Matahui School, near Katikati, finds finance to stay open

Matahui School students and principal Mary Woods are thrilled the school now has a bright future.

Matahui School, south of Katikati has secured funding to continue to operate so students, staff and whānau can now look forward to a brighter future.

In July the school announced it was struggling financially and would be forced to close unless assistance was found urgently.

Principal Mary Woods and the Board of Trustees confirmed on Tuesday that, thanks to a little bit of "Matahui magic", they now have a long-term solution to ensure the sustainability of the school.

"What happened is that we have an amazing and supportive wider community who believe in our ethos and what Matahui School provides for their children, and so they came to our rescue.

"We owe this group a huge debt of gratitude and want them to know that they will be part of the Matahui story for future generations to come," Woods says.

The school's pending closure in July prompted a dedicated group of parents and alumni to raise funds to allow the school to remain open until the end of the year while a more permanent plan was put in place.

Woods says "it's the students, community and staff that make Matahui magic".

"Our teaching style helps build self-esteem in our students and creates robust, emotionally intelligent children who can take the knocks in life. This was evident in the way our students handled themselves during this uncertain and challenging time."

"We are all looking forward to working closely with all the stakeholders ensuring the future survival of Matahui School. These are exciting times."

Matahui School is an independent primary school that was started 32 years ago in response to one parent's concern about her child's wellbeing and education.

But it is not your typical school. The school aims to provide children with an education that teaches in the way each child learns best; with a curriculum that focuses on the students' needs and interests as well as education outside the classroom.