Home » Katikati College

KATIKATI COLLEGE

YOUR FUTURE IS HERE

Welcome, our door is always open

Choosing the right school for your child is one of the most important decisions you will make to prepare them for their future. At Katikati College we offer your child a balanced education that embraces the whole student; supporting, motivating and challenging them to achieve their personal best.

So please have a look around to learn what our College can offer you and get in touch with our office if you have any further questions on (07) 549 0434.

Ngā mihi nui

Louise Buckley

Message from our Tumuaki | Principal

Kia ora e te whānau,

We are well underway with Term 2, and this newsletter showcases what amazing events have already taken place this term.

Student attendance remains a key focus at Katikati College, and it’s pleasing to see some real progress. In Term 1 of this year, 97 students achieved 100% attendance – a 33% increase from 2024. Even more encouraging is the number of students with 90 – 99% attendance, rising from 341 last year to 400 this year – a 17% increase. Overall, 84% of our students are attending school at least 80% of the time, up from 78% in 2024. Thank you to all our whānau who are supporting strong attendance – we know this is key to student success.

Our winter sports season has commenced. Best of luck to all our teams and athletes as they represent our kura. Please remember that to play, students must maintain good attendance and behaviour. Represent with pride, and be great ambassadors for Katikati College.

With the colder months arriving, a reminder about the importance of wearing the correct school uniform. We expect our students to wear their uniform properly and with pride. If there are any barriers to accessing uniform items, please contact us – the College can provide support. We also welcome donations of clean, good-quality uniforms, which can be dropped off at the main office. Your generosity helps other students in our school community.

A further reminder about mobile phone use – in line with the government directive, phones should not be seen or used during the school day. We expect all students to follow this rule. If a student continues to ignore this expectation, consequences will be put in place. We appreciate your support in reinforcing this at home.

We’ve also had an exciting start to the Pūhoro STEMM Academy, providing new opportunities for our tauira Māori to explore science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and mātauranga Māori pathways. We are proud to support this kaupapa as part of our commitment to student engagement and achievement.

The Ministry of Education has launched a new parent portal. This provides useful information for parents and caregivers about how to support their young person’s learning. You can access it here: https://www.education.govt.nz/parents-and-caregivers

I would also like to draw your attention to the EasyBus website for those students travelling on the college buses. The website provides all the school transport information. This includes bus routes and a way to raise any questions, concerns or complaints in a clear and trackable way. You’ll find this linked on our website or directly here: https://katikati.easybus.nz

Thank you to all those who have paid their school donation this year – we are currently working with a 25% payment rate. If every whānau contributed, we would receive around $51,000, which goes directly into supporting student experiences, resources, and learning opportunities. Every contribution makes a difference, and we are very grateful.

We also encourage constructive, respectful communication between home and school. In this newsletter, you’ll find more guidance on how best to work in partnership with our staff and teachers to support your child’s learning and wellbeing.

We are proud to be hosting this year’s Matariki Pō Tuku Taonga celebration here at Katikati College on Thursday 17 July. In previous years, we’ve been honoured to have the support of our three local marae – Te Rereatukahia, Tuapiro, and Otawhiwhi – as hosts. This year, we step into that role as a kura.

This beautiful evening is a celebration of our Māori students and their many achievements, values, and aspirations. Staff nominate students who whakapapa Māori to receive taonga based on the nine stars of Matariki. It’s a night filled with pride, mana, and whanaungatanga, and a real highlight of our school calendar.

The taonga awarded represent:

Waitī – Outstanding Teina (junior) working consistently
Waitā – Outstanding Tuakana (senior) working consistently
Tupu-ā-nuku – Most growth throughout the year
Tupu-ā-rangi – Excellence in Māori Performing Arts
Waipuna-ā-rangi – Shows consistent manaakitanga
Ururangi – Positive attitude is key
Pōhutukawa – Overcoming adversity
Hiwa-i-te-rangi – Aspiration towards higher achievement
Matariki – Leadership and outstanding commitment to the whānau

We are also excited to announce that tickets are now on sale for this year’s school production: The Wizard of Oz: Youth Edition! Following the success of our first sell-out show, we’re expecting high demand once again – so don’t miss your chance to come along and follow the Yellow Brick Road with us. The show will run for a strict three-night season from 25 – 27 June in the school Hall. Tickets are $20 and available through Humanitix:https://events.humanitix.com/kkcwizardofoz. Snacks and drinks will be available each night, with proceeds supporting the 2026 Tonga Trip fundraiser. We can’t wait to see you there – it’s shaping up to be another magical performance!

Lou Buckley
Tumuaki