Enviro-schools Guiding Principles

Enviroschools kaupapa is based on five guiding principles. Schools are encouraged to integrate these five principles in all the learning and action they undertake. Our senior enviro-leaders studied these Guiding Principles and thought about what this means for us at Pukerua Bay School.


Sustainable Communitues from Leeanne Arnold on Vimeo.

Sustainable Communities

At Pukerua Bay School we try to live in a sustainable way. We think about ourselves and others and how our actions can affect our planet and living things. We are role models to others, our community and people we meet by making good decisions to protect our planet from extinction. We keep making changes and improvements in what we do. For example, we pick up rubbish everyday but we are looking at other long term solutions.

Empowered Students from Leeanne Arnold on Vimeo.

Empowered Students

At Pukerua Bay School we can make choices about our learning and how we can keep our community sustainable. We think ahead about solutions and we try different things. We make mistakes but we learn from them.

Learning for Sustainability from Leeanne Arnold on Vimeo.

Learning for Sustainability

At Pukerua Bay School we learn about our environment and we use our learning to take action. We are upstanders not bystanders.

Maori Perspectives from Leeanne Arnold on Vimeo.

Maori Perspectives

At Pukerua Bay School we are learning about our local stories. We have a whanau group and we learn our haka. We say waiata and karakia each morning. We learn about tikanga through Kapa Haka.

Respect for Diversity of People and Cultures from Leeanne Arnold on Vimeo.


Respect for Diversity of People and Cultures

We need to respect other people and their cultures so they will help us protect the environment. An example of showing respect for diversity is when we use sign language in our morning karakia. We respect people with different abilities and make changes in our school and our classroom to help them. We enjoy learning about other people and cultures.

Secret Valley Mural

Pukerua Bay School students have a secret, but they don't want to keep it quiet, they want everyone to know. 

Last year a group of talented students worked with local artist Charlotte Steark to create this beautiful mural in the Education Pavilion in Secret Valley.

The walls were transformed with designs depicting local flora and fauna. There is also a seascape with a sustainability theme (marine reserves, food chain and sustainable fishing).

It was thought the formerly white walls could be a target for graffiti. Now its hoped this gorgeous mural will be a source of pride and inspiration for present, past and future Pukerua Bay School students. 

One of the five key principles of Enviro Schools is Sustainable Communities. As an Enviro-School we try to live in a sustainable way – looking after the planet and ourselves. We encourage others to join us and we aim to be role models and teachers for the people around us. 

Another key principle is Respect for Diversity of People and Culture. One way we upheld this principle was by drawing our artists from across the school community. All ages were represented. This is important as we want our senior students to develop leadership experience to take as they move on to college. We also want our junior students to develop and bring their experience through the school as they grow.

For those not familiar with Secret Valley, it is a small bush area in the gully created by Waimapihi Stream. It sits between the railway line (near the Pukerua Bay Railway Station) and Takutai Road.

Around 1997 this area was restored by local community groups. It contains a walking track, several small bridge and the education centre. Pukerua Bay School students have previously been involved in cleaning up rubbish in this area. The school hopes to be involved in future developments in this area, including developing signage.  

2017 Enviro Leadership Team

A key part of being an Enviro School is student empowerment (whakamana). Students are expected to be part of what is going on; to have a voice, have opinions, be involved in designing solutions, choosing solutions, talking about issues, making the solutions into reality and continuing to maintain them.

At Pukerua Bay School, whakamana happens in individual classrooms, in small groups of students, and across the school through our Enviro Leadership Team. This year's team has representatives from all classes in the school.

Some of the exciting ideas the group discussed at their first meeting on Friday 9th March include:

• Developing a new climbing area and swings
• Having an area for digging
• Developing the Bike Track idea that was first suggested last year
• A duck pond, water park or water area under the boat
• More outdoor tables around the school
• New posters and signage around the school
• Developing access to the stream which borders the school.

We look forward to seeing what this group comes up with over the year. 

In the meantime, the next few blog posts will celebrate some of our fabulous student-led initiatives from 2016.