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Principal Welcome

Kia ora and welcome to Knapdale School's webpage.

Knapdale School is a rural school in Eastern Southland. Situated 10 minutes north of Gore, Knapdale School is nestled in viewing distance of the Hokonui Hills and Mataura River.

We are well supported by our rural community with the school playing a major part of its proud history for the last 140 years. We have access to a school pool, a school bus and use of the Knapdale Hall when we need it.

We are a full primary (Year 0-8) with a wide catchment with the majority of our tamariki coming to school via our school bus. We are a U2 school with 65 tamariki who come from a range of backgrounds and cultures. The school’s values of Respect (Whakaute), Responsibility (Kawenga) and Resilience (Aumangea) play a major part in ensuring that there is a caring environment in which all of our tamariki can thrive.

We have a wonderfully supportive community and school whanau who are committed to ensuring that we are well equipped for quality teaching and learning.

We have an exceptional staff that are dedicated to ensuring that our students receive the best education possible.

We have Google Apps for Education. Students in the two senior rooms have their own email and all students have access to technology in their classrooms. Teaching them about their digital footprint is an important aspect of their learning in this day and age. Ultimately, we want all of our tamariki to leave Knapdale as proud life-long learners, who show respect, responsibility and resilience in all of the choices and decisions that they make.

Please have a look around our website and if you have any questions, then please feel free to contact me. I look forward to hearing from you.

Raewyn Ramage - Principal

Term Dates 2023

Term 1 - 1st February - Thursday 6th April (Good Friday)

Term 2 - 24th April - 30th June

Term 3 - 17th July - 22nd September

Term 4 - 9th October - 15th December (date to be confirmed)

What's happening at Knapdale School?

Latest Notices

Can Tabs

26 May 2025

Thanks to all who gave their can tabs at the Baleage competition. Attached is the poster that was on the wall.

I have been collecting these for years and I am asking for help from families with this. If possible could please collect these tabs and get your child/children to bring them to school so that I can pass them onto Kidney Kids NZ via the Lions Club.

Thanks in advance

Susan Roy

Office Manager

Mental Skills Masterclass With Dave Hadfield

26 May 2025

Hi Everyone,

Dave Hadfield is one of New Zealand’s best known and most experienced mental skills, coaching pedagogy and high performance consultants. A sheep and beef farmer until his mid-30s, Dave went on to do 2 degrees and a diploma and become a university lecturer in coaching, sport psychology and leadership.

Dave has worked extensively in NZ sport (primarily for NZ Rugby for whom he has been a consultant for 25 years), consulting to both elite players and coaches throughout the country. He also works as a World Rugby High Performance consultant (since 2010) and has worked internationally with the Toronto Blue Jays in Major League Baseball since 2017.

In NZ Rugby, Dave worked with the NZ U20 team for 6 years and NZ Schools for 2 years. At various stages, he has consulted to every NPC team and Academy, and worked with every Super team, notably the Crusaders and the Hurricanes.

He has worked with multiple sports internationally and has consulted at Rugby World Cups with Tonga, Samoa, Fiji and Georgia. Dave also holds elite level III coaching qualifications from New Zealand Cricket and the Australian Cricket Board and coached cricket professionally in his younger days, also serving for a time as Manager of Coach development for CD Cricket.

He has consulted in the corporate and rural sectors in New Zealand and has worked with several companies in high performance and change management. He is passionate about both psychology and pedagogy.

Please bring your $20 on the night or pay to Maruawai College Basketball 03-0915-0044765-00 ref Coaches.

Please see attached flyer.

Thursday 10 April 2025

9 Apr 2025

Good morning

Tomorrow, 10th April, the school will have no internet or phone line. N4L is doing an upgrade on our systems. I will have the old phone plugged in so that we will be able to make and receive calls. We will not be able to clear messages (from the message service or emails) etc until the upgrade is finished.

If you are going to have a child absent tomorrow, please contact your child's teacher and let them know and they will pass the message onto me.

Hopefully it will not be for all day.

Susan Roy

Office Manager

Knapdale School