Start of Year Information
Nau mae haere mai, we warmly welcomes parents, whānau, and caregivers to Orewa College and share the key information needed to help students prepare for a successful start to the 2026 school year.
Click here to view the 2026 student handbook.
First Days Back
Friday 30 January 2026
All students Years 8 to 13 attend
All students being the day in form class, before moving to year level assemblies and house assemblies, following this schedule:
8.50am – Form class start
Year 7 to homeroom
Year 8 to courts outside Room 10
Year 9 to OAEC for assembly, then to form class
Years 10–13 to form class, then to assemblies
Year level assemblies will run throughout the morning:
Year 9 at 8.50am, Year 10 at 9.20am, Year 11 at 9.50am, interval at 10.20am, Year 12 at 10.50am, Year 13 at 11.25am, and Year 8 at 12.00pm.
House assemblies will be held in the afternoon:
McLaren at 12.40pm, Batten at 1.05pm, lunch at 1.30pm, Sheppard at 2.00pm, Nepia at 2.25pm, and Blake at 2.50pm.
The school day follows the normal start time of 8.50am and finish time of 3.15pm.
New international students
International Student orientation will take place over three days, from Wednesday 28 January to Friday 30 January, running from 8.45am to 3.15pm each day. New international students are asked to meet outside the foyer of the Orewa Arts and Events Centre near Gate 2 at 8.45am on all three mornings.
The programme focuses on helping students settle into school life, meet staff, and become familiar with the campus and routines. On Friday 30 January 2026, students will take part in an off site visit to Shakespear Regional Park as part of their orientation experience.
Returning international students will resume school on Friday 30 January. These students should follow the Returning Students instructions for their first day back.
New Year 9 students
On Thursday 29 January 2026, after the Pōwhiri, new Year 9 students meet key staff and take part in Rā Awhi activities, supported by the Guidance team. On Friday 30 January, all Year 9s start the day with their year level assembly.
Course confirmation and changes
Course confirmation and any course changes for senior students take place on Wednesday 21 January 2026 during Course Confirmation Day. This applies to students in Years 11–13. Year 9 and 10 students should see their Year Dean once school begins.
Key Term 1 dates for 2026
| Date | What’s happening |
|---|---|
| Friday 30 January 2026 | First day for all students No timetable day (Form Class day) |
| Thursday 2 April 2026 | Last day of Term 1 |
Week 1 at a glance
Orientation and first week activities
| Date | What’s happening |
|---|---|
| Friday 30 January 2026 | First Day: All students returning to Orewa College, Years 8-13. The day starts at 8.50am Year 7 to homeroom Year 8 to courts outside Room 10 Year 9 to OAEC for assembly, then to form class Years 10–13 to form class, then to assemblies No timetable day, students remain in form class all day. Assemblies: 8.50am – Year 9 9.20am – Year 10 9.50am – Year 11 10.20am – Interval 10.50am – Year 12 11.25am – Year 13 12.00pm – Year 8 House assemblies: 12.40pm – McLaren 1.05pm – Batten 1.30pm – Lunch 2.00pm – Sheppard 2.25pm – Nepia 2.50pm – Blake |
Week 2 at a glance
Timetable days and ID photos
| Date | What’s happening |
|---|---|
| Monday 2 February 2026 | Timetable Day 2 |
| Tuesday 3 February 2026 | Timetable Day 3 Form Class & ID Photos |
| Wednesday 4 February 2026 | Timetable Day 4 Form Class & ID Photos |
| Thursday 5 February 2026 | Timetable Day 5 |
| Friday 6 February 2026 | Waitangi Day |
Getting Ready for 2026
2026 Daily Timetable
Monday to Thursday
| BLOCK 1 (60 mins) | FORM (20) | BLOCK 2 (55) | INTERVAL (35) | BLOCK 3 (60) | BLOCK 4 (55) | LUNCH (35) | BLOCK 5 (55) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8:50 | 9:55 | 10:15 | 11:10 | 11.45 | 12:45 | 13:40 | 14:20 |
5 (5 min Transition time) shown between BLOCK 1 and FORM, and between LUNCH and BLOCK 5.
Friday
| BLOCK 1 (50 mins) | FORM. (20) | BLOCK 2 (55) | INTERVAL (35) | BLOCK 3 (60) | BLOCK 4 (55) | LUNCH (35) | BLOCK 5 (55) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9:00 | 9:55 | 10:15 | 11:10 | 11.45 | 12:45 | 13:40 | 14:20 |
5 (5 min Transition time) shown between BLOCK 1 and FORM, and between LUNCH and BLOCK 5.
Course Costs & Payments - Kindo
From 1 January 2026, all school costs and donations will be managed through Kindo. Families are asked to set up or check their Kindo account before the start of the school year.
- School Donation 2026 (tax deductible, non-refundable)
- Optional hardship donation
- Yearbook 2026 (digital or printed)
Click here to access the Orewa College Kindo shop.
Support is available via phone 0508 4 KINDO (0508 454 636) or email [email protected].
Uniform and House System
Students belong to one of five houses: McLaren, Sheppard, Blake, Batten, or Nepia.
Uniforms and house t-shirts are supplied by the Uniform Group, located at 5 Tamariki Avenue, Orewa, or online at oc.uniformgroup.co.nz. The shop has your child's name and house colour on file.
Find and purchase second hand uniform on our Parents & Friends Facebook group.
View the Uniform expectations and examples on our website.
Stationery
Stationery is ordered through OfficeMax. Ordering details are shared through course confirmation information sent to caregivers.
Communication
Key information is also shared with caregivers by email. Your SchoolBridge login is linked to the email address we have on file, so it is important to let us know if your email address changes. You can check and update your contact details through the SchoolBridge App.
Google Apps, Devices & Login Information
Google Workspace
Orewa College uses Google Workspace for learning and communication, including Drive, Classroom, Calendar, Docs, Slides, Sheets, and Gmail. Teachers use Google Classroom to share learning tasks and communicate with students. All students are expected to check their school email daily, ideally at the start of the school day.
Devices
Students require a personal device for learning at school. Any Chromebook or laptop less than five years old that can connect to the internet is suitable.
For Middle School (Years 7–10), Chromebooks are most commonly used. For Senior School (Years 11–13), a laptop (Windows or Mac) is recommended.
Login Information
When students start at Orewa College, they are issued a student ID used to log in to the school network and Google. Login details are provided on the first day, with usernames in the format [email protected]. Students are expected to share this login information with their caregivers as part of developing self management skills.
Student ID & Form Class Photos Day
Photos will take place on Tuesday 3 February and Wednesday 4 February.
Students need to be in their formal school uniform. No physical education gear is to be worn.
See the class schedules for 3 February and 4 February here.
Attendance, Absences, Lateness, Leave, Appointments
Attendance
Regular attendance is essential for learning, wellbeing, and success at school. For families, 90% attendance simply means no more than one day away from school each fortnight.
We look forward to working alongside parents and caregivers to support their child to attend school regularly and stay actively engaged in learning throughout 2026.
Poor attendance affects eligibility for inclusion in restricted courses, school trips and activities.
Your child’s attendance can be monitored on the SchoolBridge App. The percentage of attendance is printed on student reports. The percentage is calculated on students being present at school or on a school based activity. Explained absences (including sickness), will lower this percentage.
Absences
We ask parents/caregivers to advise the school of absences by emailing [email protected] or by using the SchoolBridge App.
If a student is marked absent for the morning, for an unknown reason, a text message will be sent to the first primary caregiver’s mobile phone. Please text back a reply. We are only able to receive replies to these messages we send on the day. Unexplained absences will be treated as truancy.
Lateness
From 2026, the school day will begin with a subject class rather than form class, so we ask that students arrive on time and go straight to their first class of the day. We appreciate parents and caregivers supporting punctual arrival to help students start the day settled and ready to learn.
If a student arrives late to school, they must sign in at the Deans’ Hub and bring a note from their parent or caregiver explaining the lateness.
Leave
If a student is to be absent from school during the Term, we need a letter from the parent/caregiver in advance, giving the dates and reason for the planned absence. Please email this to [email protected].
Students are likely to be ineligible for an NCEA assessment that is held during their absence.
Appointments
(Doctor, Dentist, Physio, etc)
If your child has an appointment, please order an “exit pass” via the SchoolBridge App in advance. A pass will be emailed to the student so they can show their teacher if they need to leave during class time.
Year 7 and 8 students leaving during the school day must be collected by a listed caregiver (or pre-arranged authorised adult) from the Deans’ Hub.
School hours
Monday to Thursday: 8.50am – 3.15pm
Friday: 9.00am start
Interval: 11.10am – 11.45am
Lunch: 1.40pm – 2.20pm
Transport & Student Services
Transport
Buses
Orewa College uses Bayes Coachlines for local bus services and Ritchies Coachlines for Rural bus services. For more information on bus transport including route information, timetables, school transport assistance policies please view the bus information on our website or email [email protected].
Pick Up & Drop Off
During peak times, there are stopping restrictions on both Riverside Road and Hatton Road. Please use Centreway Road if dropping your child to school. Students must not be dropped off or picked up within the school grounds.
If you must enter the school grounds (picking up a sick child, etc) the 10km/hr speed limit must be adhered to.
Student Services
School Canteen
There are two canteens at Orewa College, one for Year 7 and 8 and one for Year 9 to 13 students. Students can pre-order food before school for interval and lunch. Eftpos is available. The canteen menu can be found on tuckr.co.nz.
Guidance
Our Guidance counsellors are available to provide confidential counselling for students. We aim to work collaboratively within our strong school pastoral team to support students. The Guidance Department is located in Student Reception. Appointments can be made by emailing [email protected].
Health Centre
The Health Centre, located at Student Reception, is open from 8.40am to 3.20pm for accidents and medical emergencies and is normally staffed by a Nurse. Students must have a note from their teacher if visiting the Nurse during class time. All students must see the Nurse before they leave school to go home for medical reasons or if they are injured at school. Any regular approved medication must be administered by the Nurse, and the medication must be brought to the Nurse by a caregiver with the appropriate form completed. Please contact the Nurse with medical changes for your child.
Accident or Emergency Situation
If the school is unable to contact a parent or caregiver in an accident or emergency situation, or if the accident or emergency is serious, the student will be taken either to a nearby medical centre or an ambulance will be called. There may be costs that a parent or caregiver must meet. Please ensure you keep your child’s emergency contact details up to date.
Contact us
Orewa College
76 Riverside Road, Orewa 0931
Phone: +64 9 427 3833
Email: [email protected]