Stratford Primary School

Stratford is a conservative, rural service town of some 6,000 people, located on the fertile eastern slopes of Mt. Taranaki/Egmont, New Zealand. The community of Stratford is essentially traditional in its nature and in its values. Within our community there are a wealth of cultural activities, arts and crafts, recreational, environmental and educational resources which are readily available in supporting children's learning opportunities. The local Maori Iwi is Ngati Ruanui. The local marae is Whakaahurangi. The school has a high expectation to develop quality work and this is reflected in ordered, positive, work orientated/workshop classrooms where a co-operative culture is fostered and developed. Individual effort and responsibility for self are valued, as is personal excellence . Children are valued and rewarded by developing pride in high achievements. High quality classroom environments are a focus of our school. The school/community relationship is a positive one with the community quite happy to let the "professionals" get on with what they are trained to do.....teach! Our community support the school in a variety of ways. The job of the school is carry the "message" of the importance of education to the pupils and community as a whole in an attempt to engender an interest in lifelong learning.