How Oratia School is growing leaders through service
Five years after launching its Ngā Rākau Kaha leadership programme, Oratia School is seeing the impact of giving Year 6 ākonga opportunities to serve others, connect with their community and discover their ability to make a difference.
Students walk through native bush in the Waitākere Ranges, not far from school.
This year, West Auckland's Oratia School marks five years since launching Ngā Rākau Kaha (Strong Trees), an opt-in leadership programme for Year 6 ākonga.
Deputy principal and programme leader Katherine Goldsmith created the initiative in 2021, drawing inspiration from the Duke of Edinburgh Awards and adapting the concept for primary-aged learners. Looking back, she's proud of what students have achieved.
“The community service blows me away,” says Katherine. “Whether it's making toys for the SPCA, whether it's stacking wood or weeding at the local cemetery, sea cleaning on the harbour. It's amazing.”
The programme partners with local organisations and community groups to encourage students to connect with and contribute to the world around them.
“It links beautifully to our school vision: confident connected learners making positive differences,” says Katherine.
Challenges with purpose
Ngā Rākau Kaha asks students to complete challenges across three areas: outdoor activities, a personal passion project and community service.
Students document their progress through Google Slides, creating a record of their achievements throughout the year.
“At the end of the year the slides get printed out and bound,” says Katherine. “They can take it home as a hard copy to show Nana and Poppa.”
Every item of rubbish makes a difference. At the end of the day, Education Gazette students dispose of the rubbish appropriately at Westhaven marina.
As students reach milestones, they earn badges and certificates recognising their efforts.
Outdoor challenges include school camps and bushwalks in the nearby Waitākere Ranges, while personal projects might involve learning a language, developing photography skills or tending a garden.
Together, these experiences help students build resilience, confidence and self-discipline.
Leadership through service
For Katherine, the service component is the heart of the programme. “Service is a cornerstone of Ngā Rākau Kaha. Leadership is grounded in service to others.”
Over the past five years, students have contributed to beach clean-ups, kiwi conservation projects, sports coaching, retirement village visits and mentoring younger children.
One of the programme's most memorable partnerships is with environmental charity Sea Cleaners NZ.
Each year, students rise before dawn to board a boat and help remove rubbish from the Waitematā Harbour.
“It doesn’t cost us anything, which is great,” says Katherine. “We’ve picked up ovens, old dinghies, just heaps – they just haul it on board and take it back.”
Ten-year-old Isla still remembers the experience.
“I brought in a giant old mattress by myself,” she says. “I enjoyed it more than sitting in class. We went past the Chelsea sugar factory on the boat and picked up rubbish.
“All different boats went to different areas of Auckland. I went under the Auckland Harbour Bridge. It was really fun.”
The experience helps students understand environmental stewardship in a tangible way.
“This partnership offers students a powerful, real-world environmental leadership experience and strengthens students' understanding of kaitiakitanga,” says Katherine.
Year 6 student Olivia says the impact was eye-opening.
“It’s really great because it teaches all the kids to be aware,” she says. “We went out there and saw so much rubbish, with dead starfish all along the beaches.
“It shows that, when we litter, it goes into the oceans and then it’s going to kill all the beautiful stuff we have there.”
A programme powered by whānau
The programme's success depends on strong support from families.
Students comply with the rigid rules of the shoe-cleaning stations en route, to help protect the spread of Kauri dieback disease.
Whānau help students complete activities outside school hours and often assist with transport to events and early morning service opportunities.
“[Whānau] actually really love it,” says Katherine. “They love any opportunity for their kids to take on leadership experiences, to be a part of something, to give back to the community.”
Managing a large leadership initiative alongside the day-to-day responsibilities of a deputy principal has its challenges, but Katherine says strong systems make it possible.
“It is really busy,” she says. “Being able to check that the children all do their mahi in a shared Google Doc where I can dip in at any time and have a look has been essential.”
Those systems have evolved over years of experience, helping Ngā Rākau Kaha grow from 17 students in its first year to more than 70 participants last year.
“You’ve also got to be passionate,” adds Katherine. “You’ve got to be excited about what you’re doing and about making a difference. Otherwise things just fall apart and the students don’t feel it.”
Inspiring the next generation
Katherine regularly shares students' achievements at school assemblies, helping younger learners see what is possible.
“What I really love is, I put photos of ākonga's work on a PowerPoint in assembly. The whole school gets to see what they've been doing. That inspires the younger ones.”
The programme's success has also inspired other schools.
Former Oratia teacher Richard Loten adapted many of the same ideas when establishing the Shooting Stars leadership programme at Methven Primary School. Like Ngā Rākau Kaha, Shooting Stars encourages Year 6 students to pursue personal projects and community service opportunities.
Katherine has been happy to support other educators interested in creating similar initiatives.
Students searching for rubbish, especially microplastics.
Making a difference that lasts
While Katherine continues to refine the programme, she believes its core purpose remains unchanged: helping young people discover their ability to contribute to something bigger than themselves.
“With the initiative running so well currently, we may not introduce another,” she says. “[Ngā Rākau Kaha] needs plenty of time supporting students which can be a challenge in a DP role. This is why we rely on parental support at home to help complete the badges.”
For Olivia, the programme's true value has little to do with certificates or recognition.
“It showed me that I really want to be that person that can help, and it’s not about the badges or the rewards. It’s about doing something for the community.”
Read more about Shooting Stars at Methven Primary School
