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Education
Mātauranga

Education in the Whaingaroa-Raglan district reflects the stunning coastal-rural location and with a local community focus on caring for the environment. The many options for early childhood care and education include Kohanga Reo, Raglan Kindergarten, Matapihi Kindergarten, Lets Grow Early Learning Center, Magnolia Tree Childcare, Raglan Playcentre, Playgroup and Homebased care.

Raglan Area School is a composite school and provides for more than 600 students aged 5 – 19 years. The schools’ mission statement reflects it’s continued commitment to te reo Maori and it’s unique position in the community ‘Celebrating education in a bi-cultural environment’ it  has a Maori Immersion Unit, Te Roopu Aroha ki te Reo, a Surfing Academy and the Enviro Schools Earthcare program. There are 3 rural primary schools in the district at Te Uku, Te Mata and Waitetuna. Some students choose to travel by local bus to Hamilton secondary schools.

Adult education opportunities include te reo classes at Poihakena Marae, Whaingaroa Environment Center workshops, Xtreme Waste environmental education and Permaculture workshops at Solscape. The Old School is also well utilised by children and adults for art and hobby classes.

Education as a core value of Raglan Naturally – a Learning Community.

Are the children well?

It’s takes a village to raise a child.

Not individual thinking, but community support

What we have

Choice and variety of education providers. Strong community of dedicated and passionate teachers. Our natural environment. Community support. Diverse knowledge in our community. Parents are already concerned about environment and the future so open to making positive changes.

  • We are well served by early childhood centres in Raglan including Playgroups, Kohanga Reo, Raglan Kindergarten, Playcentre, Magnolia Childcare, Matapihi, Let’s Grow, Mainly Music
  • Home based care

  • Raglan Area School and Te Ropu Aroha Ki Te Reo, Te Uku School, Te Mata School, Waitetuna School, Homeschooling families
  • Raglan Surf Academy
  • Public health nurses and sexuality education

  • Environment (Karioi Project), Sports lessons (eg. tennis, soccer, netball, basketball, rugby, sailing), Arts lessons (eg. drama, dance, clay, music, film)
  • Extra tuition
  • Youth groups
  • Poutama Tane – Rites of Passage

  • Adult & Education Generally
  • Te Reo Atarangi
  • Te Mauri Tau – Poutiria te Aroha, parenting courses, Enviro Schools
  • Xtreme Zero Waste – X Man
  • Raglan Community House – computing
  • Permaculture training
  • Community gardens, Whaingaroa Environment Centre

Most common themes from the community

Raglan Area School, support and ideas

Te reo and Te ao Māori

Training in sustainability, enviro, permaculture, practical life skills

Intergenerational learning

Apprenticeships

Aspirations

Education is a core value of Raglan Naturally – we are a learning community.

Provide early childhood education for all children in the community.

Provide support for families to look after younger children at home.

Children are safe in our community and are aware of safety, learning to assess risk.

Children are immersed in their community: people, environment, history.

Encourage bilingualism/biculturalism for our young people.

To be bilingual in our education centres and community.

Use Te Whāriki (ECE) and the NZ Curriculum to inform learning and teaching in our community.

Provide environmental education.

Provide choice and a variety of education providers for our families to choose from.

Supporting community to access diverse options – transport, fees subsidies.

Schools are future-focused and look at the big picture. They provide the skills our young people need to survive in an unknown future.

Develop the holistic wellbeing of our young people.

Meet the needs of the whole whānau. Support whole system – whānau, families, children and their needs.

Create a supportive education network in Whaingaroa.

Possible pathways toward achieving these aspirations

Why is education structured by generations?  What about inter generational learning?

Teach students/people how to transform vehicles -cars, bikes, scooters etc into electric vehicles at low cost.

  • Education for parents around child development and looking after young children at home
  • Support education around bullying and education for children and parents on safety.
  • Children are immersed in their community through: place-based education and making links with local expertise and our shared history; building connection and support with the community; growing awareness of things already happening in the community
  • Provide opportunities for our children to be bicultural and bilingual: support our community based programme for fluent Te reo Māori speakers to be part of learning in our learning centres; explore resources to support this
  • Schools and early childhood centres work together for sustainability of schools/kura and benefit of all
  • Accessible transport to and from schools
  • Sexuality education
  • Look at the support systems we have in place around mental health
  • More affordable permaculture courses
  • Support community gardens
  • Support Whāingaroa Environment Centre to run educational programmes
  • Coordinate a monthly education network meet up
  • Evening classes