Facilities

Our two playing fields overlook the spectacular view of the Tamaki River and are expertly maintained for our students. With the transformation of the lower field into an all weather surface, children can continue playing through the wetter season. The community is welcome to make use of our grass field outside of school hours. However, please respect this field by keeping off it when the field is closed.

The area closest to the road and Glendowie Kindergarten is restored with flax, harakeke, in order to support the bank and wildlife. The Year 4s are charged with maintaining the harakeke as part of their Unit of Inquiry.

We are fortunate to have three adventure playgrounds at Glendowie School which all have shade sails for sun protection. The Junior Playground is situated outside the classrooms and supports the development of gross motor skills, lower and upper body strength. This playground is fitted with foam based astroturf and a sandpit with toys. The Lower Field’s playground is also a Junior Playground. Underneath is the Senior Playground which includes climbing, swinging, balancing and rotation activities. Adjacent to this is basketball court, which can also be used for wall and net games.

We have two full sized concrete courts out the front of the school. These are used to support our netball, tennis and wheels programmes. Outside agencies, including parents, also use our courts for before and after school for sport practices. Our fenced all weather surface is also marked out with netball, basketball, football and padder tennis courts. This area is especially enjoyed by our early morning netballers.

Glendowie School’s Hall/Gymnasium is available to hire for educational purposes.

Community groups also hire the gym after school.

If you are interested in hiring the gym, please contact the office on (09) 5757374 or office@glendowie.school.nz

Our large carpeted space with internal moveable wall is well utilised for dance, drama, junior PE, class instruction, meetings. At one end of the hall is a fully equipped kitchen for food technology and science. At the other is a sound system and projector for presentations. Wireless internet is also available.

Our library space is large and well stocked with new books and resources. Tables, chairs, cushions, a couch, games cupboard and reader’s theatre make this a well utilised space and breakout area for classes and individuals during break times. Through a wall of glass bifolds is a large breakout space with projector and sound field system.

Our chess club also operates from the Information Centre on Friday mornings. Please keep an eye on the daily notices for when this begins. This area is also open in the lunch hour for the children’s enjoyment and learning.

There are a range of recycling initiatives that happen within the school. Each class and non-class area has a ‘Paper for Trees’ bin. Our school earns native trees for recycling our paper waste.  Students are encouraged to bring ‘litterless’ lunches.  Another recent initiative was to reduce paper usage by emailing the School Newsletter to parents and caregivers.

Situated behind the hall is our large greenhouse. This is supported by our Enviro Group, Unit of Inquiry programmes and Trees for Survival. Plants can be grown from seedlings so that students can observe the growing process and in a “School Fair’ year are mass produced for sale. Plants grown by classes are taken home so that students can continue observing the growing process. Plants grown by the Enviro Group are offered to our community.

Our Trees for Survival programme is situated near the Swimming Pool and Year 5 are our Kaitiakatanga (guardians). They repot seedlings to grow healthy plants that are then planted in the Auckland area. This supports the regrowth of natives and reduce erosion near unprotected streams.