Welcome

Our Core Values:  Manaaki  |  Achievement  |  Perseverance

Herekino School is a small, warm, friendly school surrounded by coastal and rural  allure and located 25 kms west of Kaitaia. Nestled below Orowana Te Maunga within the embrace of Te Rawara te iwi.

We are a full primary school working with students from Years 1 – 8. Teaching and learning is at the heart of all that we do together and individually. Our strength in small numbers allows students to cement strong relationships with teacher and peers.  Teachers get to know each child’s skills, strengths, passions and learning styles.

With a combinations of mixed ages there is a sense of whanaungatanga throughout the classes and school. A culture where students care for their peers, their teachers, their school and their environment .

Having mixed ages and abilities, it encourages and recognises that we are all teachers and learners, regardless of age, stage, context or experience. Every member of our kura is encouraged to share their ideas and abilities with others and are valued for their contributions, needs, skills and their unique flare.

We embrace the opportunities presented and work collaboratively together to provide new experiences, progress and a keen sense of self worth and personal autonomy.

We are committed to providing the best learning environment for all, encouraging and developing skills in communication, thinking, self management, social and research.  For some of us whose learning and achievement need accelerating the school is able to develop signature systems that support and flourish the individual.

We offer a range of approaches to educating our students.  Utilising our buildings, the outdoors and surrounding bush, students have space to explore, discover and experiment  in imaginative and playful ways ranging from re-enacting text read during guided reading to planning and designing exciting, engaging and challenging equipment for students of all ages.

Play comes naturally to children and by using play as the context for learning, we as teachers can and will support and encourage the students learning and inquiry in order to stretch their thinking to higher levels.

This lends itself really well to this years plan and vision, “Project Pride and Play”. Our proposal is to design, plan and develop a  Natural School Playground. Students are to work cooperatively and collaboratively to research, design and build a model playground.

Next step is for students to be part of the consultation process with whanau and community.  The students will be the visionaries, the architects and the motivation to construct a great asset not only to the school but for the community also.

This Project will require a huge amount of planning, prepping and time, especially a project of this scale, and the skills which our students will learn and develop are clearly going to  be an asset to anyone of any age to acquire.

Students will be involved in working towards gaining the essential funds needed.  With such small numbers, funds are needing to be raised, spaces need to be developed and whanau and school support will be vital throughout to entire process.

The amount of skills they will gain will be skills that can and will be transferable for years if not, life-times to come. This project also serve another purpose also which is to  develop and strengthen ties between school, whanau and community, a core value we hold true and steadfast.

So next time your in our area, or you want to take a peek or talk about some of the awesome things happening at our school, feel free to drive on over the Herekino Gorge or pick up the phone and have a chat up with one of our friendly members of Herekino School.