COASTAL TARANAKI SCHOOL

Office Hours

8:30 am-4:00 pm

Hours of Instruction

8:40 am - 3:00 pm

Email: office@coastaltaranaki.school.nz
Website: https://sites.google.com/coastaltaranaki.school.nz/coastaltaranakischool/home
Location: 92 Carthew Street, Ōkato, New Zealand
Phone: (06)7524022 - 027 320 1267
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/coastaltaranakischool

Tēnā koutou katoa

I te tuatahi, tēnei rā te mihi aroha atu ki ngā whānau o ngā mate kua taka mai nei ki runga i ā koutou. Kei te hotuhotu te manawa i tō wehenga atu. Haere atu rā, okioki atu rā e ngā mate.

Ka huri au ki a tātou te hunga ora. Ka nui te mihi aroha atu ki a koutou katoa kei roto i te whakataukī o Te Kura o Coastal Taranaki, arā: Mā te whānau te tamaiti e puāwai. No reira, tēnā tātou katoa.

My warmest greetings to you all from Ōkato's Coastal Taranaki School.

We enjoyed our first full week of school last week, following a very moving and powerful pōw'iri on Thursday, 5 February. It was a very special welcome for our new students and their families, along with new staff, including myself and my family.

I would like to acknowledge all involved in the pōw'iri, including our hau kāinga, students and staff, parents, whānau, our local and wider communities, external agencies, Maketu School representatives and koroua, and our CTS Board of Trustees.

The pōw'iri was an opportunity to celebrate Ōkato's Coastal Taranaki School history and successes, acknowledge the significant work and efforts of those who have come before us, and welcome in a new phase of school-wide improvement, growth and development that best meets the dynamic needs and aspirations of our students and their parents and whanau.

As a school, we sincerely appreciate your continued support because we are serious about providing the best conditions for your children and mokopuna to excel in their learning, progress and achievement. As our whakataukī and vision says, through collaboration our learners will thrive: Mā te whānau te tamaiti e puāwai.

We have had a very settled first week across the school with start of year academic routines and expectations well established in classrooms. The various EOTC experiences and excursions have been very successful, including primary school swimming lessons, and secondary school PE lessons at TOPEC.

It has been great to meet and get to know students, parents, whānau, staff, volunteers and members of our community. Thank you for taking the time to introduce yourself to me, and for your patience as I learn new names and faces.

It has also been extremely heartwarming to meet so many of my previous Ōkato College teachers and fellow students and friends, as well as friends and families from Ōākura Primary School. Again, thank you for taking the time to talk with me and thank you, all, for making me feel so deeply welcome here in Ōkato.

We have a great team here at Ōkato's Coastal Taranaki School and it is a tremendous privilege and honour to be here as your Tumuaki | Principal.

Ngā manaakitanga, nā

Sonia Mau

Tumuaki | Principal

Te Kura o Coastal Taranaki | Coastal Taranaki School

Tēnā koutou katoa,

Nau mai hoki mai ki te kura o Coastal Taranaki kei Õkato mõ te tau 2026.

The 2026 school year began with a pōwhiri to welcome our new students, their whānau, and new staff, including our new Tumuaki | Principal, Sonia Mau.

The pōwhiri brought everyone together in a spirit of manaakitanga, connection, and belonging. Through karanga, whaikōrero, waiata, and shared kai, new members of our school community were formally welcomed, setting the tone for a year grounded in respect, relationships, and shared purpose.

Tena Koutou Katoa

Ko Maunga Taranaki te maunga

Ko Matanehunehu te awa iti

Ko Moffitt toku whanau

Ko Kathryn toku ingoa

Tena koutou, tena koutou, tena koutou katoa

E mihi ana ki Maunga Taranaki, te awa Hangatahua, ki te hapū Ngā Mahanga. Tēnā tatou katoa.

(I acknowledge Maunga Taranaki, the Hangatahua Stony River, the hapū Ngā Mahanga, Tēnā koutou katoa)

I’m Kathryn Moffitt, presiding member of the Board of Trustees.

Today I stand on behalf of the Coastal Taranaki School Board, Staff, students and community, alongside Ngā Mahanga hapū, to welcome very special guests.

To Sonia and your whānau, we warmly welcome you back. Sonia, as the new Tumuaki/ Principal of Coastal Taranaki School you bring education, leadership and experience. From your beginnings as head girl at Okato College, you’ve returned, bringing back your skills and experience to our tamariki and Coastal community. Thank you for remembering where you came from.

To Sonia’s whānau and her supporters we are so grateful for you joining us here, marking this day as we formally and warmly welcome Sonia into our space. We are excited for relationships to grow, flourish and thrive.

And of course to our school whanau and community. Thank you all for taking the time to be here. To either be joining your children as they start here or to be standing here helping us welcome and introduce new members.

Thank you to Sarah, Liana and Gemma for helping the Board organise today. It was a special event, signalling a strong successful next chapter for our kura.

Thank you to the community and local groups who have kindly allowed us to use their marquees for shelter and speakers so everyone can hear. Thank you to Ngā Mahanga hapu for your help and guidance.

We encourage everyone to stay for a bite to eat and mingle if you are able.

Thank you again to everyone here.

Tena koutou tena koutou tena tatou katoa

Please email gemma.chambers@coastaltaranaki.school.nz if you require a parking permit for any accessibility needs.

We are delighted to welcome all of our ākonga and whānau back for another exciting year of learning at Coastal Taranaki School. We hope the summer break brought rest, connection, and time together.

As we begin 2026, we also take a moment to celebrate the outstanding achievements of our senior students in NCEA 2025.

NCEA 2025 – A Year of Strong Achievement

89% of all our learners passed NCEA in 2025, with strong achievement across all senior year levels.

Level 1

• 87.5% pass rate (14 out of 16 students)
  
  

• 100% of our Māori ākonga passed (compared to 72.1% nationally)
  
  

• 3 Year 11 students also achieved their Level 2 Certificate of Achievement while still in Year 11
  
  

• Significant growth from 66.7% in 2024 to 87.5% in 2025
  
  

Level 2

• 100% pass rate
  
  

• 100% of our Māori ākonga passed (national average 72.7%)
  
  

• 60% of students also gained their Level 3 Certificate of Achievement during Year 12
  
  

Level 3

• 83.3% pass rate (up from 0% in 2024)
  
  

• 33.3% achieved University Entrance
  
  

• Results above the national average (70.4%)
  
  

Our external exam attendance was also exceptional, with a 96.3% attendance rate, and 85.7% of learners who sat exams achieving a pass.

Course Endorsements

We are particularly proud of students who achieved Course Endorsements, recognising consistent high performance across the year:

• Lara Smith – Merit Endorsement in Mathematics (Level 1)
  
  

• Lilly Petch – Merit Endorsement in English (Level 1)
  
  

• Caspain Fowles – Merit Endorsement in Geography (Level 3)
  
  

• Arabella Waugh – Excellence Endorsement in Art (Level 3)
  
  

Course endorsements reflect depth, consistency, and excellence, something we value deeply at our kura.

Pathways That Make a Difference

Our Gateway, Pathways, and WITT programmes continue to be a significant strength. These programmes provide real-world learning and enable students to gain meaningful qualifications alongside NCEA. For 2026, 24 of our 26 Year 11 and 12 learners have selected a WITT option, showing strong engagement with vocational and tertiary pathways.

Supporting Every Learner

While we celebrate our high levels of achievement, we also remain committed to supporting every student to succeed at their own pace. Flexible pathways, strong pastoral care, and close tracking ensure that all ākonga are known, supported, and challenged.

We are incredibly proud of the effort our ākonga put into both internal and external assessments. Their commitment to study, resilience, and growing maturity throughout the year was evident in these results.

As we move into 2026, we remain focused on:

• Maintaining high expectations
  
  

• Strengthening attendance and engagement
  
  

• Supporting early acceleration
  
  

• Continuing strong pastoral care
  
  

• Celebrating success loudly and proudly
  
  

Thank you to our staff, whānau, and wider community for your ongoing support. Together, we are building pathways for success for every learner.

Here’s to a fantastic year ahead.

Ngā mihi nui,
Sarah Oke

Our senior students recently spent three fantastic days at TOPEC, where they were introduced to the instructors and gained an overview of what they will be learning throughout the year. This programme provides an exciting opportunity for students to work towards valuable NCEA credits while developing skills in outdoor education and taking part in a range of new and challenging activities.

Week 1 focused on rock climbing, with students learning different holds, climbing techniques, bouldering, and belaying skills. They even had the chance to complete some pretty advanced climbs at the YMCA indoor climbing arena — a great achievement for many of them. The TOPEC instructors were extremely impressed with the students’ positive attitudes, willingness to give everything a go (even outside of their comfort zones), and the way they encouraged and supported one another throughout the experience. Students will continue visiting TOPEC across the year, building on these skills and exploring new outdoor challenges as they progress through the programme.

Dear Parents and Whānau,

You may have heard in the news that 2026 marks a significant milestone for education in

Aotearoa New Zealand. This year, all primary schools have fully transitioned to the Refreshed

Mathematics and Statistics Curriculum.

At Coastal Taranaki School, we are excited about these changes, but we also want to ensure

you understand what this means for your child’s learning and their progress reports.

What’s changing in the classroom?

The new curriculum moves away from broad "levels" and focuses on Year-by-Year sequences.

This means:

● Daily Maths: Every student now receives at least one hour of dedicated maths instruction

every day.

● Back to Basics (and beyond): There is a renewed focus on "mathematical fluency." This

includes instant recall of basic facts (like times tables) and mastering "standard"

methods like column addition, which provide a strong foundation for harder algebra later

on.

● Clearer Roadmaps: Instead of general goals, we now have specific milestones for every

year group. We know exactly what a Year 4 student needs to master before they head

into Year 5.

Understanding your child’s progress

Because the new curriculum has higher benchmarks and more specific requirements, you might

notice some changes in how your child’s achievement is described.

● A New Baseline: The Ministry of Education has introduced a new 5-point scale:

Emerging, Developing, Consolidating, Proficient, and Exceeding.

● The "Proficiency" Shift: Because the new requirements are more rigorous, a student who

was "at expectation" last year might be marked as "Developing" this year as they work

toward these new, higher standards. This doesn't mean they have gone backward—it

means the "bar" has been raised nationally to better prepare them for high school.

How you can help at home

The best way to support your child isn't through hours of extra tutoring, but through curiosity and

practice:

1. Talk Maths: Ask your child to explain how they solved a problem. The new curriculum

emphasizes "Understand, Know, and Do"—knowing the "why" is just as important as the

"how."

2. Daily Facts: 5 minutes of "quick-fire" times tables or addition facts in the car makes a

massive difference to their confidence in class.

3. Explore the Parent Portal: The Ministry has launched a new Parent Portal at

education.govt.nz with activities and videos specifically designed for each year level.

We are committed to supporting every student through this transition. If you have any questions

about the new "Phases of Learning" or how we are implementing these changes, please feel

free to reach out to your child’s teacher.

Ngā mihi

It has been a fantastic and positive start to the year here at Coastal Taranaki School.

We are delighted with how smoothly our learners have settled back into routines, and it has been wonderful to see such enthusiasm across the school. Individual Education Plans (IEPs) are already underway, along with Collaborative Action Plans (CAPs) for identified students, ensuring targeted support is in place from the outset.

Special Assessment Conditions have been successfully rolled over from last year to provide continuity for our senior students, and we are preparing to begin new assessments for students who may require additional support. Our commitment to inclusive practice has also been strengthened through whole-staff Professional Development focused on Cognitive Load Theory, Dyslexia, and building effective Teacher Aide partnerships.

Our Teacher Aides have started the year with great enthusiasm and professionalism, building strong connections with students and working collaboratively with teachers to provide meaningful, targeted support — we are incredibly fortunate to have such a dedicated team. In addition, staff completed Health and Safety training, participating in three practical, hands-on mock scenarios to ensure we are well prepared to keep our students safe. It has been a purposeful and energetic start to 2026, and we look forward to a productive year ahead.

Regards,

David Cripps

SENCO - Special Education Needs Coordinator

.

COASTAL TARANAKI SCHOOL

Sonia Mau Principal

Gemma Chambers Junior School Deputy Principal

Sarah Oke Senior School Deputy Principal, Careers/Pathways, Tech on 45

David Cripps SENCO

Viola Fung English

Ros James Maths Term 1

Steve Leppard Hard Materials Technology, Tech on 45

Kelly Waugh Visual/ Performing Arts

Natalie Bound Science

Sarah Warren Release Teacher, P.E Teacher

Keegan Bruckner Social Sciences, Geography, P.E Teacher

Hayley Gilmour Release Teacher

Liana Roberts Pouakai Team Leader, Year 7/8 Teacher

Dee Heath Year 7/8 Teacher

Renee Leathley Kaitake Team Leader, Year 5/6 Teacher

Emily Finey Year 5/6 Teacher

Johannah Poutini Year 4/5Teacher

Annie Harris NE Transition Teacher

Jemma Moorby Year 2/3 Teacher

Philippa Hofmans Pukeiti Team Leader, Year 1/2 Teacher

Tara Ross Year 3/4 Teachers

Jacky Kopu Office Manager

Alana Campbell Office Receptionist

Delwyn Pearce School Librarian

Kirsty Koboski Publicity Officer

Ole Bucka Grounds & Maintenance

Learning Assistants

Darryl Levett

Kirsty Koboski

Paula Fleming

Ruth Barron

Nicole Whittle

Fon Julian

Lisa Schrader