Parihaka was the centre of a peaceful resistance movement led by Te Whiti-o-Rongomai and Tohu Kākahi. The protesters tried to prevent surveying of land that had been confiscated in the 1860s.
2nd 
Armed constabulary prepare to advance on Parihaka Pā, in Taranaki.
Thanks to the amazing efforts of our students, families, and friends, we've successfully raised over $1200 to support our upcoming Kauri Camp and EOTC (Education Outside the Classroom) week.
Last Saturday, our dedicated crew hosted a fantastic car wash, making your vehicles shine. Then, yesterday we satisfied the sweet tooth with our school bake sale.
Thank you to all the tamariki, teachers and whānau who put their time and energy into making these events a success.
Check out our car wash photos below.
Today at Puketapu School, we participated in the national earthquake drill - New Zealand ShakeOut! Our tamariki showed our school values as they followed the "drop, cover, and hold" protocol.
Our school spaces remained calm thanks to our teachers who prepared our tamariki for the drill.
Special thanks to Lydia Walthew and Gretta Keith for being our real-life earthquake and alerting the entire school with our trusty hand-held bell.
#SafetyFirst#NZShakeOut#SchoolCommunity#kiamanawanui#kiakaha#kiamaia#kiaora
Farewell Announcement for Anya
It is with mixed emotions that we announce the departure of our beloved Anya from Puketapu School after nearly 5 wonderful years.
Anya has truly been an invaluable part of our team. Her presence is like a ray of sunshine that brightens not only the lives of our tamariki but also those of our staff. 
Anya's journey with us has been filled with love, compassion, and unwavering support for our community. Her contributions have been priceless, and we will deeply miss her presence in our everyday lives. Though it's a bittersweet moment, we are thrilled to share that Anya is embarking on an exciting new chapter in her life.
Anya will be taking on a new role with Voyce Whakarongo Mai, an independent advocacy organization for tamariki and rangatahi who are in or have been in Oranga Tamariki care. We have no doubt that she will continue to make a profound impact in her new role, just as she has here with us.
Anya's last day with Puketapu will be on Friday, October 27th.
Please join us in saying goodbye to Anya at our school assembly at Northpoint Church on Wednesday, October 25th, at 9:30 AM.
Anya, your presence will be deeply missed at Puketapu, but we are excited for the journey ahead of you. Thank you for your dedication and the positive impact you've made during your time with us.
The Puketapu board is thrilled to announce the appointment of Katherine Pascoe (Ngāti Porou) to the role of Principal of our kura, beginning Term 1, 2024.
Katherine brings a wealth of leadership experience, as the former Principal of Orewa Beach School, Deputy Principal and Acting Principal of Murrays Bay School and Team Leader of Browns Bay Primary School.
Originally from Gisborne, Katherine is excited to join our school community and find out how special Taranaki is.
We very much look forward to welcoming Katherine to our school whānau in 2024.
First day of term 4
It it great to see so many sun hats 
out in the playground today. We even spotted hats on Teachers and our Assistant Caretakers. Briar Walthew chose to keep her hat in her bag while she rested in the shade, reading her book.
Lets all be sun smart this term:
Put sunscreen on before school (and reapply at school if required)
Drink lots of water to stay hydrated
That's a Wrap on Term 3!
Today, our school came alive with the magic of books as we held our Book Character Dress Up Day. There were so many enthusiastic tamariki in their favorite book character costumes, bringing the world of literature to life within our school walls.
The day began on a high note with a special visit from the Taranaki Bulls Rugby Team, who generously joined our Breakfast Club and took the time to sign autographs on paper, posters, and yes, even some crocs! 
Our tamariki were treated with Subway for lunch, it was a hit and gave our chefs a chance to deep clean the kitchen before the holiday break.
We look forward to welcoming everyone back to school on Monday, October 9th, for the start of Term 4.
#Term3WrapUp#BookCharacterDay#SchoolCommunity#SeeYouInTerm4
Wig Wednesday / Wacky Hair Day @ Puketapu School 2023!
We raised just over $200 for Child Cancer Foundation.
Ka pai tamariki
We have the whānau points counted and the winning whānau group for 2023 Cross Country was Kākāpō!
1st- Kākāpō
3rd- Tuī
4th- Pīwakawaka
A BIG THANK YOU to Bell Block Community Police for our sausage sizzle and Bell Block Rotary Club for marshalling our course. Also thank you to Jenny Read for the wonderful photos you took and to all the teachers, parents and supporters.
Check out the 1st, 2nd and 3rd placings below:
5 YEAR GIRLS
1st: Halo Makiri-Watson
2nd: Aaliyah-May Hunt-Tuakana
3rd: Aria Marshall
5 YEAR BOYS
1st: Blake Kenny
2nd: Hayze Hall
3rd: Lucian Clement
6 YEAR GIRLS
1st: Sarah Jenkins
2nd: Ahkira Takerei-Holswich
3rd: Ruchita Medasetti
6 YEAR BOYS
1st: Billy Prestney
2nd: Xavier Leaf
3rd: Harry Perkinson
7 YEAR GIRLS
1st: Vidyasri Vathada
2nd: Bethany Thomson
3rd: Cooper Murray
7 YEAR BOYS
1st: Leon Corin
2nd: Kyan Hoskin
3rd: Ollie Hardy
8 YEAR GIRLS
1st: Sophie McGovern
2nd: Summer Greenfield
3rd: Erika Asai
8 YEAR BOYS
1st: Tyler Kenny
2nd: Zane Wilkinson
3rd: Oscar Nicholas
9 YEAR GIRLS - FIELD
1st: Kendall Perrett
2nd: Likhitha Medasetti
3rd: Sophie Engels
9 YEAR BOYS - FIELD
1st: Liam Wilson
2nd: Carlos Zenovich
3rd: Kupa Brider
9 YEAR GIRLS - BEACH
1st: Sophie Morrison
2nd: Briar Walthew
9 YEAR BOYS - BEACH
1st: Kaydince Brill
10 YEAR GIRLS - FIELD
1st: Alexis Gorrie
2nd: Tylah Taitoko
3rd: Whakairi Rangi
10 YEAR BOYS - FIELD
1st: Chayse Hodson
2nd: Goo Pham
3rd: Harlee Ruwhiu
10 YEAR GIRLS - BEACH
1st: Summer Wilkinson
2nd: Naia Patten
3rd: Etta Patten
10 YEAR BOYS - BEACH
1st: Hamu Adams
2nd: Ari Marlow
3rd: Carlos Macioce = Keanu Tango
11 YEAR BOYS
1st: Kayden Lucinsky
2nd: Billy MacRae
3rd: Kyzahn Brill
11 YEAR GIRLS
1st: Audraea O’Brien
2nd = : Lily La-Rue & Te Waiaurere Mahinekura
12+ YEAR GIRLS
1st: Natalie Corin
2nd: Ella Rauputu
3rd: Erin Sowman
12+ YEAR BOYS
1st: Ethan Cross
2nd: Khan Barnard-Perry
3rd: Alex Morrison
