Bunnythorpe School principal Nina Booth says the school is an undiscovered gem a stone's throw from Palmerston North. Photo / Judith Lacy
Bunnythorpe School principal Nina Booth says the school is an undiscovered gem a stone's throw from Palmerston North. Photo / Judith Lacy
A photo of Bunnythorpe School’s first head teacher still hangs at the school. If the image is anything to go by, Mrs Boddy was a stern woman. It is hard to imagine she would pose for a photograph on a tyre swing.
But jump forward 139 years and principal Nina Booth is up for it. Bunnythorpe is her first principalship and she has been in the role since last October.
Booth has a lengthy to-do list, but most of all she wants to sing, dance and demonstrate the benefits of a Bunnythorpe education.
The Year 1 to 8 school has 19 students - 12 seniors and seven juniors.
She would love to grow the roll of the Baring St school. It would be lovely to have two teachers working alongside each other but still maintaining the family atmosphere. As a teaching principal, she is in the classroom three days a week.
One of Bunnythorpe School's three chickens. Photo / Judith Lacy
Bunnythorpe School is a little gem in the middle of a village, she says. There is a rural-based theme to the learning, with three chickens, three sheep, a vegetable garden, a propagation house, and a bush area.
At the enviro school children are taught to improve, restore and regenerate the environment.
There is lots of student-teacher interaction throughout the day, Booth says. The te ao Māori concept of tuakana-teina is used with older students helping younger students.
Students can access opportunities at other schools, for example the senior students attend technology at Monrad Te Kura Waenga o Tirohanga. This year, Bunnythorpe has introduced coding.
The entrance to Bunnythorpe School's bush walk. Photo / Judith Lacy
Booth says the school, which opened in 1884, is steeped in history and is hugely valued by the community.
It offers lunches in schools and every child is assigned a bike they can ride at lunchtime around the school or on the bike track. There is a loose parts play area and a covered sandpit. The pool has been re-plastered and is ready for painting.
“It’s a very, very well-resourced school. We’d just love the kids to come in and be part of it, and the families of course.”
Little Bunnies playgroup is also on-site, catering for babies to 4-year-olds. The senior school students go for big bunny buddy time, while the 4-year-olds are invited to attend a school session every fortnight.
Interested whānau can ring the school to make an appointment for a tour and chat, or just turn up.
“If you have never heard of it before go there, take a look,” Booth says.
