FLEMINGTON SCHOOL

Flemington School is a State, rural, co-educational school catering for students from year 1 to Year 8, situated about 22 kilometres south of Waipukurau, on a strip of property originally named ‘Boar Hills’. This name travelled all the way from Scotland with the Fleming family (Boar Hills is an area close to the St Andrews golf course in Scotland). The school was opened in 1908 and was situated at Viewfield until 1917. Opening again in 1918 the school was situated adjacent to the Purimu Stream Bridge on land given to the Education Department by local landowner W.D. Fleming. Over the years the school closed and opened again, Wanstead, Hatuma, and Marakeke schools were closed and students were moved to Flemington, along with the Wanstead School building. Land was also purchased from W.D. Fleming at the more suitable site that the present day school resides on. Flemington School celebrated 100 years of schooling in the district in 2008, with a reunion held during Easter 2008.

The school staffing roll of 4.7 Full Time equivalents and is very well supported by the community to supply the best environment and learning it can. The school is heavily reliant on bus transport, with 95% of children bussing from their homes to school. The majority of the children are European with an approximate 20% Māori roll. Our school families consist of farm owners, farm workers, town workers and business owners. The majority of families live within, or in close proximity to the Flemington District.  Some families live in town or in other country school areas but have chosen Flemington School as the preferred education centre for their children.

The school is serviced by the Dental Clinic in Waipukurau, the Technology Centre at CHB Collegel, the Public Health Nurse, the Resource Teachers of Learning and Behaviour, and through Hawkes Bay Health Eye and Ear testing. It is a member of the Ruahine Kāhui Ako (Community of Learning) which works as one with the other CHB Kāhui Ako Te Angiangi, with the aim of supporting success for all children in CHB.

There has been extensive building work completed over the years, which has come from space deficiency and other Ministry funding, and provides 5 classroom spaces, a small teaching space, a library, a staffroom, and an office area.  The school has fibre internet installed and a wifi network that facilitates ease of access across the school site and community hall.  The school has access to the Flemington Community Hall (situated adjacent to the school), good outdoor play areas, solar heating swimming pool, playing field, and several storage sheds. The Board and Community have been very proactive in increasing the shade sails coverage around the school with the last sails installed in 2018 outside the staffroom, library and 2 western classrooms. 2022 saw the removal of two classrooms (Tourere and Rotohiwi) with a new double classroom and toilet module replacing them on the area where Rotohiwi was.

A caring, supportive family atmosphere is apparent where children are encouraged to learn and develop both within and outside school. This is supported with a restorative approach to managing interactions between children and staff. There is excellent parental/caregiver involvement in all school activities eg attendance, transport, working bees, in-class help, as well as Saturday sport. The school also maintains close liaison with the Flemington Playgroup.

The school is a focal point for the community, which is served by the Playgroup, Flemington Community Hall, Volunteer Fire Brigade, Wanstead Polo Club and Pony Club. The parents and community have high expectations of the school to provide the children with well-rounded development in all areas of education.