Celebrating kai and culture to strengthen school belonging

At Kererū Park Campus in South Auckland, Healthy Active Learning supported the school to reshape its kai approach to reflect its Māori, Pacific and Asian communities.

Shared lunches featuring culturally significant foods, such as taro, sapa sui and seafood chowder, and a māra kai (food garden) at the heart of the school, helped rebuild whānau engagement that had declined since COVID‑19. Kaiako reported that ākonga felt more at home at school and more connected to learning.

The tumuaki described the changes as part of a deliberate focus on placing wellbeing at the centre of school culture and curriculum.