What to expect
We work with up to 60 students in a morning session on Tuesday or Wednesday during school term.
→ Preschools sessions run for 1 hour and 30 minutes.
→ School groups each session runs for 2 hours.
Programme for Preschool
10:20 - 10:30am Arrival at the gates
10:30am Programme starts
12pm Programme finishes
Programme for School
10:20- 10:30am Arrival at the gates
10:30am Programme starts
12:30pm Programme finishes
Creating a meaningful experience
During each visit, you will experience a powhiri and learn about kawa (protocols) of O Wairoa Marae. You can then choose two additional workshops from the list to support your learning objectives and curriculum focus.
If you are not sure which workshops will work for your group, please just ask for support in the enquiry form.
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Parking
On arrival the bus will be required to double park in front of white gates to allow student to depart the bus. The bus will then be required to move to either the bottom of Uxbridge Road or Howick beach where there is ample turning available.
Parent helpers who come by car may park on Uxbridge Road or in the public carpark near the township. Please be aware there are time limits on the parking closer to the township.
Access
O Wairoa Marae is located on the grounds of Emilia Maud Nixon’s Garden of Memories. The grounds are public and are open 24/7. From the white gates/waharoa a wide flat driveway leads to the wharenui. The wheelchair access ramp/emergency exit is located on the right-hand side of the wharenui.
The wharenui has a lift which goes to the bottom story to access 2 bathrooms. 1 is a mobility bathroom (this can only be accessed by using the mobility lift). Stairs to access the wharenui are located at the front.
O Wairoa Marae has wheelchair access located at the front of the building using a ramp. There is a door leading out from the kitchenet which has stairs. At the rear of the building are 2 more exit doors with a small wooden deck and stairs leading to the paths.
Te Whare Taonga is not wheelchair friendly and is only accessible by stairs and a narrow doorway.
A combination of concrete stairs and paths lead from Te Whare Taonga down to the second story of the wharenui and to the ngahere/bush.
The bottom story of wharenui has large bifold doors which gives access to the bathrooms, storage, kitchenette & office.
Te ngahere entry is also the exit as it boarders with private residents. The entry has 2 different path directions. There are a mixture of concrete paths and stairs, with a wooden boardwalk located at the bottom. No handrails.
Food and beverages
Students are asked to bring morning tea and water for themselves. As part of our tikanga, O Wairoa Marae will provide:
→ Children: water, fruit, biscuits/crackers
→ Adults: coffee, tea, water, fruit, biscuits/crackers, and cake.
Health and Safety
O Wairoa Marae aims to provide a safe environment for students, minimising and managing risks by having guidelines in place. Our educator possesses the core competencies required for ELC providers.
The safety of ELC participants is a shared responsibility between participants and providers of ELC. It is Te Tuhi’s responsibility to provide competent staff, the required health and safety equipment and the development of a general Risk Analysis Management System (RAMS) form.
O Wairoa Marae has a health and safety policy, and our educator is trained in first aid. O Wairoa Marae’s health and safety policies are available on request. We maintain an Accident Register which is to be completed for all incidents regardless of severity.
All teachers are required to bring a current register when visiting, and it is the responsibility of the teacher to have this accessible at all times.
O Wairoa Marae is responsible for the safe compliance of the building and fixtures and how students interact within the facilities. However, all schools and teachers from the visiting school hold the overall responsibility for the safety for all children within their group.
It is the responsibility of students to adhere to institution and school health and safety guidelines.
Covid-19 protection framework
At O Wairoa Marae we want to keep everyone safe and make sure you feel safe too.
We are a mask-friendly space that seeks to protect the wellbeing of our visitors by taking appropriate measures to prevent the spread of Covid-19.
We ask that you remain conscious of others by adhering to healthy habits such as washing and sanitising your hands regularly, coughing and sneezing into your elbow and staying home if you are unwell. We still ask that our tamariki from 4 years upwards to wear masks inside the wharenui and Te Whare Taonga.
Staffing and supervision
Please carry lists of children and young people at all times. Ensure the supervising adults are fully briefed as to their responsibilities. We require the below ratios of adults to children and young people. Children and young people must remain in groups with their accompanying adults at all times.
ECE’s & playcentres 1:4
Years 1-4 1:6
Years 5-7 1:7
Years 8-10 1:10
Years 11-13 1:2