Making the most of our local Environment
Situated with a stunning backdrop of Manaia, surrounded by bush, and overlooking the Whangarei Harbour, our school, students and community are very much connected to the outdoors. We make the most of Mount Manaia with the Y7&8’s weekly summit club run, day walks and our marine environment.
Four senior students filmed a series of short clips with LEARNZ (virtual school fieldtrip) and Adam, ex-Ranger at Bream Head Te Whara, looking at the Reserve and discussing their school Enviro group learnings with Andrew, LEARNZ teacher.
We work with a range of community conservation groups:
– Weed Action – identify weeds around the school.
– Predator Free 2050 – pest control monitoring programme around the boundary of our school.
– Whitebait Connection – using local waterways to learn about the marine environment.
– Bream Head Conservation Trust – visits to the Reserve, learning about local flora and fauna, working in the nursery and learning about propogating, learning about pests and trapping.
– Backyard Kiwi – learning about keeping kiwi safe, protecting this special national species.
In 2022 our outdoor classroom build was completed which means we can spend lots of time in Fern Valley. We have hens, a bokashi compost system, and a large school vege garden.
Weeding Fern ValleyMatariki Celebration / Kaitiakitanga Working Bee
Ocean Beach Clean Up Visiting Kiwi, visit to Bream Head nursery, establishing our ‘bee friendly’ garden, making compost