On Fridays the senior pupils at Aramoho School get into the kitchen in the middle terms and serve up a tasty lunchtime snack for the whole school at cost of just 50c each.
This term the Friday canteen features scones with jam and cream. Next term it will be crisp baked potatoes with butter.
Principal Henry Ngapo, a self-confessed foodie with a love of cooking, said that to calorie conscious people scones with cream and potatoes with butter may seem a little over the top.
``Well they are better than bags of fatty, salty chippies and muesli-type bars everyday which are highly processed,'' he says.
``What we serve is great for providing extra calories to keep children's energy levels up in winter.''
Mr Ngapo is a tall, fine man who has his finger on all pulses in his school. He knows every one of his pupils, their quirks and failings but he is determined they will enjoy a good education under his care.
As well as academic learning, extensive creativity is fostered in arts.
Creative writing, artwork, media and music are encouraged with every child given free artistic rein.
The results spill across every wall throughout the school in spectacular displays which stop you in your tracks.
I was impressed again and again with the work by these young creative minds ... it was right up there with any community arts venture in our cities.
The public need to see these wonderful works.
Mr Ngapo attributes the astounding artistic successes to his wife Helen, his principal release teacher.
``She is amazing, I am just so fortunate to have her here alongside me.''
Mrs Ngapo's specialist teaching interests not only include the arts visual arts, dance and music she also specialises in teaching French, social studies and science.
Last year she received one of two national excellence awards in teaching languages.
And her students' excellence in art meant they were selected by the Sargeant Gallery Art Educators this year to paint the insect murals for the new toilet block at Kowhai Park.
Their bright murals have been much admired by the public.
In the performing arts suite (two former classrooms with the wall taken out) there are two pianos, an organ, guitars, cornets and ukeleles available to every child who wants to learn an instrument.
Individuality is encouraged at Aramoho with some unique events that will be remembered forever, such as Mrs Ngapo's synchronised reading exercise.
Wearing flippers, masks and swimwear, her students took their books and headed off for the empty swimming pool (empty for the winter), lay down in the pool, turned the same way as though they were synchronised swimming and read their books through their masks.
They still laugh and talk about their synchronised reading lesson, Mr Ngapo laughed.
``They loved it, they really did.''
Even the school library has special extras.
Sitting on every shelf alongside the books are cuddly toys, from rabbits and bears to fluffy dogs and a duck or two .
On the floor in the middle of the room is a tower of warm, soft, colourful cushions. Instead of having to sit upright at a desk the children can choose a cuddly mate, a soft cushion and settle in for a good old read. And they do all the time.
Mr Ngapo said all the children are very keen on library time.
``We do have computers, of course, but I really prefer the old-fashioned way of getting into a book and really enjoying it.''
At lunchtime if a child wants to leap around but doesn't want to go outside, then off they can go to the table tennis suite (an old classroom).
Because the school was once big, with a roll of about 280, and has now shrunk, as many schools have, there is lots of space.
The table tennis suite has four full-sized tables so there's plenty of room for fancy footwork and swinging of bats.
At Aramoho School discipline is of prime importance ... all the children know it.
They know when they misbehave they will be given a warning, then a dot for each time they misbehave after that. Each dot represents 10 minutes of detention.
If they continue to misbehave and become a danger to themselves or other students, or they are being a bad influence on other students, they will be suspended or expelled from the school.
Mr Ngapo said the system was chosen because it took a positive approach to changing behaviour, while still recognising that antisocial behaviour that stops others from learning must be dealt with.
However, from listening to Henry Ngapo you know that he is well in tune with his school and everyone in it.
When he talks about the children it is with fondness and understanding.
If he hears of a child's family having a tough time, for whatever reason, he sets up a koha box in the staff room.
``We take up a collection and at the end of the week I'll pop round with a box of food and our koha ... and we'll keep it up while they are having a hard time.''
Special needs children have been welcomed into the school and Mr Ngapo ensured a new toilet and bathroom were built in an old storeroom.
It features a proper hospital-style children's bed which can elevated and a cupboard by the wash basin full of wipes, ointments and creams.
``This means the children can be cleaned up if they have an accident and means they can be toileted easily,'' Mr Ngapo said.
`` The teacher aides generally do this.'' The two special needs children are in the new entrant's large room and are looked after by everyone.
``Every child in the school looks after them and every senior pupil has a small junior buddy,'' Mr Ngapo said. ``These children really do care about and look after one another.''
And it's not just the children who are close.
The staff also make a habit of sharing social activities, including going out for breakfast, going a good old-fashioned Kiwi pub like the Kai Iwi Tavern for a meal, going off to the greyhounds or having the occasional barbecue together.
It's all about being cohesive, having that family atmosphere which benefits everyone everyday, Mr Ngapo said.
``We're a family of learning.''-->-->-->-->