Pakaraka School becomes first state school to convert to charter status

Pakaraka School in Northland has become the first state school in the country to transition to a charter school model, Associate Education Minister David Seymour announced on 12 October 2026. The conversion follows a community-led initiative to provide educators with greater freedom to meet student needs through a specialised curriculum. The shift was driven by the school’s local community after a 2024 partnership with a local kindergarten to introduce a Steiner classroom proved successful. According to a survey conducted by the Society of Holistic Learners—a charitable trust established by the school's Board of Trustees to oversee the transition—more than 95 per cent of respondents supported the conversion to a charter school. No respondents in the survey supported remaining a state school. Under the new model, students will engage in hands-on learning focused on traditional practices such as food growth and harvest. Minister Seymour noted that students might build a pātaka, a traditional Māori storehouse, to store kūmara they have grown to feed the community. While the school will gain flexibility in its teaching approach, it will maintain strict accountability through the same testing used by state schools to ensure student achievement levels are met or exceeded. Tūmuaki Patricia Simeon says the heart of the kura remains the same despite the structural change. She stated that the move is about creating conditions for tamariki to thrive in an environment that honours their identity and learning styles. Ms Simeon noted that the teaching team has been active in shaping this vision and expressed excitement for the school's future. Current students will retain the same teachers and learning spaces as the school builds on its existing teaching framework.