Hedgehope School
Hedgehope School
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Hedgehope School is a full rural primary school with a passion to inspire students from Years 1-8. We are located in Central Southland on the Winton-Hedgehope Highway, a 20-minute drive from Mataura, Winton or Invercargill. Our beautiful rural setting is located not far from the Community Hall, Rural Fire Brigade and Golf Course. At Hedgehope School, learning is grounded in opportunity, nature and community, guided by our core REACH values — Respect, Endurance, Adventure, Compassion and Happiness. These values shape who we are, how we learn, and how we support one another every day.
We are proud of our outstanding school grounds, which provide rich opportunities for exploration and growth. Our environment includes an orchard, chickens, a thriving plant nursery, hot house, tennis courts, a huge school field, a mountain bike track, a giant sandpit, a newly refurbished playground, workshop and our much-loved Treemendous adventure playground. These spaces are living classrooms where students show Adventure in their learning, Endurance in challenges, and Happiness through active, engaged play.
Inside the classroom, learning is future-focused and well supported. Our senior students benefit from 1-to-1 Apple MacBooks, encouraging creativity, collaboration and independence. Our highly experienced staff lead learning with Respect and Compassion, ensuring every child is known, valued and supported to succeed.
Hedgehope School is strengthened by a caring and connected community. Our active PTA fundraises to support student needs and enrich learning opportunities, while our passionate Board of Trustees provides strong governance and strategic direction, ensuring all students are supported to REACH their full potential.
We are proud to be a top-tier Enviroschool, holding Green-Gold status — the highest level. Through our Forest School programme on Channel Road, students develop Respect and Compassion for the environment by predator trapping and environmental restoration, and they bring this real-world learning back into the classroom.
At Hedgehope School, children are encouraged to REACH for greatness — growing as confident, capable learners in a school where values, nature and community come together.
Throughout the year, the students excel in athletics, swimming, touch rugby, cross country, netball, speech competitions and thrive at school camps, pet day, ski trips, winter sports days, science fair, technology challenges, and much more.
I look forward to getting to know your whole family and supporting you to enjoy our school and community. Please contact me or any of the staff at school, we will be happy to answer any questions you may have.
Kind regards,
Daniel Withington
Principal
20 Jul 2026
22 Jul 2026
23 Jul 2026
27 Jul 2026
30 Jul 2026
30 Jul 2026
Welcome back to Term 3. Please see the important events for the first week of term.
Monday
A normal day of learning as we welcome everyone back to school for the start of Term 3.
Tuesday
Year 8 Students – 10:45 am–11:30 am in the Library meeting the Central Southland Principal and ex-students
Mid-Year Reports will be sent home with students.
Wednesday – Parent-Teacher Conferences
Parent-Teacher Conferences will be held at school on Wednesday. These meetings provide an excellent opportunity to celebrate your child's progress, discuss their learning, and identify next steps for the remainder of the year.
Bookings are still available through the Skool Loop app. If you haven't already booked a conference time, we encourage you to do so as soon as possible. The booking form will be closed at 9am on Monday, 20th July.
Conference Locations
Tūī Class – Tūī Classroom
Kererū Class – Library
Pīwakawaka Class – Office
Thursday – PTA Ski Trip & Ice Skating Trip
Students will be heading away for either the PTA Ski Trip to The Remarkables or the Ice Skating Trip to Gore.
A huge thank you to our Hedgehope PTA for their generous contribution towards both of these experiences. Their ongoing fundraising and support make opportunities like these possible for our students, and we are incredibly grateful for everything they do for our school community.
Friday
A normal day of learning as we wrap up a busy and exciting first week of Term 3.
We look forward to a fantastic first week back and another exciting term of learning and adventure.
Dear Parents/Caregivers,
We are looking forward to a fantastic day of ice skating and games in Gore. Please see the itinerary and important information below.
Schedule for the Day
9:15 am – Depart Hedgehope School on a bus
9:45 am – Arrive at Gore Ice Skating Rink
10:00 am – 12:00 pm – Ice Skating
12:00 pm – 12:30 pm – Lunch in the Meeting Room
12:30 pm – 2:00 pm – Pickleball and PlayPod activities at the MLT Courts
2:00 pm – Depart Gore
Approximately 2:30 pm – Arrive back at Hedgehope School
Clothing
Warm, waterproof jacket
Long pants
Long-sleeved warm top and a spare warm jumper
Warm socks (one pair is sufficient)
Gloves or mittens (strongly recommended for warmth and protection)Beanie (optional but recommended)
What to Bring
Packed lunch
Morning tea/snack
Water bottle
Any personal medication (e.g. inhaler), clearly named and given to the supervising adult if appropriate.
Safety Information
Helmets are compulsory for all students while ice skating. Helmets are provided free of charge by the rink.
Students should dress warmly as the rink is kept at a low temperature.
Gloves or mittens are strongly recommended to keep hands warm and help protect fingers in the event of a fall.
We look forward to a fun, active day on the ice!
Dear Parents/Caregivers.
For all families heading to the Remarkables on the 23rd July, an email has been sent with timings and weather reports.
Thanks,
Daniel
PTA Ice Skating Trip – Parent Permission Form
Date: Thursday 23 July
The Hedgehope School PTA is excited to be offering an ice skating day in Gore for the non-skiers in our community. If your child has elected to skate, please read on and then head over to the forms function on Skooloop to fill in the Ice Skating Consent and Medical Information form.
Itinerary
9:15 am – Depart Hedgehope School
9:45 am – Arrive at Gore Ice Skating
10:00 am – 12:00 pm – Ice Skating Session
12:00 pm – 12:30 pm – Lunch
12:30 pm – 2:00 pm – Pickleball and PlayPod activities at the MLT Courts
Approximately 2:45 pm – Return to Hedgehope School
Supervising Staff
Wendy Horton
Whaea Rosanne Calvert
Mrs Jessica Venables
What to Wear
Students must wear warm, appropriate clothing for ice skating, including:
Warm jacket
Long pants
Thick socks
Gloves or mittens (recommended)
Beanie (recommended)
Students should also bring:
A packed lunch
Water bottle
Parent-Teacher Conferences – Wednesday 22nd July
Bookings for our Parent-Teacher Conferences are now open on the Skool Loop app.
These conferences provide an opportunity to discuss your child's learning, celebrate their progress, and talk about next steps for the second half of the year.
Please book your preferred interview time as soon as possible to secure a suitable appointment. If none of the available times suit your family's schedule, please reach out directly to your child's teacher, and they will be happy to arrange an alternative time to connect outside of the conference window.
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