Our Vision for the school is encompassed in our motto:

"To build a Hearty future"

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 Orowhana Te Maunga within the embrace of Te Rarawa te iwi.

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

With a combination of mixed ages, there is a sense of whānaungatanga 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 recognizes 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 is valued for their contributions, needs, skills, and unique flair.

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 can 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 year's plan and vision, “Project Pride and Play”. We propose to design, plan, and develop a Natural School Playground. Students are to work cooperatively and collaboratively to research, design, and build a model playground.

The 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.

This Project will require a huge amount of planning, prepping, and time, especially for a project of this scale, and the skills that 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 need 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, lifetimes to come. This project also serves another purpose also which is to develop and strengthen ties between school, whanau, and community, a core value we hold.

So next time you're 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 with one of our friendly members of Herekino School.