About Us
Principal's Address
Mā te whānau te tamaiti e puawai | Through collaboration our learners will thrive
Our Vision
Mā te whānau te tamaiti e puāwai
Through collaboration our learners will thrive.
Understanding our past
Preparing for our future
Our Values
It's who we are
A Place to Belong
Confident and Connected
Ako
We Excel
Whanaungatanga
We Belong
Manaakitanga
We Care
A Place to Grow Strong
Growing and Thriving
Understanding our past
Our Community
Okato means sweeping of the tide. Okato was derived (as so many names are) from an incident in history. Many generations ago a great tidal wave swept the coast causing loss of life and destruction of villages accompanied by a cyclonic storm carrying its ravages inland. A lament recited by Taramotu, of Puniho giving details of the great calamity called Matakawaka that swept the Taranaki coast line 160 -180 years ago when fishing fleets were lost and plantations ashore. The recital notes the tragedy, suicide from grief and warnings from Tohunga. To purify the area the Tohunga had land cleared and Kumara ready to plant and offered to the Gods for appeasement.
Ōkato is one of the three surviving northern Taranaki military settlements established in the 1860s (along with Urenui and Lepperton). The Stony River (Hangataahua), which arises in the Ahukawakawa Swamp in Egmont National Park, flows past the western side of Ōkato. Blue Rātā Reserve on the banks of the river is home to a unique variety of northern rātā (Metrosideros robusta) which begins its life as a true tree.
Our school has a long history providing education to the district in varying forms for many years. It has been an Area School since 2005. Prior to this it was the site of Okato Districts High School/ Okato College and the Primary students in Years 0-6 were taught in a separate school on a site across the road.
Our Learners
Inspiring Achievement, Innovation and a Love of Learning
The team at Coastal is characterized by passionate, skilled and enthusiastic relational educators who are committed to ensuring that our young people participate in the learning and develop personally as well as academically.
As our young people move through the school, they are encouraged to discover, listen, question and challenge themselves, to grow self-motivation, critical thinking and resilience. It is during this process that our tamariki develop strong communication and interpersonal skills.
Students are encouraged to achieve more than they thought possible.
Success is celebrated and our young people are encouraged to thrive as confident, curious, connected, enthusiastic learners and forward thinkers, prepared for their tomorrows.
A Place for Everyone
We know that young people who are happy thrive.
We believe that the best way to achieve a happy child is to ensure that everyone feels valued for who they are.
We want our students to be first class versions of themselves and we place an emphasis on tolerance and mutual respect and inclusivity.
Our Whānau Groups
The Naming of our Whānau
When Coastal Taranaki School was established in 2005, staff had the opportunity to name four new whānau. Two staff members Deborah Haimona and Barbara Fakavamoeanga were inspired to follow a theme that would represent the community we live in. Our landscape is very significant so it was this theme that seemed appropriate. The mountain – Maunga stands in all its glory and can be seen from all parts of Taranaki; coming from the Maunga are rivers – Awa. Lots of families have a nearby river that they associate with. The rivers flow through the land – Whenua which some of us have farms on, homesteads, marae and of course our homes and school. The rivers then flow out to the sea – Moana which graces our coastline and an integral part of our lifestyle here in Okato. So for school sports, drama events and weekly Whānau activities all students are involved in one of these Whānau - Maunga, Awa, Whenua and Moana.