Why should my child start at Wairakei Primary School?
Choosing a school is about much more than academic results, the appearance of classrooms or ticking a box on an enrolment form. It’s about finding a place where your child will be known, supported, encouraged and genuinely happy to be there.
At Wairakei Primary School, that means creating opportunities for whānau to experience school before their child officially starts.
That’s what Spring into School is about.
What Happens at Spring into School?
Session 1 was all about “How Your Child Learns.”
Rather than sitting children at a table and asking them to prove what they already know, tamariki were given opportunities to explore, experiment, create and problem-solve.
There were three challenges to choose from:
Tallest Tower
Can you build a tower that stands on its own? Children were observed planning, experimenting, asking for help and working out what to do when their tower inevitably decided it had other plans
Create Anything
With materials such as pom-poms, paddle-pop sticks, pipe cleaners, feathers, string and paper, there was no example to copy and no “right” answer. Children made choices, developed ideas and explained their thinking.
River Crossing
Children worked out how to get a toy from one side of the “river” to the other without touching the water. Some planned carefully. Others jumped straight in and figured it out as they went. Both approaches gave teachers valuable insight into how individual children learn.
The important part? The learning was in the doing.
Whānau had the opportunity to see their child’s natural learning behaviours. This is seen in whether they plan or experiment, persist or change direction, ask for help or try another strategy.
Every child arrives at school with different “jigsaw pieces”. The role of the teacher isn’t to make every child start with the same pieces. It’s in noticing what they already have and helping them find the next one.
That’s where learning feels like belonging.
And What’s in Store for Session 2?
Session 2 moves from how your child learns to how your child will be heard.
Every child communicates differently. Some are confident storytellers. Some watch quietly before joining in. Some have plenty to say, usually at exactly the moment an adult is trying to get everyone to sit down.
Whānau will see how teachers notice these different communication styles and respond to individual children.
There will be opportunities to explore communication in action, ask child-specific questions and have honest conversations with teachers about how children are noticed, understood and supported at Wairakei Primary.
Because one of the biggest questions whānau have when choosing a school is simple:
“Will my child be seen?”
At Wairakei Primary, the answer needs to be yes
I really think the name cards were a wonderful touch to support Marcel in his sense of belonging and transition. We are grateful for the gentle approach from teachers, allowing him to come in and participate at his own pace. He kept asking to come back and make more creations, and then the next morning was incredibly upset he couldn’t come back”
Share this with them. Send it to the neighbour whose little one is nearly five. Mention it to the kindy friend at pick-up. Share it with grandparents, friends, cousins or anyone in the wider Taupō community who has a child preparing for their first steps into school.
Because starting school should feel exciting - not overwhelming.
And finding the right school should feel like finding a place where your child can say:
“These people know me. I belong here.”
Spring into School is one small way Wairakei Primary helps make that feeling begin before Day 1.
My Journey Through Learning
My pathway into teaching has moved through a range of places, communities, and experiences. Each one has shaped how I think about schools, leadership, and the responsibility that comes with working alongside young people.
As a farmer's daughter and the son they never had, growing up was filled with time in paddocks and cow pats, not so carefully married with tutus and ribbons. My childhood was the epitome of juxtaposition. Through the transition from small-town Matamata to Hamilton at a young age, the world of learning opportunities had only just begun. I thrived in the chaos of balancing multiple sports and performing arts, my parents filling my mornings and afternoons with swimming, dancing, hockey and everything in between. This chaos and experience then manifested itself in two of my early career opportunities - Swim Coach and Fonterra Laboratory Technician. While adding a buffer to affording life at high school, these experiences also solidified my decision to study at the University of Waikato to become a teacher.
My teaching journey began in Hamilton and then Dunedin, New Zealand, before expanding beyond home shores to international schools in Hong Kong. Working across these contexts provided a wide lens on education. Diverse classrooms, varied curriculum, and strong cultural perspectives reinforced a belief that effective learning environments rely on high expectations, strong relationships, and a deep respect for the communities schools serve.
Returning to New Zealand and settling in the Taupō region brought that experience full circle. The landscapes and communities here hold a strong sense of identity, something that resonates with my approach to education. Schools operate best when students feel connected to where they learn, who they learn with, and why learning matters.
The driving aspect for selecting to join Wairakei Primary School was the leadership focus: strengthening teaching practice, building collaborative staff culture, and ensuring meaningful progress for learners. My experience across multiple year levels and curriculum areas has shaped a broad understanding of curriculum design, assessment for learning, and the importance of partnerships with whānau.
A whakataukī that reflects my approach to teaching, learning and leading is:
Mā te huruhuru ka rere te manu
Adorn the bird with feathers so it may soar.
The success of a learner is in the adornment of skills, experiences and support to achieve their potential and fly.
The success of a school never rests with one person. It grows from the shared efforts of students, staff, whānau, and community working toward a school's flight and success.
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