Otonga Rd School's 26 nationalities one big 'family'

Otonga Rd Primary School students Zoe Marshall, 8, (left), Theo Hunt, 8, Pia Graetz, 8, and Adelaide Howe, 8. PHOTO/BEN FRASER

United by four winds, we grow stronger together. That's the motto behind Otonga Rd Primary School.

Principal Linda Woon said it was all about capturing the whole school.

"We've got 26 nationalities in our school. We have children from all around the world yet they come together into a place of tangata whenua as a family together," Woon said.

"It doesn't matter where they came from, they are coming into the Otonga school family."

Woon has been principal at the school since 2007 and said it was a beautiful school.

"We have got the most gorgeous kids and fabulous parents and wonderful staff. What makes any place special is the same as here - it's the people."

She said it was also physically beautiful.

"We've got a park on three sides and are surrounded by trees. It's just gorgeous at this time of year."

Woon said this year the school was focusing on more than "the three Rs" of reading, writing and arithmetic. They were focusing on life skills like self management.

"We're also revisiting our whole vision and going back to the basics of what do we want our people to be like when they leave here."

Students at the school said they liked everything from Chinese and maths to music and writing.

Theo Hunt, 8, said his favourite subject was maths.

"I like the numbers. It's not people's favourite subject so it's cool being one of the people who love it the most."

About the school:
Principal: Linda Woon
Location: Otonga Rd, Springfield
Type: State, Co-educational, primary school
Roll: 574 (in July 2017)
Gender composition: Female - 49.6 per cent, Male - 50.4 per cent (in 2017)
Ethnic composition: Māori - 24 per cent, Pākehā - 58 per cent, Other - 18 per cent. (in 2017)
Motto: United by four winds we grow stronger together.