Ashhurst School began as a two-room country school in 1879 and in the intervening years has grown, with a roll of 400.

Children come from both urban and rural backgrounds, being drawn from both within the Ashhurst Township and the surrounding district. The rural children come by bus from the Pohangina Valley area.
The town has both a Kindergarten and a Playcentre, so most children arrive at Ashhurst School with preschool experience.

For more information about Ashhurst visit Ashhurst.org.

The School Gateway

The carved gateway at the Cambridge Avenue entrance was erected in 1990. It is named He Kuwaha a kite ketearonui, the door to life's knowledge. The carving tells the story of Tane's mission to obtain the three baskets of knowledge from the Heavens, with the assistance of the guardian Huru-tea-a-rangi.

Current School Philosophy

The school promotes a positive partnership between the school and the community. Parent and community people support the school's goals and activities. We consult with the school community about our goals and how we are meeting them.

We encourage the children to be self confident and to feel secure so that risk-taking is fostered. It is understood that children must learn to make positive choices. The school has implemented a positive behaviour management plan for the children.

Our children are encouraged to take pride in their own culture and traditions, and to respect and appreciate the beliefs of other cultures. Maori values are recognised in the school and the local iwi are consulted.

Staffing and teaching programmes always focus on meeting children's needs, including children with special abilities (CWSA). Positive relationships between the staff, and between staff and children, are considered important. Staff development is on-going and recognised as important by the Board of Trustees.

Special Features

There are various other sporting and cultural fixtures with other schools from our Northern Cluster as well as from Palmerston North city. Lunchtime and after-school programmes of a sporting and cultural nature are planned.

Ashhurst School children represent themselves and the school by participating in Saturday sports teams that are managed and coached by staff, parents and members of the local community. These supplement the services provided by local sports groups.

There is strong support from Ashhurst sporting and Cultural clubs and the school encourages visits from cultural groups such as school choirs, bands, and touring performers.

School and Community

Local businesses in the community support the school. These opportunities give our children the chance to represent Ashhurst at a higher level.

The Ashhurst-Pohangina Lions Club actively supports fundraising endeavours and the ‘Skills for Growing' programme within the school.

Where possible, the school supports the local community, through the hiring of local trades people and through purchasing, for example, lunches at the local shops.

Palmerston North City Council provides the school with the use of the Village Valley Community Centre. This is the large hall almost opposite Ashhurst school.

The school is able to use the local athletic park for school athletic sports events, and the Ashhurst Domain for school-wide events.