our community.  As we refocus our efforts on our mission after this very disrupted period, we are very interested in gathering your input through this community survey.

The feedback and suggestions you provide will assist the board to understand the hopes and aspirations of our community. As an outcome of previous feedback, we have continued to refine our mission statement and develop a series of belief statements that guide decision making and goal setting. These are shown below.

The survey will close on Monday, 18th August. All replies are anonymous, and our school data analyst will summarise the findings and report these to the board.

We thank you for taking the time to provide your thoughts as we continue to look at ways we can improve for you and your young ones now and into the future.

And here is the link to the survey:
https://forms.gle/AYMcTNtp37BaC6Q27

 UPDATES ON THE SCHOOL BOARD ELECTIONS

Nominations have now closed for our board elections and as there were more nominations than positions available the election will be continuing to a vote. 

The School Board received a total of 10 nominations for 3 vacancies when nominations closed on 6 August 2025. 

Keep an eye out for voting information as this will be sent to all eligible voters no later than 13 August 2025.  The voting packs will contain all the details on how to vote in the election as well as candidate statements and photos from the candidates that provided them. 

The voting will close at 4pm on 10 September 2025 and the results will be available on 16 September 2025.  The candidates who receive the most votes will be elected to the board and the results will be shared with the candidates and our school community. If you have any questions about the election process, please contact the Returning Officer directly on 0800 VOTENZ (0800 868 369) or election@electionpilot.nz.

School Board Elections must be held in accordance with the provisions in the Education and Training Act 2020 and the Education (Board Elections) Regulations 2022. Your name and contact details have been provided to Schooled Election Pilot to enable the provision of election services for our school as required by legislation. They will use your contact details for the provision of election services for Remuera Intermediate only and your details will be deleted 60 days after the election date as required by legislation.

We will continue to keep you updated through the various stages of the election process, and our election date is 10 September 2025.

 BEFU SCHOOL VISIT RI 

It was so exciting and a very momentous occasion to welcome back our sister school from Fukuoka last week. The exchange between RI and Befu Elementary School has a very long history, dating back to  1996 when thirty students and staff visited Japan to establish an ongoing Student Exchange programme. 

The Befu group spent two days at school and their programme was jam-packed with a variety of activities. They were fully involved in meeting and working with many of our students. Thank you to Hiroto Tanaka for being our expert translator and we would also like to thank the Befu teachers for the lessons they took with our students. 

The homestay families did such an awesome job of looking after the Befu kids. We loved seeing the videos and photos shared by many of the homestay families, and we were so lucky with the weather over the weekend! 
The Befu students were also hosted by a number of ex-RI students who went to Japan last year, so it was great to catch up with them too.

To all the families who hosted the Befu students, we are extremely grateful for your support of the exchange programme. We now think of our RI students who are heading to Fukuoka in a few weeks, and we wish them all the best. The exchange programme lives on!

TOUGH GUY AND GIRL CHALLENGE 

What a wild and muddy adventure! On one of the wettest and windiest days of the term, 40 Year 7s and 40 Year 8s proudly represented Remuera Intermediate at the annual Tough Guy & Gal Challenge. Despite the torrential rain and howling winds, our students showed incredible grit and determination as they tackled a 3km obstacle course filled with tunnels, cargo nets, barbed wire crawls, water pits, and plenty of mud.

By the end of the course, it was hard to tell whose tutu was originally red — mud quickly became the day's official colour! Spirits remained high as students slipped, slid, and sprinted their way to the finish line, cheered on by teachers and parents huddled under umbrellas.

With over 1,000 competitors in attendance, the level of competition was intense. In true RI style, our students rose to the challenge. A massive congratulations go to Liam, who powered his way through the course and crossed the finish line in first place! Several other students were not far behind, giving it their all and showing outstanding perseverance and teamwork.

After some well-deserved hot showers, the food trucks were a welcome sight, serving up hot chips and hot dogs to warm cold hands and fill hungry bellies.

It was a day full of mud, laughter, challenge, and unforgettable memories. We’re incredibly proud of all our students who took part and gave it everything they had. Bring on 2026!

INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS NEWS

Our recent trip to Sheepworld was a day of sun, sheep, and smiles for our international students! For many, it was their first time experiencing life on a real New Zealand farm. We traded the busy city for the peaceful countryside and were welcomed by perfect weather.

The day was filled with memorable moments. We bravely fed farm animals, getting a few gentle nibbles along the way, and got to cuddle and bottle-feed some adorable lambs. We were also captivated by a live sheep-shearing show, where we learned all about the country's wool industry and farming heritage. 
It was a wonderful way to connect with a key part of New Zealand culture.

As this group of Chinese students heads home, we're filled with warm memories of their time here. They dove into local culture, learning Māori arts like poi and rākau sticks, found their rhythm in hip-hop, and formed valuable new friendships. We hope they carry these skills, global perspectives, and connections with them for years to come.

WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE ART ROOM

Year 8 extension students are making prints out of Tetra pack ( the inside of Soya milk cartons)

They etch their design in and peel back the silver lining to expose the undersurface. 

When they ink up and wipe back, the ink will go into the exposed areas or etched lines. 

CZ SQUASH 

Last Tuesday, Mason Tohill, Michael Chin and Adam Jackson competed in the Central Zone Squash competition. 

They played very well, with Michael winning all of his games. Unfortunately, they weren't able to take out top spot on the day. Well done, boys, you did a great job representing our school.

AFTER-SCHOOL TABLE TENNIS COACHING AT RI

There is a new opportunity coming to RI for the first time ever! 

The Auckland Table Tennis Association is setting up an after-school coaching programme. It will run on Friday afternoons in Term 4. 

Stay tuned for more information.

YEAR 8's IN THE FOODS ROOM - ROUGH, PUFF PASTRY!

Year 8 students have been learning about the science of making puff pastry, the lamination process and steam as a raising agent.

Last week, each kitchen group made a quantity of pastry, taking the time to roll and fold the dough to create layers.

This week, each group made a different product with their pastry: pork & fennel sausage rolls, potato-topped mince pie, spinach and cheese pie, fruit tarts, chocolate croissant, and apple turnovers. 

Yum, yum, yum!!

2026 ENROLMENTS

If you have a Year 6 student who will be coming to RI in 2026, we encourage you to start the enrolment process early to ensure we are well prepared for the coming year.

You can now apply online by clicking this LINK. If you have a query regarding the enrolment process, please contact Ms Amy McGowan at 
 enrolments@remint.school.nz

Important dates for 2026 Enrolment

REMUERA SCHOOL APP

You can download the free app from the App Store or Google Play. It works on both Android and Apple phones. It sends important school messages and forms a big part of our school communications.  If you have not downloaded the App, please click this link http://remueraint.apps.school.nz/share/ 

Features of the App:

• You can subscribe to alert groups of interest to you and your child
• You can access the school calendar, news and events directly through the App
• We can send out targeted alerts to everyone with the App or to specific groups

ABSENCES

All absences need to be reported by 8:45 am at the latest. To report an absence, please:

• Use the 'Report an Absence' link in the top right corner on the school website homepage http://www.remint.school.nz
• Use the school app or phone the office on 09 522 9890 Option 1 
  Please do not email absence notifications to classroom teachers
   

ABSENCE NOTIFICATION

Your children’s safety is of paramount importance to us.  To ensure the safety of all our students, at 9:30 am if your child has not been marked as Present, we will send out a text notification to alert you of his/her absence.  

We are aware many parents are simply very busy people and forget to notify the school so please respond with a Y and a reason for the absence/lateness.  Respond with an N if you have dropped your child at school or know that he/she was coming to school and we can investigate this promptly. 

Should your mobile number change, please notify the school immediately so that we can update our records accordingly.
 

PARENT PORTAL

Parents are able to use our portal to pay for their child’s donations and fees. We encourage anyone who has not already signed up to do so.  The address is https://parent.edgelearning.co.nz/

CONTACT US