“Untapped potential” is the new focus for Kaiaua School, as staff and students embrace a shift towards nature-based learning and community connections.
The two-classroom school, nestled on the water’s edge in the Firth of Thames, is working to bring a hyper-local focus back to its curriculum. And with an abundance of local resources such as the adjacent beach, nearby Whakatiwai Regional Park, and strong ties to the local marae and community, school principal Carrie Taipari-Thorne says her 42 students are thriving.
“At Kaiaua School, we’re surrounded by richness – in the stories of our whenua, in the strength of our community, and in the spark we see in every tamaiti [child],”Carrie says.
“There is so much untapped potential here, and our direction is about bringing that potential to life.”
Carrie, who joined the school as principal in term four, 2024, says the plan includes embedding Te Ao Māori across the school, strengthening whānau engagement, strengthening partnerships, celebrating student voice and success, and fostering student wellbeing.
Activities like waka – Carrie regularly competes in international waka and dragon boating teams – will be integrated into the school’s water safety lessons, while trips to Whakatiwai Regional Park will provide a chance to teach bush-craft and rongoā rākau [herbal medicine-craft].
“Part of what our new journey is, is actually taking advantage of what’s around us and getting our kids out and learning and experiencing,” Carrie says.
“There’s lots of research that says that immersing our Māori tamariki in that context, in spaces where they belong, really lifts and enhances their learning… helps them to be strong and know where they belong. If they have those foundations, anything is possible for them.”
Carrie credits the school’s successful transformation to the support of its dedicated team of educators, school board, and community partners, and says the kura [school] is creating learning experiences that reflect the unique context and values of the Kaiaua community.
“Our tamariki are hungry for more,” she says.
“More opportunities to express themselves, to learn through real-world experiences, to understand who they are and where they come from. And our staff are rising to meet that hunger with passion, skill, and heart. My staff are exceptional – a small passionate group of educators and leaders who believe deeply in the potential of our tamariki.”
