Learn. Achieve. Succeed.

Through whānau and families, staff, and students working together, we know we can learn, achieve, and succeed as individuals and as a community.

Haere mai, Afio mai a, Malo e me’a mai, Aere mai, Fakaalofa atu, welcome. We are a school where all learners are valued and celebrated. We strive for excellence in all that we do.

Holistic Learning

Our team of professional and dedicated Support Staff, Teachers, and Specialists work together to design quality educational programmes for students with special learning needs. We teach the New Zealand Curriculum with a focus on the key competencies, to provide a holistic programme which is centred on the individual needs of each student.

Our Students

Our students are aged between 5 and 21 years of age, and learn either at our Base School in Taradale, or in one of our satellite classes at Nelson Park School, Tamatea Primary School, Tamatea Intermediate, and Tamatea High School. Many of our young adult students enjoy preparing for life after school at Te Rangimarie, our Transition Centre in Bridge Pa.

Our Kaupapa & Guiding Principle

'Whānau Ako - Learning Together'. For all students to be proud of who they are; learning, achieving and successfully participating in their community.

Our Specialist Team – FAST

We are dedicated in providing specialist services for our students and family whānau to support successful educational outcomes.

We are dedicated in providing specialist services for our students and family whānau to support successful educational outcomes. Our Staff and FAST provide a seamless service for our students and their family whānau. We work closely with family whānau, our teaching and support staff, and outside agencies such as the Child Development Service (CDS) and the Ministry of Education to ensure a holistic and collaborative approach. Our Staff embed specialist programmes into our students’ school day. Specialists goals align with the New Zealand Curriculum and Key Competencies.

Educational Psychology

Janine's focus is on supporting the social, emotional and behavioural wellbeing of our students so they are positively engaged and progressing with their learning programmes. She works in collaboration with classroom staff, the therapy team and whānau to provide assessment, offer advice and guidance, develop individual plans, and work alongside staff to implement and monitor interventions. Janine also helps to deliver Team-Teach training, a positive behaviour support programme, for all staff at Fairhaven.

Janine Moran

Educational Psychologist

Music Therapy

Miona uses music and musical elements in holistic, goal-oriented and individualised ways with students to "...assist with the healing and personal growth of people with identified emotional, intellectual, physical or social needs" (Music Therapy NZ, 2011). She uses a range of instruments, and singing or vocalising to engage and motivate students. Focusing on our students’ strengths is Miona’s forte.

Miona Nikolic

Music Therapist

Physiotherapy

Jenny focuses on the physical abilities of the students at Fairhaven School. By using different equipment and tailored individualised programmes she promotes functional ability and integrates this into the classroom setting. Jenny has a special interest in gait (or walking) and using correct orthotics to get the best walking pattern possible. Jenny is also interested in riding of the disabled and hydrotherapy.

Jenny Kyle

Physiotherapist

Occupational Therapy

Katy and Molly's work promotes our students well-being and independence. Therapy may include developing programmes around activities of daily living and personal cares; development of hand function and fine motor skills; sensory processing and visual perceptual skills. Katy and Molly assess for and provide specialist equipment and assistive technology to support students’ access to the curriculum.

Katy Byrne

Occupational Therapist

Molly Deighton

Occupational Therapist

Speech and Language Therapy

Nicole and Angelina work within Fairhaven School to assess and plan programmes for developing communication and eating and drinking skills. Our aim is for students to increase their independence and to enable them to have a voice. Through our work, our students are successful in using a variety of low and high tech communication systems for their everyday lives.