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Since adopting an internal model of Ka Ora, Ka Ako | Healthy School Lunches programme in 2023, Portland School 鈥� Te Kura o Tikorangi in Te Tai Tokerau Northland is seeing happier, healthier and more engaged 膩konga.

Every lunchtime at Portland School 鈥� Te Kura o Tikorangi in Te Tai Tokerau Northland, tamariki and staff join in a karakia m艒 te kai (a blessing of food) before sharing a nutritious meal together.

After eating, they wash their dishes in the purpose-built washing station. Then, before heading back into the classroom, they brush their teeth to a song related to what they鈥檙e currently learning.

Year 5 and 6 students Eli, Hurae and Jimmy say eating a healthy and fresh lunch gives them energy and makes them feel good.

鈥淗ealthy food helps your brain function well,鈥� says Eli. His favourite school lunch is butter chicken. For Hurae, it鈥檚 shepherd鈥檚 pie. For Jimmy, spaghetti bolognese.

Prioritising healthy habits

Portland School tumuaki Rachel Bycroft says since prioritising healthy habits and encouraging staff to model these behaviours, the school has seen a positive impact on student engagement, and most importantly on hauora (wellbeing).

鈥淲e鈥檝e noticed a real shift in the classroom. 膧konga are more settled, more focused, and better prepared to take on the learning of the day,鈥� she says.

The school has also shifted its eating times to the end of lunch break. Research supports this decision, showing that when children play first, they tend to eat and drink more, and return to the classroom better prepared to learn.

鈥淲e also know that regular physical activity is essential for our learning. You can鈥檛 get to the reading, writing, and maths until you鈥檝e got some movement and some food,鈥� explains Rachel.

鈥淲hen 膩konga stay active, their minds are more focused, energised, and ready to absorb new knowledge.鈥�

The school has been supported by the Healthy Active Learning team from Sport Northland to make the change. Healthy Active Learning, a national initiative, supports schools and kura across the motu to improve the wellbeing of tamariki and rangatahi through healthy eating and drinking, and quality physical activity.

Healthy Active Learning lead Jen Fielden says she celebrates the willingness of the school鈥檚 board and senior leadership to better align Ka Ora, Ka Ako with its goal of environmental sustainability.

Sustainability and inquiry learning

Portland School鈥檚 sustainability initiatives have included upgrading the school鈥檚 kitchen and hiring an in-school kaitunu (cook), Ngahuia, who tailors recipes to reflect seasonal ingredients, 膩konga feedback, and the nutritional requirements of the programme.

Rachel says employing a cook as a member of staff has been important to the programme鈥檚 success. Ngahuia, a community member, parent, and aunty, prepares meals based on the school鈥檚 daily attendance. Any leftovers from lunch are eaten at afternoon tea along with fruit and milk.

鈥淔ood wastage is minimal,鈥� says Rachel. 鈥淎ny food scraps are used in our compost heap for our garden and for another community member to feed their pigs.鈥�

The kitchen has become a central hub at the school and Rachel says the delicious smells coming from the kitchen often spark conversations in class around eating for hauora.

This term includes a whole-school inquiry into 鈥榳here does kai come from鈥�. 膧konga have been learning about how farms work, taste-testing unusual food, and learning about the technology used in food production. They have also been cooking themselves to bring their learning to life. Last Friday, they made haloumi cheese; this week, they鈥檙e making jam.

Looking ahead, Rachel says the school is excited to develop a stronger garden-to-table programme, with plans to engage more with wh膩nau and the wider community to be part of the kaupapa and connection to the school鈥檚 environment.

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was originally shared in the Education Gazette, October 11, 2024