About Us

Tāhuhu kōrero - Our History

At the southern edge of Te Whanganui-a-Tara, sits Ōwhiro Bay - a place shaped by land, sea, and generations of people. The histories of iwi and hapū who lived, gathered, and travelled through this coastline remain present in the terraces, middens, and purakau of the area. Here, the mighty explorer Kupe continued his pursuit of the ominous Te Wheke. The blood of Maui and that of Kupe’s daughters is said to have coloured the local rocks, Pari Whero. The Awa provided sustenance for those living and moving through the rōpu. This whakapapa anchors our kura and guides the way we move forward.

He Tikanga - Our AWA Values

Te Awa o Ōwhiro runs alongside our kura, the only daylighted awa on the southern coast. Our AWA values are the result of thoughtful consultation with tamariki, staff, whānau, mana whenua, and our ONE Learning Community. They capture who we are today and how we learn, relate, and uplift one another.

We use these values to guide our choices, solve conflicts, and celebrate our successes together.
We ensure every student and staff member feels safe, valued, and empowered to do their best.
We take these  principles into the wider community to be positive citizens and leaders.

Our refreshed branding in 2026 brings these values to life. Our logo weaves together the key elements of our place: the stream, the endangered gull, the wind, and the ocean. Together they reflect a school grounded in its environment, connected to its history, and confidently looking to the future.

 

Matariki: Michel Tuffery and our Mural

Ōwhiro Bay School had the absolute privilege of working alongside an incredible artist Matua Michel Tuffery (Mr Tuff!) as part of a Creatives in Schools partnership in 2024.

Michel came to us with a love of the South Coast and a real passion to work with the tamariki on a piece that would reflect this environment and its taonga.

Whilst tamariki furthered their drawing skills, they also were able to watch a ‘real’ artist in action. Michel’s sense of humour and endless laughs made the learning fun for us all. Having the maestro working alongside 5 year olds was probably overwhelming for both parties at times, however, very strong working relationships were established and we will never forget this incredible opportunity.

‘Matariki’ is the rare Southern Right whale who visited Te Whanaganui-a-Tara in 2018, preventing the fireworks from going ahead that year. Michel was inspired by her visit and always wanted to capture her in some way. Ōwhiro Bay School are the lucky recipients of this incredible work.

Te Ahua o te Kura - School Organisation

At Ōwhiro Bay School, new entrants join Harakeke 1, the flax bush which symbolises our school whānau/family. They then move into Harakeke 2 as Year 2s. Whanake is a verb meaning 'to grow' and this is where our Year 3 and 4 tamariki learn and grow to be ready for Māhuri, Years 5 and 6, which refers to a young tree/sapling. These are a natural progression from the learning spaces at Ōwhiro Bay Kindergarten.
Ōwhiro Bay School has four full time teachers and two part-time teachers and our learning spaces are arranged as follows;

• Harakeke 1 - New Entrants / Year 1
• Harakeke 2 - Year 2
• Whanake - Years 3 - 4
• Māhuri -Years 5 - 6 

Ngā wā whakahirahira o te rā - School Hours

 

We ask that children do not arrive at school before 8.30am unless a special arrangement has been made with their teacher. Students are not supervised before 8:30 am. Teachers are often busy with before school meetings and finalising preparations for the day.

At 3.00pm, all children are expected to head straight home. They are welcome to return to the school grounds to play once they have checked in with their parents or caregiver. This helps ensure everyone knows where their children are and that they are safe.

At 3.15pm each day, any children who have not been collected move to the school foyer, where we contact parents or caregivers as needed.

Enjoy Childcare offers before and after-school care based at Ōwhiro Bay School. Parents and caregivers interested in using these services should contact Enjoy directly. 

One Learning Community

Ōwhiro Bay School, in partnership with Ōwhiro Bay Kindergarten, forms a community of learners from birth onwards. Our One Learning Community fosters a sense of belonging that encourages life long learning. Through collaborative relationships we celebrate diversity and honour family and whānau aspirations. The teachers collaborate on a regular basis to achieve our shared vision statement:

E tipu e rea – In our children lies our future.