Kia ora koutou. Welcome to Ōhaupō School.
Our school learning focus is centered on learning for everyone. While student learning is paramount, our B.O.T. prioritises professional learning for staff and values the impact this learning has on our school community. Together with our students we establish and maintain mutual relationships that promote ako- teacher as learner, learner as teacher.
Mrs Sue McLocklan
Principal, M Ed.
Ōhaupō – The School on the Hilltop
Ōhaupō School is the vibrant, picturesque rural school, located ‘on the hill’ as you approach the town of Ōhaupo, 10km south of Hamilton.
Ōhaupō School offers full primary education from years 1 to 8. Our staff is dynamic and proficient; teachers and educational professionals who love facilitating the learning journey of all our students. Passing on the passion for learning is what we aim to achieve.
We enjoy all the benefits of being a traditional rural school, with a proud and interesting history; yet we are also modern and well equipped to deliver cutting edge education for the children of our surrounding district. We have a current roll of 210 children.
The First Choice School
We are a busy rural school with the facilities to rival city schools and we take pride in the knowledge that our children are well prepared to achieve well at secondary school in the future.
History
The first school in Ōhaupō was started by Emily Kusabs in 1869 in the parlour of her own home. Her first pupils, apart from her son Arthur, were the children of the militia settlers. Emily laboured under very difficult conditions for the princely sum of six pence per week to run the school.
In 1870 a proper school, unlined and humble though it was, was opened on the present site. * It was the first* school building in the Waikato. In 1915 the school was destroyed by fire, but much agitation by locals resulted in a new school being built in 1916 on the same spot and in the same traditional shape.
If you would like to find out more about our history, you can read about it in “Winds of Change – A history of the European settlement of Ohaupo” by Valerie Millington.
Cultural Diversity
We encourage Cultural Diversity and have hosted many International students in the past three years. We pride ourselves on excellence in ESOL teaching. Our children are inclusive and accept children who have different needs and are from different cultural backgrounds.
Facilities
The administration building has a defined front entrance where there is a welcoming reception area. There are two rooms for small group teaching, interviews, and one to one conversations with visiting personnel. A functional staff room and a teacher’s work space area compliment the block. A bright vibrant student foyer especially for the students to enter and call their own provides a unique ownership of this facility as well.
We are very excited that our Year 1 & 2 students are enjoying a purpose built, innovative learning environment in the Kowhai Hub. Together with our Rata Hub (Years 3 & 4), Totara Hub (Years 5 & 6), Kauri Hub (Years 7 & 8) and Nikau Hub (Hall and Library), the learning and teachings of a modern learning environment are facilitated throughout our school. Our learning hubs connect our human relationships with our natural world and recognise the Maori World view of Kaitiakitanga. The protection or overarching guardianship of our school is led by the Kahikatea Hub (leadership/management) as the native tree of the Ohaupo district.
Ōhaupō School is part of a pilot scheme commissioned by the ministry which ensures that the school maintains a very modern, ultra-fast Intranet. This is operated throughout the school and is housed in the new Admin Block. This ensures that the students are given the ultimate opportunity to maintain pace with today’s ever increasing ICT environment.
We are connected to the internet via a high speed wireless link to the University of Waikato and implement on-line procedures to safeguard our children. We have built up a base of software and search engines that are user-friendly and Kid Safe.
Hall
The community and school cooperatively constructed a hall which provides the school with a haven of opportunities. For example, after-school care, extra-curricular activities (such as karate and music lessons), fundraising opportunities, assemblies, wet weather sports, cultural celebrations to name but a few.
The school hall is available to the community for hire for meetings and other activities outside of school hours. The hall is an all-purpose venue, with catering facilities, a stage and an extra room that can be closed off.
Playground
Two tennis courts, an adventure playground, an obstacle course, sandpit and a large grassed playing field all encourage the students into physical activity. The grounds are spacious and kept in very good condition with care and maintenance by students, staff and community volunteers. There are many beautiful, established trees that provide shade for students in the summertime. The large playing area enables students to participate in a wide range of sports both during school time and at the weekends.
