Education Outside the Classroom (EOTC) is a real highlight at Sandspit Road School. Beyond the classroom walls, we frequently use our rich local Waiuku environment and community for local trips and learning experiences that bring our curriculum to life.
These hands-on outdoor opportunities build confidence, resilience, teamwork, and independence. Our progressive camp pathway offers age-appropriate adventures as students move up through the school:
We make the most of fantastic locations across our region, with camp destinations including Camp Bentzon on Kawau Island, Camp Raglan, and Camp Adair in the Hunua Ranges.
For our sporting tamariki in Years 7 and 8 we also have Sports Camp which takes place in Term 2 at Camp Adair.
At Sandspit Road School, student learning is supported in a host of ways.
We have a dedicated and experienced team of learning support teachers who work across our school. In line with Ministry of Education best practice our teacher aides work predominantly within the classroom to support students and teachers in an inclusive manner. We have a supportive School Board who value the work of teacher aides and provide additional funding annually toward this resource.
English Language Learners are supported by a structured programme designed to assist in developing their English and enable them to better access the curriculum.
We have a Special Education Needs Coordinator (SENCO) who is responsible for accessing support for learners. Within the scope of what is offered by the Ministry of Education, our SENCO is able to apply for a range of additional support for learners including RTLB, Moderate Needs, Behaviour Support, High Health Needs, In Class Support, Speech Language Therapy, ORS. Our SENCO works closely with teachers and families to achieve the best possible outcome for students. As with all schools, our SENCO is required to work within the brief of each support provided by the Ministry of Education. While every effort is made to secure support, an application does not automatically produce external support. Often parents will be asked to provide supporting information by coming and meeting with the SENCO.
The classroom teacher should be your first contact for any concerns you have about your child’s learning or wellbeing.
At Sandspit Road School, we proudly welcome and celebrate students from all language and cultural backgrounds.
English language development is supported by a specialised ESOL programme designed to build confidence in speaking, listening, reading, and writing. Through tailored, small-group and individual guidance, our dedicated team helps tamariki gain fluency at their own pace—ensuring they feel supported, connected, and ready to thrive across all areas of school life.
Schools and playgrounds can be busy, high-energy places. At times, all that noise and activity can feel a bit overwhelming for some tamariki. At Sandspit Road School, Mauri Tau provides a safe, peaceful space where students can slow down their minds and bodies, reset, and recharge.
How Mauri Tau Supports Our Learners
Mauri Tau ensures every learner has the space and support they need to feel calm, connected, and ready to thrive.
At Sandspit Road School, we encourage all students to get involved, discover new passions, and build confidence through a rich variety of cultural, sporting, environmental, and leadership opportunities.
Empowering senior students to take on responsibility is a core part of life at Sandspit Road School. Our Student Leaders, House Captains, and student monitors play an active role in organising school events, leading assemblies, supporting younger tamariki, and representing student voice across our school community.
We believe our tamariki have the potential to be our future leaders of Aotearoa. At Sandspit Road School we strive to give our students the opportunities to lead in all aspects of school life. We regularly review the types of leadership opportunities available. Part of being a great leader is developing understanding of what makes a Leader and ensure students have opportunities to lead in a range of areas such as Cultural, Learning, Sports and the Arts.
We have four House Leaders and four Deputy House Leaders. They help run assemblies and in-school events.
Other leadership opportunities include Kapa Haka and Pasifika Leaders, Peer Mediators, Librarians, Flag Monitors, Road Patrollers and Sports Leaders.
Although our Leaders are in Year 7 and 8 we are looking at how students lead themselves and others through their actions from the day they start at Sandspit Road School.
Being part of the Kapa Haka group also allows our students to develop a sense of one’s own individuality and provide a sense of unity and belonging as part of a larger group.
Senior students play a key role in the Kapa Haka group, showing what they, as leaders, can achieve by way of doing. They become the role models to our juniors, building strong relationships. It is a great way for our tamariki to experience being a valued part of a group.
The Kapa Haka group showcase their skills and perform at school occasions such as:
Nau mai, haere mai ki ngaa ropu! Any student is welcome to join Kapa Haka.
We are incredibly proud of our students who represent Sandspit Road School with pride, humility and excellence.
Our Pasifika group provides an opportunity for children to gather together to learn songs and dances from throughout the Pacific. We recognise that this fosters a sense of belonging and builds confidence with our Pasifika students. Every performance, assembly and community event reflects many hours of dedication. It provides children with the opportunities to grow their leadership and performance skills. Pasifika Group members perform throughout the year, the largest event being the Cultural festival in March.
The Pasifika group meets at lunchtimes with Whaea Va to rehearse, learn new skills, support one another and grow as leaders.
"It is about more than performing. It's about building confidence, identity, team work and serving others."
We welcome and encourage children of any culture to join our Pasifika group. Our vision is for no-one to walk alone. We celebrate together, we support one another, we lift each other up. When one child succeeds, we all succeed.
We believe that it takes a village to raise a child. We are a collective. We work together and support one another so our children can flourish.
Keeping active, building teamwork, and demonstrating sportsmanship are central to school life. All students participate in physical education and school-wide
events like Athletics and Cross Country. Students in Years 5-8 also have opportunities to represent Sandspit Road School in Waiuku and Franklin inter-school competitions, including touch rugby, netball, cricket, and soccer. Students in Years 2 to 6 have valuable swimming and aquatics safety lessons at Fulton Swimming School.
Through the Trees for Survival programme, our students take hands-on action to care for our local ecosystem. Tamariki nurture native plant seedlings in our school shade house and head out into the wider Waiuku community on annual planting days—learning about biodiversity, sustainability, and kaitiakitanga (guardianship of the land).
Sandspit Road School is proud to be a certified Travelwise school in partnership with Auckland Transport. This initiative promotes safe, active modes of travel—such as walking, scootering, and cycling to school. It helps keep our students healthy and active, reduces road congestion near our gates, and teaches lifelong road safety awareness.
Parents, please support our local businesses
Visit Website
Call Direct
Send Email
Visit Website
Call Direct
Send Email
Call Direct
Send Email
Visit Website
Call Direct
Send Email
Visit Website
Call Direct
Send Email
Visit Website
Scan this code to download the app
Download our Skool Loop App, a simple and free download. In Google Play & App Store search ‘Skool Loop’ and choose our school once installed.
