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Welcome to Kokopu School. Kokopu School is a dynamic full primary school just 15 minutes west of Whangarei, catering for students in Years 1 to 8. Our school has a strong community spirit and a friendly rural family atmosphere. We offer a wide range of exciting and inspiring learning experiences while developing tuakana teina relationships across the school. 1/9 Kōkopu School Kia ora and welcome to all of our students and whānau About Kokopu School Growing Together Learning Forever Parent Online Safety Hub ENROL ONLINE NOW 2026 Camps Kōkopu School - Since 1884 Kōkopu School is a dynamic school just 15 minutes west of Whangarei catering for students in Years 1 to 8. Our school has a strong community spirit and a friendly rural family atmosphere. We offer a wide range of exciting and inspiring learning experiences while developing tuakana teina relationships across the school. Our vision, "Growing Together, Learning Forever," and values are central to the teaching philosophy and organisation of Kōkopu School. We provide a creative, safe and exciting school environment. With small class sizes and high expectations of achievement, positive behaviour and working together. We have a strong tradition of academic, artistic and sporting success. Our students are encouraged to be ‘country kids’ through practical activities where they are challenged as risk-takers in a supportive and safe environment. Our Tuakana Teina focus (older students working with younger students) develops children that are caring, empathetic and respectful of others. Please feel welcome to visit our school to meet us or just to have a look around. RESPECT FOR OURSELVES Working hard to do our best with pride, effort and resilience. RESPECT FOR OTHERS Using our tuakana teina skills to support each other, being kind and helpful. RESPECT FOR OUR ENVIRONMENT Caring for our school and community environments by working together. Our School Values Keep in Touch Newsletter School App FaceBook

Newsletter Term 1 Week 6 Monday 2nd March 2026 Newsletter Term 1 Week 4 Monday 16th February 2026 Newsletter Term 1 Week 2 Tuesday 3rd February 2026 Newsletter

School Camp Information Camp Forms Please fill out the forms below for the camp you are attending 2026 Room 5 & 6, (Year 3/4, Year 7/8) - TangiHua Lodge Student permission and health form: CLICK HERE Parent Helper and Health Form: CLICK HERE Rooms 1 & 2, Auckland Parent Helper and health form - Click Here Student permission and health form - Click Here

Achieving amazing & inspiring things together. Developing our inspiring teachers. Building an inspirational community learning environment. Strategic Plan To view our full School strategic plan scroll down or click on the buttons below: Kokopu School Strategic Plan & Annual Implementation Plan 2026 Analysis of Variance/Annual Report - Kokopu School Targets 2025 Please click below for our annual finacial report. 2024 Financial Report

Kokopu School Community playgroup runs on a Tuesday from 9am - 11:30am. Community Playgroup Kokopu School Community playgroup runs on a Tuesday from 9am - 11:30am in the school whanau room. Come along and enjoy mixing with other families and getting to know the school.

Stationery Each class has a specific list for the stationery the children need. Stationery can be purchased locally from - Northland Office Products in store located 21 Commerce Street, Whangarei or online at www.nzschoolshop.co.nz Qizzle http://schoolpacks.co.nz OfficeMax https://www.myschool.co.nz/ Search for Kokopu School and the class your child is in. Room 1 = NE-Yr1 Stationery List Room 2 = Yr 2 Stationery List Room 3 = Yr 5-6 Stationery List Room 4 = Yr 5-6 Stationery List Room 5 = Yr 3-4 Stationery List Room 6 = Yr 7-8 Stationery List A small amount is kept at school for purchase in emergencies. For your child’s classroom stationery list please ask at the office. A notice will be sent home by the classroom teacher if any further supplies are required during the year.

After School Care runs from 3pm – 5:30pm Monday – Friday in our Whanau Room. It is a great community service and we aim to provide a fun and stimulating care programme for your child. Each day children get afternoon tea, time to do some homework, relax and an activity. If you would like to enquire about After School Care please contact the office. After School Care After School Care runs from 3pm – 5:30pm Monday – Friday in our Whanau Room. It is a great community service and we aim to provide a fun and stimulating care programme for your child. Each day children get afternoon tea, time to do some homework, relax and an activity. If you would like to enquire about After School Care please contact the office. Fees Regular Care: (e.g. care booked on a regular basis) $8.00 per session. (1.15hr per session x 2 sessions) $8.00 retainer fee if a child does not attend when booked. Kokopu School After School Care program is OSCAR approved which means there is a government subsidy for some families. Check whether you are eligible to claim an OSCAR child care subsidy from WINZ.

Parents are an important part of students learning. Learn more about how you can help. Learning at Home Parent Help Helping your child learn at home is a great way to reinforce what is being learnt at school and practice some of those key skills they need. The following pages will provide information about how you can continue to support your child(ren)’s learning at home as well as links to sites that can help you. Please note, if you have any specific questions or concerns regarding your child’s learning and achievement we would encourage you to make an appointment as soon as possible to discuss these queries with your child’s teacher. Reading Writing Maths As well as developing strong home-school partnerships to support our students learning, we are also dedicated to providing support and practical strategies that support parents and caregivers in their role as parents. The following links aim to provide you with resources and useful insights into the developmental stages throughout the parenting journey www.parentingplace.nz/ The Parenting Place offers support, advice, educational courses and workshops to help make your family life enjoyable and fun. www.mentalhealth.org.nz/ The Mental Health Foundation of New Zealand is a charity that works towards creating a society free from discrimination, where all people enjoy positive mental health & wellbeing.

Emergency Management Emergencies Emergencies can be a variety of things including, pandemics, fires, earthquakes, and lockdowns. The signal for an evacuation, such as fire, is a continuous ringing or evacuation message. We meet on the tennis courts close to the PE Shed. A roll of all students, staff and visitors is taken. In case of an earthquake we Drop, Cover and Hold until it is safe to exit the buildings. A lockdown or shelter-in-place may be signalled by the principal or their delegate, and authorities such as the New Zealand Police. If required, parents will be contacted to come pick up their child when it is safe for everyone. Even though tsunamis don't affect the school, parents may be affected in their ability to pick up their children. We will hold children at school until someone is able to pick them up. or arrangements are made. Communication During an Emerge ncy, Disaster, or Crisis We have developed a communication plan that identifies who is responsible for communications, which communication methods we will use, and who we will contact and liaise with in the event of an emergency, disaster, or crisis. The principal is in charge of overseeing emergency communications, but may delegate this to other board or staff members. Communicating with staff and students We have a plan for communicating with staff during an emergency, disaster, or crisis. We also consider how to share appropriate information with students to help them deal with the event. Communicating with whānau In an emergency, disaster, or crisis the school contacts parents/caregivers/whānau when it can, using the emergency contact details provided, and releases information to the school community as appropriate. Depending on the circumstances, our available communication options may include: texting/messaging or phoning parents/caregivers The school website has a dedicated emergency communication page for ongoing emergencies. https://www.kokopu.school.nz/specialnews Social Facebook and school app are also used putting up signs emailing parents/caregivers informing local media outlets. Parents/Caregivers must follow any instructions issued by the school, including not coming to the school to see or collect their children if advised. This is particularly important when the school is in lockdown under police instruction. Our communications with whānau explain how parents/caregivers can be reunited with their children in the event of school closure . Other communications Our communication plan includes procedures for notifying and liaising with the appropriate emergency service organisations and other relevant services and stakeholders to gain advice, support, and discuss logistics. We also consider how to manage media enquiries . At our school, the designated media contacts are the board chair and/or principal. The board chair and principal may work closely to prepare a response to a media enquiry, and determine together who speaks to the media.

Kokopu School History Kokopu School History The following was compiled for the 105th Jubilee in 1989 In 1912 there was one school situated between the Kara and Kōkopu districts. It was situated on Mr M. McKinley's property at the Kōkopu end of McKinley Road. Children from both districts attended the one school. This school was then moved to a site adjoining the Kara District Hall, and a teacher's dwelling was erected as well in 1913. The Kara residents decided to work timber from Mr Henry Cleary's property (later to become Colonel Wood's property). Mr F Watts was the carpenter. He married Miss Cope, and her brother was one of the timber workers. Some time after the project was started, Mrs Watts died suddenly. A messenger was sent to the timber workers to relay the news, only to be met by the workers carrying out her brother's body. He had been killed earlier that morning when a log rolled on top of him. When a tragedy like this happened on those days, the relatives were shown great respect. It was some time before the work continued. Nor was the completion of the work without its problems! William and Henry Wrack were the wagon men employed to cart the logs to the mill and the timber back to the building site. (These two brothers have streets named after them in Kensington, Whangarei. Wrack Street and Henry Street) While one of the brothers was jacking logs on to his wagon, the jack slipped and speared the upper part of his arm. The jack had to be dismantled and he was taken to hospital in Mr Nobe's wagon. The buildings were finally completed in 1913. Mr Brennan came to teach in the Kara school on it's new site. Kokopu School was opened on February 2, 1914, with Mr Kruger as the first Headmaster and a roll of thirteen pupils. These children came from the Guignier, Leca, Snelgar, Waymouth, Kokich and Baker families. At first is was a part time school with Kara. The six days a week were shared between the two schools. This meant that pupils often had to attend school on Saturdays! In August, 1914 the Great War broke out. This took all the young men from the valley including the Kara school teacher. Twelve men left during the war period. They were Donald Stuart, Melven Cleary, Jack and Charlie Nelson, Willie Dent, Harold, Ned and Henry Smith, George and Charlie Matthew, Bert Attwood and William Miller. The Matthew brothers failed to return home. During this time, Mr Kruger came to teach at the school, but because he was a German, problems arose through prejudices on both sides, and he had to leave the district. During Mr Kruger's term at the school it was changed to a half time school, three days at Kara and three at Kokopu, taught by the same teacher. This state of affairs remained for over twenty years. The next teacher was Mr Izod, a middle-aged man who had been a good athlete in his younger days. He played games with the children. It took a number of good strong boys to stop him from making a touchdown when he had the football in his hands. He had a big beardie dog who joined in the game too. The dog was really good in a tackle! He beat the boys for the ball! It was a sad day for the children at the end of 1918 when the teacher and his dog left the school. This was the end of the war. The soldiers returned with the plague aboard the boat. Donald Stuart returned home a very sick man. He stayed in Kara with his mother and brother, Murdock, for some time, then was admitted to hospital and died on Easter Monday, 1921. The next teacher was an Irishman by the name of Michael Daniel Regan. He came to teach the children, but had an alcohol problem. Many a morning the children arrived at school and found that there was no teacher to teach them. One morning a prefect sent the children home and a week later there was an enquiry held by an education board official, the school committee, and the teacher and the children. It ended with the teacher being dismissed. At the end of 1919, Lewis Cheeseman came to teach. He was from a well known family in the north. His wife died suddenly and a relieving teacher took over for a short time. His name was Mr Oswald Guest, and he was single. He left early in 1921. The next teacher was the first lady teacher that the school had ever had. She was Mrs Dyer. She had three sons and two daughters. Her husband was a Wayby farmer. Val(Pip), her youngest son, has been teaching school for many years at Tikipunga. In 1925, Mrs Dyer gave up teaching through ill health. She was succeeded by another lady teacher, Mrs Lennane. Her husband was a farrier and he took over the blacksmith's shop in Maungatapere for a time while his wife taught the two schools, Kara and Kokopu. In 1928, Mrs Lennane left and Mrs Brewer came. Her husband was a farm hand and proved a valuable asset to the district. The Depression in 1930 made things very hard for those leaving school because there was no work available. The local farmers were self sufficient, growing their own meat and vegatables, but many of the older identities remember the townsfolk who were forced to seek work, food, and shelter for their families in the country. In the early 1930s, Mrs Brewer left and Miss McDonald taught for a short time. She was succeeded by Mr Jim Wilson, who rode his motorbike out from town each day. The Kara school was closed down in April 1937 and about this time the original Kokopu school was moved to Waiotemarama and a larger school was brought from Maungatapere. World War Two began is 1939, taking young men away from the district once again. Mr W. Attwood's son, Tom was killed in action. During the war years, there were two more lady teachers, Mrs Kokich and Mrs Spehr, and at the end of the war the children were taught by a Returned Serviceman, Mr Neville Ward, who had served in the islands. In 1942, the Kara school house was brought to Kokopu and in 1950 work was begun on the Kokopu Block. A road was put through from Kokopu to Maungatapere and called the Kokopu Block Road. Returned Servicemen were settled there in 1952. The Kara school was put up for tender and purchased by the Dent brothers, who removed it on to their property. The Education Board recommended that the Kokopu school have a new school built and playing fields brought up to standard, with a school bus taking secondary children to the main road to connect with another into Whangarei, and returning, picking up primary school children and bringing them to Kokopu. Peter Buisman, a local farmer, drove this bus for twenty three years. School History 1958-1989 These 31 years have witnessed a variety of changes in the school and Kara-Kokopu District. In 1958, two brand new classroom were opened, and thanks to community involvement, the learners swimming pool was also built and opened. The original school house, constructed with upright weather boards, was replaced in 1959 when a new house was erected on the present site, west of the school. The original house can be seen near the road about 3 kms east of school. The school roll has fluctuated dramatically, being a 2 teacher school in 1958, increasing to 3 teachers in 1963 for 2 years, then levelling out a 2 teacher school until 1985, when the roll exceeded 50 pupils, and a 3rd teacher was again employed. A new classroom was transported from Auckland in 1986 and resited at Kokopu, testimony to an expanding community. A contributing factor to the increase in the school roll has been to subdivision of traditional farms on Kara Road, allowing greater diversification into horticulture. In conjunction with a growing community there have also been vast improvements to roads in the district. The Kokopu Block Rd was sealed in 1987 and later Kokopu Rd was sealed from the intersection with Block Rd to as far as the school. Kara Road is due to be sealed this year. Children in the district have been transported to school by bus. The days of Peter Buisman driving the Departmental Bus have gone, with a private company contracted in 1980 to take over the run. It was very convenient in those days when the bus was parked in the bus shed next to school, as the teacher was able to drive the children to sports days and take cultural and educational trips without having to rely on parents for transport. Improvements made around the school include erecting a flying fox, fencing the top field so the children are able to play without the worry of standing or landing in sheep manure, planting trees, shrubs and gardens, improved drains, a new water tank and an upgraded water pumping system which has allowed the teacher time to "teach" rather than call on his small motor expertise down by the river. A new administration block with library facilities was installed in 1981 and a covered walkway built to link it with the old staffroom which is now used for storing teaching resources. A skyline garage was erected in 1980 and to complete the compliment of buildings, our third classroom was resited in 1986. Teaching aids used in the classroom have kept pace with technology, making the classroom a more interesting place for learning. From the early 1970's equipment such as Over Head Projectors, listening posts, film and slide projectors, cameras, calculators, video camera and TV monitor and most recently a Commodore computer have all been acquired. These improvements have been subsidised by the various school committees, from funds generated by the "Working Bees". Up to the present day, the children have all had their part to play in cleaning the school, however in 1986 the cleaner's hours were increased from 5hrs per week to 15hrs, so a cleaner had to be employed to vaccum, dust and clean windows, floors and toilets. The grounds and building exteriors have continued to be maintained by parents at the "Working Bee". Many of the traditional school events have continued to be highlights on the school calendar. Picnics have been held at various beaches including Ruakaka, Ngunguru, and Wellington's Bay. The Calf Club Day is still enjoyed by children and adults. The Sports Days with other small schools in the district have been a feature, as has the annual cross-country meeting. Of course the dances at the Kara Hall have provided much enjoyment over the years, and the charm that the hall gives that little bit of "magic" to the popular end of year concert. Added to these have been the Guy Fawkes evening, and the annual School Camp which has been a popular highlight for senior pupils since 1975 when the children visited Port Waikato. Throughout the past 105 years the school has enjoyed a close working relationship with the community, giving a firm basis for a well rounded education. The extended-family quality of the school reflects the close-knit community spirit and this has ensured a memorable association for past, present and future pupils, parents and teachers.

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