Tamariki School

Tamariki School

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Tamariki School is the oldest ‘free school’ in New Zealand. We cater for Years 1-8 (5-13 years old) in Christchurch, New Zealand.

A school where...
- Children are free to have a childhood.
- Play is valued as children’s work.
- Children can learn what they’re interested in.
- Children of different ages are able to interact.
- Parent involvement is welcomed.
- Children can be physically active when they want to be.
- The school community operates as an extended family.
- The adult to child ratio is low (less than 1 to 15).

Operating as usual

27/05/2024

Tamariki Graduate Elia Gibbons
I started at Tamariki in 2005, following a long family history with the school. During my time there, I formed strong friendships that remain a significant part of my life to this day. Tamariki's unique community atmosphere is what sets it apart, as it is not merely a school but a community.
At Tamariki, I was encouraged to learn autonomously and to take responsibility for what and when I learned. This approach has been instrumental in my academic success. Transitioning to high school initially seemed daunting, but the resilience, self-reliance, and confidence in my ability to learn that Tamariki instilled in me made the transition seamless. In 2019, I left high school and moved to Wellington to pursue a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, Criminology, and New Zealand Sign Language. After completing my Bachelor of Arts, I applied to Aotearoa’s only Forensic Psychology Master’s program, finishing in February 2024 with First Class Honors.
University represents a departure from the traditional school system, and for many students is their first real taste of self-directed learning. Like Tamariki, university requires you to manage your schedule, handle independent work, and balance learning with social interactions. In many ways, the foundation Tamariki provided was crucial for my success at university.
Currently, I work doing research within the field of Psychology and plan to enrol in a Doctoral program in Psychology for the 2025 intake. I firmly believe that my achievements would not have been as seamless without the skills that Tamariki fostered in me. Tamariki undoubtedly cultivates strong, independent individuals equipped with the skills necessary for success.

25/05/2024

Moe and Iku have made a big contribution to the Democratic School Movement over the years and it is very sad to hear that their school will be closing.
At the Tutorial School they practice a consensus model of school wide decision making and the students play a key role in the decisions around the hiring and retention of staff members.

Change is inevitable, even when you try to avoid it.
In late March, we made the difficult decision to close The Tutorial School campus permanently. We broke the news to our students first at the All School Council meeting and then to their parents and care givers through e-mail.
Enrollment declined during the pandemic, followed by the waves of changes in how people view the role of schools in our current world. Also, the biggest reason for closing the school is that Moe and Iku hit retirement age and could not find anyone to take over the school, after trying for a decade. So here we are, a perfect natural ending for The Tutorial School. The journey we have shared has been nothing short of incredible.
We still have few students now and two graduates to send off.
This year's Graduation will be combined with the Thesis Defense and occur at the school on Thursday, May 30th at 5:30pm and will be our final celebration.
All previous students, as well as current students, parents and their families are welcome to join us in celebrating the graduates and 44 years of providing a safe, sane haven for children to learn about themselves and the world around them.
with gratitude,
Moe and Iku

29/04/2024

Belated congratulations to Finlagh for winning The Yr 10 Tuakana Taina award at Hagley College in 2023.

"This award is given to a student in Year 10 who embodies the four values of the College – Mana – respect, Tika – Integrity, Whakamarumaru – Responsibility, and Whakawhirinaki – Trust. You will see this in the prints shown above. The symbolism shows a large fern, or the tuakana, protecting and nurturing the younger fern, the taina. The idea being that the taina of today becomes the tuakana of tomorrow."

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Location

Telephone

Address


86 St Johns Street, Woolston
Christchurch
8062