Frequently Asked Questions
What sporting and cultural opportunities are available at Chelsea?
Sport
All students participate in Physical Education, sport and fitness programmes.
Predominantly Years 4, 5 and 6 students represent the school in interschool sport. Interschool sport is organised by the Birkenhead Cluster Pincipal’s Association. The events are competitive and we focus on skills. Concepts of fair play are important at our school.
All children participate in a weekly sports programme. The programme includes skills practice and minor games as appropriate for each area.
The school has netball, hockey, soccer and miniball teams which play on weekday afternoons. For Saturday sports, children participate through local clubs.
Children have swimming instruction for 6-7 weeks at the beginning of the year and 3 weeks at the end on the year, weather permitting. As this is part of the school Physical Education programme, all children are expected to participate unless they have a letter from home excusing them due to illness.
Cultural activities
Students have many opportunities to become involved in a wide range of activities. Some are included in class programmes and Years 5 and 6 students are often invited to participate in special groups. There is a strong emphasis on art and creativity in our curriculum.
One of these groups is the Chelsea Singers, which encourages the children to take part in choral singing. The Chelsea Singers have held a number of very successful and enjoyable culturally themed evenings involving the children and their parents.
We have biennial school productions, such as The Wizard of Oz (2005) and Troy Story (2007). These involve acting, singing and dancing, and all the children participate in them.
We also hold school-wide intensive experiences every year. These involve grouping the children together across all syndicates, thus strengthening the relationships between the older and younger children, and the junior and senior school. Previous school-wide intensive events include The City Awakes, a train trip to Mystery Creek in themed railway carriages, and a School Olympic Games (including a sleepover in the "Olympic Village").
Chelsea School has a chess club, and facilities for outdoor chess and draughts games. We provide a venue for after-school drama and guitar lessons, and provide the children with the opportunity to experience other cultural events, such as trips to Te Papa in Wellington to attend major exhibitions.
