The kaiako (teachers) and ākonga (students) at Tangiteroria School have adopted a hands-on approach to learning where they value learning from, connecting with and giving back to their taiao (environment). Tangiteroria School has successfully built a curriculum around hands-on, real-life experiences. These initiatives have improved students' academic learning, wellbeing, and sense of responsibility and belonging.

Back in 2022, the school started a chicken care project that’s now become a regular part of school life. The chickens live in their own little area called the Whare Heihei—though most students just call it the Fluffy Butt Hut. The students feed the chickens and collect eggs which get used in school baking, shared at events like a Matariki breakfast or school camp. Other times eggs are sold, which gives students a chance to learn about money and decision-making in a real-world context. Students are learning about animal care, responsibility and routine, sustainability, life cycles, empathy and both financial and food literacy.  The chicken area is also being used as a chill-out zone. It’s a quiet spot where students can take a breather, hang out with the chickens, and just slow down for a bit. The school recently used funding from the Northland Regional Council's Environmental Leaders Fund (ELF) to plant fruit trees in the chicken paddock. These trees will provide fruit for daily snacks, as well as for making delicious relishes, chutneys, and baked goods.

Around the same time, the students participated in the Whitebait Connection Programme through Mountains to Sea Conservation Trust, they started testing water and monitoring local streams. The Whitebait Connection programme empowered students to explore, understand, and protect freshwater ecosystems and the health of their local waterways. More than that, it’s helped them build a strong sense of kaitiakitanga—looking after the land and water around them and engaging them in the interconnectedness of community, land and wellbeing.  

Tangiteroria School received the Environmental Action in Education award in 2022 for its hands-on program that teaches students to care for and lead others in caring for the environment. Through activities like nest building and bird spotting, students dive into ecology and build leadership skills by guiding visiting schools. A key part of the program involves students collecting seeds from the bush, growing them into seedlings, and then planting them at both the school and a local community site. This project lets them witness the lasting positive effect of their efforts.

In 2024, a Creative in Schools project brought local artists into the mix. Students explored the ngahere (bush), learnt about native plants and animals, and listened to stories from the area. All of that came together in a big mural that now lives at the school. It’s full of local wildlife—ruru, eels, manu and native trees—and was designed and painted by students of all ages. It’s a cool reminder of everything they learnt and the place they call home, as well as a way to pass that knowledge on to future students. Projects like this encourage storytelling, identity and environmental literacy, and exemplifies how the land is a source of knowledge, learning and connection.  

Looking ahead to 2025, there are even more student-led projects on the go. One group noticed a bit of unused space at school and decided to turn it into a sensory garden. This project was student led, driven by students noticing that one student would go to that space for a bit of time out to help regulate themselves, so they thought why not make it a space that is specifically designed for that purpose.  They applied for Tū Manawa funding and are now planning a calm and nature-connected area where students can unwind, observe native plants, butterflies, and birds, and engage in quiet reflection.    

Play areas are also changing, thanks to student ideas. Instead of building permanent playgrounds, the school supports pop-up zones that match what students are into at the time—like the “Caution Café,” dinosaur gardens, and car racetrack areas. It’s all about creativity, flexibility, and letting kids shape their own spaces.  

And then there’s the bees. Tangiteroria School has a connection with Tahi Honey, and every few weeks, beekeepers come in to work with the students. They learn about hive health, bee care, and sustainability—and yes, they get to wear the full bee suits. It’s hands-on science that ties straight into the curriculum and gives students a real sense of purpose.  

All of these projects reflect what Tangiteroria School is all about—listening to students, connecting with the environment, and making learning real. It’s not just about what happens in the classroom—it’s about what students can do, create, and care for in the world around them. Together, these projects represent something much larger than their individual parts. They are helping students connect classroom learning to real life, to their own wellbeing, and to the land and people around them. They also lay the groundwork for something long-term—something students can come back to, build on, and pass forward.  

Tangiteroria School advocates for a hands-on, student-led, and place-based approach to learning. Staff believe a rich learning environment will not only foster literacy and numeracy skills but also empower students with the mana to act as kaitiaki (guardians) of their environment.  

Tangiteroria School tamariki are great examples of how diverse learning experiences create varied outcomes for learners, staff and wider community. Tangiteroria are supported through the Enviroschools programme, working towards environmental, educational, economic and social and community benefits and the Garden to Table initiative. These are absolutely complementary to the support offered through Healthy Active Learning, to promote healthy, holistic environments and connection to community. When schools are strategic about how they utilise different external providers, and those external providers are aware of how their mahi supports others, and are willing to work alongside others, magic can happen. Tangiteroria School has done this seamlessly, taking it upon themselves to ensure the projects and people within their school are all contributing to their goals.  

This story has been created with the support of Eden Hakaraia who taught at Tangiteroria School until mid-2025.

Article written by Jen Fielden, Healthy Active Learning Lead