Kia ora koutou katoa,
Nau mai haere mai – welcome to Kelburn Normal School

I am delighted you are considering Kelburn Normal School for your tamariki/child’s education — choosing the right kura/school is a big decision, and we would love to be part of your journey.

We are tucked away just off Kelburn Village, in one of the most beautiful parts of Wellington. With views of the harbour, native trees all around us, and a warm, sunny site to learn and play, our setting really is something special. We have been part of the community since 1914, and in 2018 we opened our brand new building, thoughtfully designed to support contemporary learning while keeping the character and warmth Kelburn is known for.

Today, we are a thriving school for up to 300 tamariki/children, from new entrants/year 1 right through to year 8. What is palpable is the strong sense of connection you feel as soon as you walk through our gates. We are big believers in manaakitanga — kindness, care, and looking out for one another. It’s more than a value here; it is how we live and learn together.

At Kelburn Normal School, pūkengatanga/excellence is encouraged and achieved.

At Kelburn, we want our tamariki/children to feel confident, curious, and excited about learning. We support them in aiming high and exploring their passions — whether that’s in the learning spaces, on the stage, out in nature, or through sports. Our kaiako/teachers are talented and work collaboratively alongside ākonga/learners to develop their powerful learning dispositions.

We are proud of our culture of whanaungatanga, we are warm, inclusive, and respectful. We believe that a tamariki/child’s success is built on strong partnerships between the school, whānau/family, and the ākonga/student themselves. Community is truly at the heart of who we are.

At Kelburn, tamariki/children are engaged in rich, authentic learning to grow in confidence and develop academically, creatively, emotionally and physically within a caring, values-based environment. At Kelburn, our traditions of the past meet the modern technologies and teaching pedagogy of today. Kelburn Normal School has a long history of being a creative school with excellence in the performing arts — a strong programme of itinerant music teachers, bands, an music ensembles including an orchestra and auditioned choir, and kapa haka groups. Creativity is at the heart of the way we learn at Kelburn. As a kura, tamariki devise a class play each year to enhance the literacy programme — drama is a strength of our learning programme. We have a dialogic approach to learning based on relationships where the everyday practice of multiple literacies gives children agency and voice across the curriculum.

As a Normal School, Kelburn plays an active role in training future kaiako/teachers. This means our kaimahi/staff are not only exceptional educators, but also leaders in the teaching profession. Your tamaiti/child will be taught by highly skilled, reflective practitioners who are committed to putting learners first.

We would love to welcome your tamaiti/child and whānau/family to our kura. Please feel free to make an appointment to visit — come and explore our beautiful setting and playgrounds, meet our dedicated kaimahi/staff and leadership team, and experience first-hand the welcoming, whānau/family atmosphere that makes Kelburn Normal School so unique.

Ngā mihi nui,
 
Kent Favel

Tumuaki/Principal
Kelburn Normal School