Education in Pokeno began in the late 1860s with the establishment of Pokeno Hill School. Over the next 60 – 70 years different schools were formed at different sites to meet the needs of a moving population. Pokeno Hill, Pokeno Valley, and Queens Redoubt Schools all operated at different times before the decision was made to establish a school site in a more central location. As a result of that decision, Pokeno School on its current site was officially opened on April 21, 1961. The school reached a record number of students in 1973 when the roll climbed to just over 150. There were concerns though that due to low numbers of pre-schoolers the school may reach crisis stage within a few years. Thankfully though children continued to be enrolled and while the roll numbers decreased the school did eventually grow again.
Fast forward to 2010 when the Board of Trustees began discussions with the Ministry of Education about the planned growth within the wider community. The school was aware that through new housing developments, the roll would increase over time and we would need more classrooms to cater for the additional children. 2017 two temporary classrooms were delivered to the school while the Ministry of Education developed a master plan that would cater for a predicted roll of 600. During the next six years, another 10 temporary classrooms have been added to the school bringing the total number of classrooms to 21. In 2022 the first of four stages was completed with the construction of a two-storey classroom block. We were honoured that Te Hau Kainga me Nga Mana Whenua O Pokeno gifted the name Te Whare Whakaruruhau Maatauranga Tuatahi to this new building.
Construction has become a regular part of everyday life at Pokeno School as we grow with the community. 2024 will see stage two of four building stages completed and a roll of more than 600 children. The children represent more than 20 different ethnicities, speaking 39 different languages. In the coming years, we will sadly say goodbye to all of the original 1961 school buildings as they are demolished to make room for new two-story buildings. There are plans however to retain some of the original bricks and reuse them in some way in the school. New whānau continue to move into Pokeno and there is talk that the school could grow to as many as 900 students. As a result, the Ministry is now considering the option for a second primary school in Pokeno.
This would take us back to pre 1960s when the community had more than one school. With all of the changes our Kura has experienced over the past 60 years, the one thing that has remained constant is the support of Whānau and the local community. Pokeno School has always played a significant role in bringing people together and providing a central focus for the community. We will continue to work alongside one another to achieve our school vision: Ma Te huruhuru, Ka rere Te manu. Principal Blair Johnston