Learning from the world around us
Our environment is one of our richest learning resources. Tamariki | children have opportunities to grow food, investigate native species, explore local ecosystems and take part in conservation projects that connect their learning to the place they live.
Through hands on experiences at our kura | school and throughout our wider environment, children learn not only about the natural world, but that they can play an active part in caring for it.
Māra Kai | Food Garden
Our māra kai | food garden and orchard are places to explore, learn and get involved.
Through Plants and People in Schools (PiPS), all Year 3 and 4 tamariki | children learn about permaculture, growing crops and construction, before following the journey of food into the kitchen through cooking and nutrition. Children taste and prepare produce they’ve helped grow, with experiences including cooking over an open fire and preparing salads from the māra | garden for our Matariki hāngī | earth oven feast.
Joan Jensen Grove
Along the northern boundary of our kura | school is a native bush area planted by teacher Joan Jensen around 60 years ago. The grove was later extended with 125 native plants, with help from Warwick and Kristen B.
Today, the grove is used regularly as an outdoor classroom. Tamariki | children can observe native plants and manu | birds, explore an established ecosystem and learn about the natural world around them, while experiencing a living connection to the history of their school.
Bay Conservation Alliance
Our senior tamariki | children work with Bay Conservation Alliance, taking their learning beyond the school grounds through hands on conservation experiences and visits to different locations.
Across a programme of eight topics over two years, children develop their understanding of native species and the local environment through experiences including pest management, species identification and learning about issues such as kauri dieback.
Predator Trapping & Dot Watch
Environmental learning at our kura | school is connected to the wider conservation work happening in our community through Sustainable Waihī Beach.
Tamariki | children take part in predator trapping and Dot Watch, learning about the native species that live around us and the challenges they face. Through their work as kaitiaki | guardians, students have helped with trapping, monitoring and protecting endangered tūturiwhatu | dotterels in the local area.
These experiences give tamariki | children the opportunity to put their learning into action and see that they can make a real contribution to protecting the whenua | land, native wildlife and the wider community.