![](https://www.nzherald.co.nz/resizer/v2/6NIXAMZ53444PW5Q5YPTDJ4GCI.jpg?auth=214d9539fc78f3902acfd4c57e49dd47ad74a8dd051c5bb823de58482a6a052e&width=16&height=4&quality=70&smart=true)
At the edge of the city and the margins of society, a school and its students are fighting back.
Papakura High School has a falling roll, and as far as results go, it's among the worst schools in the country.
The buildings are under-maintained and morale is low. Staff and students fear closure. Its community faces huge challenges: homelessness, low incomes, limited education and a high crime rate.
Many families with money send their children to "better" schools on the other side of the railway tracks.