Schools Partnerships

Based in Merivale, Tauranga, the school caters for children in Years 1-6. The language of instruction in five of the classrooms is English and they work together as the Aratika team. The other two classrooms form a Maori medium unit, Nga Hau e Wha. One of these classrooms teaches in 81-100% Te Reo Maori and is a rumaki (immersion) room; the other teaches in 51-80% Te Reo Maori. The school’s Mission Statement is to be a school that is admired for leading the way in its own unique learning models that focus on the development of the unlimited potential of its students.

Our KPMG Tauranga team have been working with Merivale since mid-2013 and love helping out with a roster system for Breakfast Club, donations for Christmas gifts for every child, along with resources for classrooms and sports equipment. We work with the school’s staff each year to find other ways we can help out by creating a wish list and working through it. Our Tauranga people love the opportunity to be part of the school’s extended whanau.

Our relationship with the Papakura school stretches back to 2007, when KPMG joined a City for Auckland initiative to connect corporates with local schools.  Many years later the original three year memorandum of agreement has turned into a special and enduring partnership.

Opened by Sir Edmund Hillary in 1963, the growing school has a motto of ‘Be Determined, Aim High’.

Principal Kataraina Nock says that “we are proud to have achieved a five year ERO review that confirms the quality of education and happy and safe learning environment the Board of Trustees and staff provide.”  Furthermore, the principal and staff agree that the many benefits offered through the partnership between KPMG and Edmund Hillary School include:

• expert financial advice and guidance at a Board level;
• support to maintain systems such as personnel and expertise for school library stocktakes;
• support and personnel for school and sporting camps;
• ensure equity for students and whanau through sound strategic planning and implementation;
• support a range of special events that reward students accomplishments, and acknowledge special events;
• literacy learning programme designed in partnership with the school to support “at risk” learners.

When you learn more about Edmund Hillary School, it’s easy to see why KPMG people and the school’s staff are passionate about helping to make a difference. Here are some of the stats:

• majority of families live in rental accommodation
• the school funds a breakfast programme
• the Ministry of Education provides free lunches daily for all students
• Many families are eligible for WINZ support for uniforms and stationery and devices
• The school belongs to a Trust which provides devices to children with repayments as low as $3 a week.

“We are always seeking innovative solutions to support our children in their learning at school and to this end KPMG is pivotal in helping us achieve some lofty goals.”

Rhode Street School is located in Dinsdale, Hamilton. It provides education for years 0 – 8 and was established in 1959. Rhode Street School prides itself on been innovative and leading edge in the education and experiences it provides to its students. The community and environment are also of huge importance to the school culture and this is experienced when you visit the school and take a tour of their grounds including all the produce grown for the school kitchen on site and the newly created ecological island containing a new science block. Rhode Street School provides a multicultural experience for its students and has families from many ethnic backgrounds. KPMG Hamilton and Rhode Street School formed a relationship in 2014 and the school has been really generous in letting our people to get involved. Our team have spent time working around the school grounds and at Christmas time we fundraised as an office to purchase board games, chess sets and basketball hoops for the School. The volunteer calendar is full of events which we look forward to being involved with.

In September 2014 we joined an initiative with the Hutt City Council to partner with a cluster of schools in the Hutt Valley area. The partnership aims to support some of New Zealand’s most vulnerable kids by giving them the opportunities and access to services that that vast majority of New Zealander’s may take for granted.

This is a pioneering opportunity for KPMG Wellington to make a real difference to those in need and it goes hand in hand with our purpose of Fuelling New Zealand’s Prosperity. Our relationships with Pomare Primary, Avalon Intermediate, Taita College, St Michaels Primary and Taita Central School are well underway and everyone we involve in this (ten year) project is excited to help, including clients.

During the short time since we established this partnership, we donated 20 used laptops to Pomare Primary and their feedback on just how we can make a difference is clear: "This is a stunning opportunity for us and already there have been positives with regards to 1 to 1 devices for our students. The opportunities are endless and we are excited and looking forward to working with KPMG over the next  ten years."

Wharenui School is in the heart of Riccarton in Christchurch and is a full primary (Years 1 – 8) with approximately 330 students. The KPMG Christchurch team are enthusiastic about assisting the school in a range of ways – with sports and activity days, providing extra pairs of hands for daytime activities on school trips and camps; mentoring for students, teachers and other staff; and assisting with completing fundraising forms.  

Building digital citizens of tomorrow

Living and learning in a digital world is something most of us take for granted — but for many children and their families, it’s not that simple. The team at Manaiakalani Education Trust are working to turn that around. By supporting schools in disadvantaged communities, their ultimate goal is to see all New Zealanders become fully enfranchised digital citizens.

Manaiakalani takes a three-pronged approach — upskilling teachers to teach in the digital space; researching the most effective teaching methods; and providing affordable ways for students to get their own digital device. (As well as offering micro-loans, they also help ensure household connectivity).

As Trust CEO Jenny Oxley explains, it’s grown from a local community initiative to a nationwide success. “The Trust was formed 12 years ago to support schools in the heart of Tāmaki Makaurau — in the suburbs of Glen Innes, Panmure and Pt England. Then a whole bunch of other school communities wanted to do it, and we now have 120 schools right across New Zealand implementing our programmes.”

Students that engage with the Manaiakalani programme — which covers reading, writing and maths — accelerate their learning at 1.5 times the New Zealand average.

“Due to circumstances, these students are starting from a lower baseline, so learning in this way helps them catch up faster.”

Learning in a digital world also engages kids in a way that wasn’t possible in an analog environment, says Jenny. “When a child has a learning device, they can learn anytime, anywhere, and at their own pace.

“Children are actively encouraged to blog, and when their families and wider audience provide feedback on that, it drives a real excitement in learning. Kids see they have people interested in what they’re doing at a school, in a way that didn’t always happen with the old exercise book coming home.”

When families and whanau connect with their children’s learning, it helps to “demystify the whole education process”, especially for parents who may have had a less positive experience at school themselves.

“Everything we do is about helping to drive quality and pride and achievement in learning.”