The Aokautere School Parent Group is a friendly group of parents and caregivers of children currently attending the school, along with a teacher representative. Our purpose is to organise fundraising and social events for our school community.

Each term the Parent Group works together to organise at least one fundraiser for the school, for example, the walkathon, movie nights, discos, sausage sizzles, raffles and family picnics. We’re always eager for new ideas you may have!

We invite you to come and join us at a meeting; get to know other parents and see how you might wish to contribute. We value a wide range of skills and experience so there is always an opportunity for new people to be involved.

The Parent Group meets in the staff room at 7 pm on the first Wednesday of every month (excluding school holidays). Special meetings are organised as required and announced on the School Facebook page as well as posted on the school’s SchoolStream App and by email, with a week's notice. If you can’t be there in person, it’s easy to keep up to date with what’s going on by email.

If you’d like to join there are plenty of ways to do so: come along to a meeting, speak to any of the parent group members, message us on Facebook or you can obtain contact details via the school office.

We work closely with the teachers so being involved in the Parent Group is an excellent way to get to know the staff. By being involved, you get to have a say in how we fundraise and in turn how we spend the proceeds.

‘Like’ our Facebook page to keep up to date with what’s going on:

Aokautere School Māori Whānau Group

He mihi mahana ki a koutou katoa - Warm greetings to all.

Who and what is the Whānau Group?

The Whānau group is made up of parents and teachers who provide consultation and education for Aokautere School to uphold, enhance and support Te Ao Māori (the Māori world).

The Ministry of Education requires every New Zealand School to implement Ka Hikitia - Accelerating Success 2013-2017: The Māori Education Strategy.

This Strategy was established "to make a significant difference for Māori students in education.... We know Māori students do much better when education reflects and values their identity, language and culture".1

It is this focus on identity, language and culture that the Whānau Group aims to enhance, particularly for Māori students. The work of the Whānau Group, however, benefits all students at Aokautere School who wish to engage in Te Ao Māori, regardless of ethnicity.

What does the Whānau Group do? 

• Supports the bicultural focus of the school to uphold the Ministry of Education’s commitment to Te Tiriti o Waitangi and the Ka Hikitia Strategy
• Ensures effective and fun learning tools that assist in meeting specific learning needs for Māori students, and enriching cultural experiences for all students, to raise student achievement as outlined by the Ministry of Education
• Provides consultation to the school to ensure that our tamariki (children) have genuine culturally appropriate experiences so that they are fostered to learn and grow with a strong cultural identity


• Tamariki participate in these cultural experiences through – 


  • Kapa-haka

  • Learning Te Reo
  • Matariki (Māori New Year) Celebration
  • Powhiri (Welcome ceremonies)

  • Manaakitanga (Host responsibility)

  • Te Wiki o te Reo Māori (Māori language week)

  • Tuakana-Teina based learning (Older learners assisting younger learners)

  • Ako (reciprocal learning)

  • Māori leadership opportunities

  • Tiakitanga (Caring for others)

• Provides a support network for whānau within our school community.

Where does the Whanau Group fit in the structure of the School?