Learning how to care for the environment is an essential part of the curriculum at Flanshaw Road Primary School. The school has actively participated in several local environmental projects, including Project Twin Streams. And in 2013, the school was awarded a prestigious Green-Gold status in the nationwide Enviroschools programme.
Flanshaw Road School opened its doors in 1964 and has been at the heart of the Te Atatū South community ever since. Currently, the school has around 330 students in years 1 to 6. Alongside teaching the core subjects, the school has thriving kapa haka and cultural groups, extensive sports opportunities, a school choir and music programme, and boasts its own swimming pool.
The wider community regularly uses the school’s playgrounds and park-like grounds on weekends and after school. ‘We are a community-based school,’ explains the principal, Cherie Taylor-Patel. She adds that the school grounds are a hive of activity during the weekends and holidays, with the local community enjoying the bush walk, fitness equipment and playgrounds.
However, last year’s flooding had an impact on the school. The playing field turned into a swamp, and the bush walk was also badly affected.
‘We realised that we needed more wetland plants with deep roots to absorb water and better protect our grounds in the future,’ says Cherie. Furthermore, Flanshaw Road School planned to create a new urban forest.
The school applied to the Your West Support Fund and received $10,000. The money has been used to support an ongoing planting programme and bring the planned urban forest to life.
The planting programme has not only helped provide a practical solution to the flooding issue but is also a powerful educational tool. The project has presented numerous opportunities for students to learn about climate change action. From planning to planting, tamariki have been actively involved, fostering a sense of pride and ownership in the initiative.
Cherie says the new plants have helped stabilise the bushwalk and create a rich, biodiverse urban forest area. The school community and local residents can now enjoy this fantastic urban bushwalk and fledgling forest.
‘We’re really grateful to the Your West Support Fund as otherwise we wouldn’t have been able to get this project off the ground,’ says Cherie.
Why not check out the school facilities, bushwalk and urban forest next time you’re in the local area.
