Type of School:
Makarewa is a state contributing co-educational school (decile 8).

School Mission:
Makarewa School exists to provide high quality learning in a safe, caring environment, which values diversity and prepares students for an ever-changing world.

For a copy of Makarewa School’s Charter please contact the school office.

School Vision:

Hooked on learning – Skills for life

Our aim at Makarewa School is to prepare our children to be successful in the future.
By the time a child leaves our school we aim that they have a personal desire and the skills to be successful in their learning. We want our children to be confident, well rounded people, who are able to work well with others and strive to be the best they can be in everything the undertake. We hope they will participate and contribute to society in a way that all benefit.

We hope that through our guidance at school, examples and persistence we can guide the students of Makarewa to reaching this vision.

For a copy of Makarewa School’s Charter please contact the school office.

School Values:
Makarewa School values of excellence, integrity, and leadership underpin all we do, whether it is in our learning, on the sports field or in our everyday interactions with others. We expect our students to do their very best in all that they do, to model the honesty, to treat others and themselves with respect, and to be positive leaders in our school.

• Excellence – Strive for your personal best and celebrate success.
• Integrity – I am honest, responsible, reliable, show respect and compassion for others and myself.
• Leadership – A good leader is a positive role model, who uses their initiative and acts responsibly.

School Philosophy:
Makarewa School will endeavour to provide the best possible learning environment where children will achieve success, in a safe, caring and stimulating atmosphere where teachers provide the necessary challenges and programmes of work to help children develop their potential mental, physical, aesthetic, social and emotional growth. Our school’s ultimate goal is to help produce students who will aspire to their optimum learning level and grow up to be valuable citizens for the future.

School Resources:
Our Classroom programmes are supported by

• A policy of carefully monitoring children to ensure teaching programmes are meeting their needs.
• A staff who are committed to continuing their own professional development and thereby improving their teaching and learning opportunities for the children.
• A reading recovery teacher who assists children requiring individual attention in reading and writing.
• An extension programme for students who need additional challenges.
• Teacher aides who assist classroom teachers and children with their learning needs where necessary.
• Parents who are committed to our school.

Community Involvement:
The community fulfills a supportive and encouraging role for both in school and outside school activities.

Roll: The school roll ranges between 120 and 150 students.

Staffing: Our school is staffed by 7.1 teachers including our principal. The teaching staff have a range of specialist curriculum strengths.

Involvement of Outside Agencies:
A wide range of outside agencies are utilised. These include Advisory Service personnel, a District Health Nurse, Speech Therapist, Itinerant Teacher of Maori, and liaison with the High Schools we contribute to.

Buildings and Facilities:
Makarewa School has outstanding facilities including six teaching spaces plus a well-stocked library and a new multi-purpose space. Our school offers extensive landscaped grounds and concreted areas including a sheltered play area, two challenging adventure playgrounds, tennis court, covered heated swimming pool and all-weather sports turf. Next to the school is a community hall.

Our History

A school named Waikivi was established in 1872 to serve both Makarewa and Waikiwi districts and in 1885, the original building was shifted from this site to the present site of Makarewa School.
Mr Eric McKay “Bowler” was Makarewa School’s first principal with 106 first day pupils.
In 1979 Southland author, Joan MacIntosh, wrote a book for the Makarewa Jubilee Committee titled “A Regional History covering Makarewa, Lorneville and North Makarewa from 1849 – 1978”. Our regional history, the facts, the relevant dates in time, the anecodote and key people are all presented to chronicle many of the industries and businesses established near to, and serving Invercargill City.
Readers will enjoy details of the celebrations held for the opening of New Zealand’s first railway in 1864, of the early brickwork kilns built after the discovery of a vast clay seam near to this rail line, the 1860 Junction Hotel which still serves patrons today, the Lorneville yards that dominate stock trading in Southland, the Lorne geriatric hospital and the Lorne farm, a major river scheme undertaken by the Southland Catchment Board… these, and more, are richly described.
All come together and combine with the schools, the farms, the pioneers, the remembered characters, the children, the parents and the workforce persons.
To learn more about the history of Makarewa and the immediate environs, please contact Makarewa School for a copy of this book.

We are continuing to make history today…..