Help revolutionise the New Zealand education system with Ako

By Sabrina Nagel

NZ $20,652 pledged


210 people pledged


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NZ $20,000 minimum target


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This campaign was successful and closed on 02/12/2018 at 9:00 PM.

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About

Help Revolutionise The New Zealand Education System With Ako

Project 2018-10-13 21:19:56 +1300

 

The short version

Our education system is failing many New Zealand children. Ako has set out to provide the best learning environment for our tamariki, now, and for their future. It is built on strong evidence of how children learn best. Through the success of Ako, we will create a model of a successful future-focused school. This will ultimately inspire change in our education system so that more children in New Zealand can realise their full potential and be ready to embrace the challenges of the future.

 

Why is Ako needed/ Na te aha

Our schools were designed for an industrialising world that no longer exists and parents are crying out for alternatives.

Government is too slow to make changes and support innovation in education, so it is left to parents and communities to drive change from the bottom up.

 

Leading edge research from the areas of neuroscience, child psychology and health science as well as the demand for future skills suggest that schools need to adopt a different approach that puts children at the centre of learning, and individualises learning around their interests. 

We have designed Ako around that research and taking inspiration from pioneers before us and the wisdom of Te Ao Maori.

 

What we are about/ He aha

Ako is a future-focused, play-based primary school that started earlier this year and provides a learning environment immersed in nature and puts children at the centre of their own learning.

 

We want to empower tamariki to take control of their own learning through the power of play and inquiry. Ultimately, we want to create communities of creative, joyful, compassionate life-long learners who use courageous and innovative thinking to build a harmonious and sustainable world.

 

Our vision/ Ngā moemoea

We want to challenge the current schooling model, so that the NZ education system is the best it can be.

 

Through the success of Ako, we will create a model of how to run a successful future-focused school. This will ultimately inspire change in our education system so that more children in New Zealand can realise their full potential and be ready to embrace the challenges of the future.

 

A big part of our role is to raise awareness of the research behind our approach. We run regular community talks and use social media to promote articles and research. Our accounts have more than 600 followers and we have held five talks that reached around 450 parents and teachers.

 

We have reached capacity in our current space and need to expand to meet demand, so we're moving to a bigger, better space. In the years to come, we also want to provide inspiration and a platform for others to open their own versions of Ako in their local community.

 

Our story / Te haere

It all started with Ako’s Dot-Connector, Sabrina, through her work at AUT. She came across research explaining how our education system is outdated, doesn’t cater to how we learn, and isn’t preparing children for the future. As a mother of twin girls who were approaching school age, she could not find a school that was aligned with her values and the research she came across. So the idea to start a new type of school was born.

 

Realising that she would need a strong and diverse team, Sabrina was actively looking for others to join this kaupapa. She met Kate Webber, a mother of three boys and a registered primary school teacher, who had always been passionate about Play Based Learning but who felt unsupported and isolated in the mainstream system. 

Ako gained momentum and primary school teacher Claudia Gray, who has a background in science and mathematics and specialises in non-violent communication joined the team.

Followed by Chief Number Cruncher Bronwyn Bayne, a mother of two boys, with a background in government financial policy and strategy development, who even quit her job to join the team part-time!

Most recently, Lance Cablk, an ECE teacher and interpretive dancer joined the team.

 

 

 

Our milestones/ Ngā eke panuku

We’ve done what most said was crazy: we opened a school without any external financial backing or government support and with virtually no budget.

 

We currently have a roll of 14 students between the ages of 5 and 12 years old who learn alongside in our mixed age environment.

We are located on the North Shore of Auckland, are run by volunteer staff of committed parents, and employ four part-time passionate teachers.

We have over 600 followers on our social media accounts and had over 400 people attend our community talks.

Why we are seeking funding / Ngā putea

We had to start as a private parent-run school without government funding. It currently costs approximately $12,000 a year per student to run our school on our shoe-string budget (other private school fees can be more than $20,000 per year).

 

Our only income comes from fees our families pay and fundraising activities, as we do not have any private backers. We want Ako to be accessible to all and not only those that can afford private school fees and we want to be able to pay our staff a decent wage.  

Your support will enable us to: lease a bigger space on our current site for next year, provide partial scholarships to families that can’t afford to pay our full fees; and repay part of the loan that enabled us to get Ako started.

 

Our stretch target is $40,000. The extra $20,000 raised would enable us to offer more scholarships and fast track building a platform to support others to start their own spaces.

 

Where your pledge will go

Scholarship fund 10k+

Lease of new space 5k

Repayment of loan 5k+

 

What you can do

Help us build on our first steps so that we can prove our model and inspire change in our education system so that more children in New Zealand can experience the wonders of a largely self-directed and experiential education and be ready to face the challenges of the future.

 

 

1x Rust drop crotch pants&1x Blush Baxter fleece jumper

1x Burrowers Fleece jumper grey

 

 

Comments

Updates 4

Thank you for your support- WE MADE IT!

03/12/2018 at 10:19 PM

Thank you everyone for your support!!

Making the half-was goal!

24/11/2018 at 9:06 PM

 

The short version

Our education system is failing many New Zealand children. Ako has set out to provide the best learning environment for our tamariki, now, and for their future. It is built on strong evidence of how children learn best. Through the success of Ako, we will create a model of a successful future-focused school. This will ultimately inspire change in our education system so that more children in New Zealand can realise their full potential and be ready to embrace the challenges of the future.

 

Why is Ako needed/ Na te aha

Our schools were designed for an industrialising world that no longer exists and parents are crying out for alternatives.

Government is too slow to make changes and support innovation in education, so it is left to parents and communities to drive change from the bottom up.

 

Leading edge research from the areas of neuroscience, child psychology and health science as well as the demand for future skills suggest that schools need to adopt a different approach that puts children at the centre of learning, and individualises learning around their interests. 

We have designed Ako around that research and taking inspiration from pioneers before us and the wisdom of Te Ao Maori.

 

What we are about/ He aha

Ako is a future-focused, play-based primary school that started earlier this year and provides a learning environment immersed in nature and puts children at the centre of their own learning.

 

We want to empower tamariki to take control of their own learning through the power of play and inquiry. Ultimately, we want to create communities of creative, joyful, compassionate life-long learners who use courageous and innovative thinking to build a harmonious and sustainable world.

 

Our vision/ Ngā moemoea

We want to challenge the current schooling model, so that the NZ education system is the best it can be.

 

Through the success of Ako, we will create a model of how to run a successful future-focused school. This will ultimately inspire change in our education system so that more children in New Zealand can realise their full potential and be ready to embrace the challenges of the future.

 

A big part of our role is to raise awareness of the research behind our approach. We run regular community talks and use social media to promote articles and research. Our accounts have more than 600 followers and we have held five talks that reached around 450 parents and teachers.

 

We have reached capacity in our current space and need to expand to meet demand, so we're moving to a bigger, better space. In the years to come, we also want to provide inspiration and a platform for others to open their own versions of Ako in their local community.

 

Our story / Te haere

It all started with Ako’s Dot-Connector, Sabrina, through her work at AUT. She came across research explaining how our education system is outdated, doesn’t cater to how we learn, and isn’t preparing children for the future. As a mother of twin girls who were approaching school age, she could not find a school that was aligned with her values and the research she came across. So the idea to start a new type of school was born.

 

Realising that she would need a strong and diverse team, Sabrina was actively looking for others to join this kaupapa. She met Kate Webber, a mother of three boys and a registered primary school teacher, who had always been passionate about Play Based Learning but who felt unsupported and isolated in the mainstream system. 

Ako gained momentum and primary school teacher Claudia Gray, who has a background in science and mathematics and specialises in non-violent communication joined the team.

Followed by Chief Number Cruncher Bronwyn Bayne, a mother of two boys, with a background in government financial policy and strategy development, who even quit her job to join the team part-time!

Most recently, Lance Cablk, an ECE teacher and interpretive dancer joined the team.

 

 

 

Our milestones/ Ngā eke panuku

We’ve done what most said was crazy: we opened a school without any external financial backing or government support and with virtually no budget.

 

We currently have a roll of 14 students between the ages of 5 and 12 years old who learn alongside in our mixed age environment.

We are located on the North Shore of Auckland, are run by volunteer staff of committed parents, and employ four part-time passionate teachers.

We have over 600 followers on our social media accounts and had over 400 people attend our community talks.

Why we are seeking funding / Ngā putea

We had to start as a private parent-run school without government funding. It currently costs approximately $12,000 a year per student to run our school on our shoe-string budget (other private school fees can be more than $20,000 per year).

 

Our only income comes from fees our families pay and fundraising activities, as we do not have any private backers. We want Ako to be accessible to all and not only those that can afford private school fees and we want to be able to pay our staff a decent wage.  

Your support will enable us to: lease a bigger space on our current site for next year, provide partial scholarships to families that can’t afford to pay our full fees; and repay part of the loan that enabled us to get Ako started.

 

Our stretch target is $40,000. The extra $20,000 raised would enable us to offer more scholarships and fast track building a platform to support others to start their own spaces.

 

Where your pledge will go

Scholarship fund 10k+

Lease of new space 5k

Repayment of loan 5k+

 

What you can do

Help us build on our first steps so that we can prove our model and inspire change in our education system so that more children in New Zealand can experience the wonders of a largely self-directed and experiential education and be ready to face the challenges of the future.

 

 

1x Rust drop crotch pants&1x Blush Baxter fleece jumper

1x Burrowers Fleece jumper grey

 

 

Sabrina gives an update on the campaign- 4th Nov

04/11/2018 at 1:12 PM

 

The short version

Our education system is failing many New Zealand children. Ako has set out to provide the best learning environment for our tamariki, now, and for their future. It is built on strong evidence of how children learn best. Through the success of Ako, we will create a model of a successful future-focused school. This will ultimately inspire change in our education system so that more children in New Zealand can realise their full potential and be ready to embrace the challenges of the future.

 

Why is Ako needed/ Na te aha

Our schools were designed for an industrialising world that no longer exists and parents are crying out for alternatives.

Government is too slow to make changes and support innovation in education, so it is left to parents and communities to drive change from the bottom up.

 

Leading edge research from the areas of neuroscience, child psychology and health science as well as the demand for future skills suggest that schools need to adopt a different approach that puts children at the centre of learning, and individualises learning around their interests. 

We have designed Ako around that research and taking inspiration from pioneers before us and the wisdom of Te Ao Maori.

 

What we are about/ He aha

Ako is a future-focused, play-based primary school that started earlier this year and provides a learning environment immersed in nature and puts children at the centre of their own learning.

 

We want to empower tamariki to take control of their own learning through the power of play and inquiry. Ultimately, we want to create communities of creative, joyful, compassionate life-long learners who use courageous and innovative thinking to build a harmonious and sustainable world.

 

Our vision/ Ngā moemoea

We want to challenge the current schooling model, so that the NZ education system is the best it can be.

 

Through the success of Ako, we will create a model of how to run a successful future-focused school. This will ultimately inspire change in our education system so that more children in New Zealand can realise their full potential and be ready to embrace the challenges of the future.

 

A big part of our role is to raise awareness of the research behind our approach. We run regular community talks and use social media to promote articles and research. Our accounts have more than 600 followers and we have held five talks that reached around 450 parents and teachers.

 

We have reached capacity in our current space and need to expand to meet demand, so we're moving to a bigger, better space. In the years to come, we also want to provide inspiration and a platform for others to open their own versions of Ako in their local community.

 

Our story / Te haere

It all started with Ako’s Dot-Connector, Sabrina, through her work at AUT. She came across research explaining how our education system is outdated, doesn’t cater to how we learn, and isn’t preparing children for the future. As a mother of twin girls who were approaching school age, she could not find a school that was aligned with her values and the research she came across. So the idea to start a new type of school was born.

 

Realising that she would need a strong and diverse team, Sabrina was actively looking for others to join this kaupapa. She met Kate Webber, a mother of three boys and a registered primary school teacher, who had always been passionate about Play Based Learning but who felt unsupported and isolated in the mainstream system. 

Ako gained momentum and primary school teacher Claudia Gray, who has a background in science and mathematics and specialises in non-violent communication joined the team.

Followed by Chief Number Cruncher Bronwyn Bayne, a mother of two boys, with a background in government financial policy and strategy development, who even quit her job to join the team part-time!

Most recently, Lance Cablk, an ECE teacher and interpretive dancer joined the team.

 

 

 

Our milestones/ Ngā eke panuku

We’ve done what most said was crazy: we opened a school without any external financial backing or government support and with virtually no budget.

 

We currently have a roll of 14 students between the ages of 5 and 12 years old who learn alongside in our mixed age environment.

We are located on the North Shore of Auckland, are run by volunteer staff of committed parents, and employ four part-time passionate teachers.

We have over 600 followers on our social media accounts and had over 400 people attend our community talks.

Why we are seeking funding / Ngā putea

We had to start as a private parent-run school without government funding. It currently costs approximately $12,000 a year per student to run our school on our shoe-string budget (other private school fees can be more than $20,000 per year).

 

Our only income comes from fees our families pay and fundraising activities, as we do not have any private backers. We want Ako to be accessible to all and not only those that can afford private school fees and we want to be able to pay our staff a decent wage.  

Your support will enable us to: lease a bigger space on our current site for next year, provide partial scholarships to families that can’t afford to pay our full fees; and repay part of the loan that enabled us to get Ako started.

 

Our stretch target is $40,000. The extra $20,000 raised would enable us to offer more scholarships and fast track building a platform to support others to start their own spaces.

 

Where your pledge will go

Scholarship fund 10k+

Lease of new space 5k

Repayment of loan 5k+

 

What you can do

Help us build on our first steps so that we can prove our model and inspire change in our education system so that more children in New Zealand can experience the wonders of a largely self-directed and experiential education and be ready to face the challenges of the future.

 

 

1x Rust drop crotch pants&1x Blush Baxter fleece jumper

1x Burrowers Fleece jumper grey

 

 

And we are live!

20/10/2018 at 4:32 PM

 Kia ora koutou,

Thank you for getting behind our kaupapa, some of the rewards are going out the door fast so we are working on lining up some more over the next few weeks. So stay tuned!!

    Pledgers 210

    Bronwyn Nicole Bayne
    27/10/2018 at 9:39pm
    Carmel Berry
    27/10/2018 at 7:16pm
    Steph and Flo
    27/10/2018 at 5:03am
    Anna Ruediger
    27/10/2018 at 3:47am
    Karyn Jack
    26/10/2018 at 9:10pm
    Anonymous pledger
    26/10/2018 at 1:43pm
    Anonymous pledger
    26/10/2018 at 1:16pm
    Anonymous pledger
    26/10/2018 at 12:53pm
    Anonymous pledger
    26/10/2018 at 12:51pm
    Anonymous pledger
    26/10/2018 at 12:50pm
    Kerry Topp
    25/10/2018 at 5:17pm

    "Wonderful opportunity. Kei runga noa atu | onwards & upwards. The Topp Family "

    Gill Lawrence
    24/10/2018 at 12:08pm
    Gill Lawrence
    24/10/2018 at 12:05pm
    Gill Lawrence
    24/10/2018 at 12:04pm
    Anonymous pledger
    24/10/2018 at 11:21am
    Anonymous pledger
    24/10/2018 at 11:20am
    Linda Woolf
    23/10/2018 at 4:04pm
    Jaclyn
    23/10/2018 at 2:31pm

    "Amazing mahi, would love my (not yet 2 yr old) daughter to be part of your learning community!"

    Kylie Johnston
    23/10/2018 at 1:47pm
    Jane Langley
    23/10/2018 at 12:30pm
    Barry Grehan
    23/10/2018 at 10:16am

    "Natural play. So good, Sabrina!"

    Sarah
    22/10/2018 at 8:04pm
    Jaime Campbell
    21/10/2018 at 9:47am
    Anonymous pledger
    21/10/2018 at 9:18am
    Liz Clarkson
    21/10/2018 at 7:34am

    "I believe in this and want to see it succeed!"

    Summer Boyd
    20/10/2018 at 9:30pm

    "Love this!"

    Rosa Armstrong
    20/10/2018 at 9:23pm
    Anonymous pledger
    20/10/2018 at 8:56pm

    "Well done Ako!"

    Anonymous pledger
    20/10/2018 at 7:54pm
    Carrie Harman
    20/10/2018 at 7:28pm

    "What an awesome school! Just what our kids need! I hope you are successful and more such schools start up. "

    Followers 1

    Followers of Help revolutionise the New Zealand education system with Ako

    Help Revolutionise The New Zealand Education System With Ako

    Project 2018-10-13 21:19:56 +1300

     

    The short version

    Our education system is failing many New Zealand children. Ako has set out to provide the best learning environment for our tamariki, now, and for their future. It is built on strong evidence of how children learn best. Through the success of Ako, we will create a model of a successful future-focused school. This will ultimately inspire change in our education system so that more children in New Zealand can realise their full potential and be ready to embrace the challenges of the future.

     

    Why is Ako needed/ Na te aha

    Our schools were designed for an industrialising world that no longer exists and parents are crying out for alternatives.

    Government is too slow to make changes and support innovation in education, so it is left to parents and communities to drive change from the bottom up.

     

    Leading edge research from the areas of neuroscience, child psychology and health science as well as the demand for future skills suggest that schools need to adopt a different approach that puts children at the centre of learning, and individualises learning around their interests. 

    We have designed Ako around that research and taking inspiration from pioneers before us and the wisdom of Te Ao Maori.

     

    What we are about/ He aha

    Ako is a future-focused, play-based primary school that started earlier this year and provides a learning environment immersed in nature and puts children at the centre of their own learning.

     

    We want to empower tamariki to take control of their own learning through the power of play and inquiry. Ultimately, we want to create communities of creative, joyful, compassionate life-long learners who use courageous and innovative thinking to build a harmonious and sustainable world.

     

    Our vision/ Ngā moemoea

    We want to challenge the current schooling model, so that the NZ education system is the best it can be.

     

    Through the success of Ako, we will create a model of how to run a successful future-focused school. This will ultimately inspire change in our education system so that more children in New Zealand can realise their full potential and be ready to embrace the challenges of the future.

     

    A big part of our role is to raise awareness of the research behind our approach. We run regular community talks and use social media to promote articles and research. Our accounts have more than 600 followers and we have held five talks that reached around 450 parents and teachers.

     

    We have reached capacity in our current space and need to expand to meet demand, so we're moving to a bigger, better space. In the years to come, we also want to provide inspiration and a platform for others to open their own versions of Ako in their local community.

     

    Our story / Te haere

    It all started with Ako’s Dot-Connector, Sabrina, through her work at AUT. She came across research explaining how our education system is outdated, doesn’t cater to how we learn, and isn’t preparing children for the future. As a mother of twin girls who were approaching school age, she could not find a school that was aligned with her values and the research she came across. So the idea to start a new type of school was born.

     

    Realising that she would need a strong and diverse team, Sabrina was actively looking for others to join this kaupapa. She met Kate Webber, a mother of three boys and a registered primary school teacher, who had always been passionate about Play Based Learning but who felt unsupported and isolated in the mainstream system. 

    Ako gained momentum and primary school teacher Claudia Gray, who has a background in science and mathematics and specialises in non-violent communication joined the team.

    Followed by Chief Number Cruncher Bronwyn Bayne, a mother of two boys, with a background in government financial policy and strategy development, who even quit her job to join the team part-time!

    Most recently, Lance Cablk, an ECE teacher and interpretive dancer joined the team.

     

     

     

    Our milestones/ Ngā eke panuku

    We’ve done what most said was crazy: we opened a school without any external financial backing or government support and with virtually no budget.

     

    We currently have a roll of 14 students between the ages of 5 and 12 years old who learn alongside in our mixed age environment.

    We are located on the North Shore of Auckland, are run by volunteer staff of committed parents, and employ four part-time passionate teachers.

    We have over 600 followers on our social media accounts and had over 400 people attend our community talks.

    Why we are seeking funding / Ngā putea

    We had to start as a private parent-run school without government funding. It currently costs approximately $12,000 a year per student to run our school on our shoe-string budget (other private school fees can be more than $20,000 per year).

     

    Our only income comes from fees our families pay and fundraising activities, as we do not have any private backers. We want Ako to be accessible to all and not only those that can afford private school fees and we want to be able to pay our staff a decent wage.  

    Your support will enable us to: lease a bigger space on our current site for next year, provide partial scholarships to families that can’t afford to pay our full fees; and repay part of the loan that enabled us to get Ako started.

     

    Our stretch target is $40,000. The extra $20,000 raised would enable us to offer more scholarships and fast track building a platform to support others to start their own spaces.

     

    Where your pledge will go

    Scholarship fund 10k+

    Lease of new space 5k

    Repayment of loan 5k+

     

    What you can do

    Help us build on our first steps so that we can prove our model and inspire change in our education system so that more children in New Zealand can experience the wonders of a largely self-directed and experiential education and be ready to face the challenges of the future.

     

     

    1x Rust drop crotch pants&1x Blush Baxter fleece jumper

    1x Burrowers Fleece jumper grey

     

     

    Comments

    Thank you for your support- WE MADE IT!

    03/12/2018 at 10:19 PM

    Thank you everyone for your support!!

    Making the half-was goal!

    24/11/2018 at 9:06 PM

     

    The short version

    Our education system is failing many New Zealand children. Ako has set out to provide the best learning environment for our tamariki, now, and for their future. It is built on strong evidence of how children learn best. Through the success of Ako, we will create a model of a successful future-focused school. This will ultimately inspire change in our education system so that more children in New Zealand can realise their full potential and be ready to embrace the challenges of the future.

     

    Why is Ako needed/ Na te aha

    Our schools were designed for an industrialising world that no longer exists and parents are crying out for alternatives.

    Government is too slow to make changes and support innovation in education, so it is left to parents and communities to drive change from the bottom up.

     

    Leading edge research from the areas of neuroscience, child psychology and health science as well as the demand for future skills suggest that schools need to adopt a different approach that puts children at the centre of learning, and individualises learning around their interests. 

    We have designed Ako around that research and taking inspiration from pioneers before us and the wisdom of Te Ao Maori.

     

    What we are about/ He aha

    Ako is a future-focused, play-based primary school that started earlier this year and provides a learning environment immersed in nature and puts children at the centre of their own learning.

     

    We want to empower tamariki to take control of their own learning through the power of play and inquiry. Ultimately, we want to create communities of creative, joyful, compassionate life-long learners who use courageous and innovative thinking to build a harmonious and sustainable world.

     

    Our vision/ Ngā moemoea

    We want to challenge the current schooling model, so that the NZ education system is the best it can be.

     

    Through the success of Ako, we will create a model of how to run a successful future-focused school. This will ultimately inspire change in our education system so that more children in New Zealand can realise their full potential and be ready to embrace the challenges of the future.

     

    A big part of our role is to raise awareness of the research behind our approach. We run regular community talks and use social media to promote articles and research. Our accounts have more than 600 followers and we have held five talks that reached around 450 parents and teachers.

     

    We have reached capacity in our current space and need to expand to meet demand, so we're moving to a bigger, better space. In the years to come, we also want to provide inspiration and a platform for others to open their own versions of Ako in their local community.

     

    Our story / Te haere

    It all started with Ako’s Dot-Connector, Sabrina, through her work at AUT. She came across research explaining how our education system is outdated, doesn’t cater to how we learn, and isn’t preparing children for the future. As a mother of twin girls who were approaching school age, she could not find a school that was aligned with her values and the research she came across. So the idea to start a new type of school was born.

     

    Realising that she would need a strong and diverse team, Sabrina was actively looking for others to join this kaupapa. She met Kate Webber, a mother of three boys and a registered primary school teacher, who had always been passionate about Play Based Learning but who felt unsupported and isolated in the mainstream system. 

    Ako gained momentum and primary school teacher Claudia Gray, who has a background in science and mathematics and specialises in non-violent communication joined the team.

    Followed by Chief Number Cruncher Bronwyn Bayne, a mother of two boys, with a background in government financial policy and strategy development, who even quit her job to join the team part-time!

    Most recently, Lance Cablk, an ECE teacher and interpretive dancer joined the team.

     

     

     

    Our milestones/ Ngā eke panuku

    We’ve done what most said was crazy: we opened a school without any external financial backing or government support and with virtually no budget.

     

    We currently have a roll of 14 students between the ages of 5 and 12 years old who learn alongside in our mixed age environment.

    We are located on the North Shore of Auckland, are run by volunteer staff of committed parents, and employ four part-time passionate teachers.

    We have over 600 followers on our social media accounts and had over 400 people attend our community talks.

    Why we are seeking funding / Ngā putea

    We had to start as a private parent-run school without government funding. It currently costs approximately $12,000 a year per student to run our school on our shoe-string budget (other private school fees can be more than $20,000 per year).

     

    Our only income comes from fees our families pay and fundraising activities, as we do not have any private backers. We want Ako to be accessible to all and not only those that can afford private school fees and we want to be able to pay our staff a decent wage.  

    Your support will enable us to: lease a bigger space on our current site for next year, provide partial scholarships to families that can’t afford to pay our full fees; and repay part of the loan that enabled us to get Ako started.

     

    Our stretch target is $40,000. The extra $20,000 raised would enable us to offer more scholarships and fast track building a platform to support others to start their own spaces.

     

    Where your pledge will go

    Scholarship fund 10k+

    Lease of new space 5k

    Repayment of loan 5k+

     

    What you can do

    Help us build on our first steps so that we can prove our model and inspire change in our education system so that more children in New Zealand can experience the wonders of a largely self-directed and experiential education and be ready to face the challenges of the future.

     

     

    1x Rust drop crotch pants&1x Blush Baxter fleece jumper

    1x Burrowers Fleece jumper grey

     

     

    Sabrina gives an update on the campaign- 4th Nov

    04/11/2018 at 1:12 PM

     

    The short version

    Our education system is failing many New Zealand children. Ako has set out to provide the best learning environment for our tamariki, now, and for their future. It is built on strong evidence of how children learn best. Through the success of Ako, we will create a model of a successful future-focused school. This will ultimately inspire change in our education system so that more children in New Zealand can realise their full potential and be ready to embrace the challenges of the future.

     

    Why is Ako needed/ Na te aha

    Our schools were designed for an industrialising world that no longer exists and parents are crying out for alternatives.

    Government is too slow to make changes and support innovation in education, so it is left to parents and communities to drive change from the bottom up.

     

    Leading edge research from the areas of neuroscience, child psychology and health science as well as the demand for future skills suggest that schools need to adopt a different approach that puts children at the centre of learning, and individualises learning around their interests. 

    We have designed Ako around that research and taking inspiration from pioneers before us and the wisdom of Te Ao Maori.

     

    What we are about/ He aha

    Ako is a future-focused, play-based primary school that started earlier this year and provides a learning environment immersed in nature and puts children at the centre of their own learning.

     

    We want to empower tamariki to take control of their own learning through the power of play and inquiry. Ultimately, we want to create communities of creative, joyful, compassionate life-long learners who use courageous and innovative thinking to build a harmonious and sustainable world.

     

    Our vision/ Ngā moemoea

    We want to challenge the current schooling model, so that the NZ education system is the best it can be.

     

    Through the success of Ako, we will create a model of how to run a successful future-focused school. This will ultimately inspire change in our education system so that more children in New Zealand can realise their full potential and be ready to embrace the challenges of the future.

     

    A big part of our role is to raise awareness of the research behind our approach. We run regular community talks and use social media to promote articles and research. Our accounts have more than 600 followers and we have held five talks that reached around 450 parents and teachers.

     

    We have reached capacity in our current space and need to expand to meet demand, so we're moving to a bigger, better space. In the years to come, we also want to provide inspiration and a platform for others to open their own versions of Ako in their local community.

     

    Our story / Te haere

    It all started with Ako’s Dot-Connector, Sabrina, through her work at AUT. She came across research explaining how our education system is outdated, doesn’t cater to how we learn, and isn’t preparing children for the future. As a mother of twin girls who were approaching school age, she could not find a school that was aligned with her values and the research she came across. So the idea to start a new type of school was born.

     

    Realising that she would need a strong and diverse team, Sabrina was actively looking for others to join this kaupapa. She met Kate Webber, a mother of three boys and a registered primary school teacher, who had always been passionate about Play Based Learning but who felt unsupported and isolated in the mainstream system. 

    Ako gained momentum and primary school teacher Claudia Gray, who has a background in science and mathematics and specialises in non-violent communication joined the team.

    Followed by Chief Number Cruncher Bronwyn Bayne, a mother of two boys, with a background in government financial policy and strategy development, who even quit her job to join the team part-time!

    Most recently, Lance Cablk, an ECE teacher and interpretive dancer joined the team.

     

     

     

    Our milestones/ Ngā eke panuku

    We’ve done what most said was crazy: we opened a school without any external financial backing or government support and with virtually no budget.

     

    We currently have a roll of 14 students between the ages of 5 and 12 years old who learn alongside in our mixed age environment.

    We are located on the North Shore of Auckland, are run by volunteer staff of committed parents, and employ four part-time passionate teachers.

    We have over 600 followers on our social media accounts and had over 400 people attend our community talks.

    Why we are seeking funding / Ngā putea

    We had to start as a private parent-run school without government funding. It currently costs approximately $12,000 a year per student to run our school on our shoe-string budget (other private school fees can be more than $20,000 per year).

     

    Our only income comes from fees our families pay and fundraising activities, as we do not have any private backers. We want Ako to be accessible to all and not only those that can afford private school fees and we want to be able to pay our staff a decent wage.  

    Your support will enable us to: lease a bigger space on our current site for next year, provide partial scholarships to families that can’t afford to pay our full fees; and repay part of the loan that enabled us to get Ako started.

     

    Our stretch target is $40,000. The extra $20,000 raised would enable us to offer more scholarships and fast track building a platform to support others to start their own spaces.

     

    Where your pledge will go

    Scholarship fund 10k+

    Lease of new space 5k

    Repayment of loan 5k+

     

    What you can do

    Help us build on our first steps so that we can prove our model and inspire change in our education system so that more children in New Zealand can experience the wonders of a largely self-directed and experiential education and be ready to face the challenges of the future.

     

     

    1x Rust drop crotch pants&1x Blush Baxter fleece jumper

    1x Burrowers Fleece jumper grey

     

     

    And we are live!

    20/10/2018 at 4:32 PM

     Kia ora koutou,

    Thank you for getting behind our kaupapa, some of the rewards are going out the door fast so we are working on lining up some more over the next few weeks. So stay tuned!!

      Bronwyn Nicole Bayne
      27/10/2018 at 9:39pm
      Carmel Berry
      27/10/2018 at 7:16pm
      Steph and Flo
      27/10/2018 at 5:03am
      Anna Ruediger
      27/10/2018 at 3:47am
      Karyn Jack
      26/10/2018 at 9:10pm
      Anonymous pledger
      26/10/2018 at 1:43pm
      Anonymous pledger
      26/10/2018 at 1:16pm
      Anonymous pledger
      26/10/2018 at 12:53pm
      Anonymous pledger
      26/10/2018 at 12:51pm
      Anonymous pledger
      26/10/2018 at 12:50pm
      Kerry Topp
      25/10/2018 at 5:17pm

      "Wonderful opportunity. Kei runga noa atu | onwards & upwards. The Topp Family "

      Gill Lawrence
      24/10/2018 at 12:08pm
      Gill Lawrence
      24/10/2018 at 12:05pm
      Gill Lawrence
      24/10/2018 at 12:04pm
      Anonymous pledger
      24/10/2018 at 11:21am
      Anonymous pledger
      24/10/2018 at 11:20am
      Linda Woolf
      23/10/2018 at 4:04pm
      Jaclyn
      23/10/2018 at 2:31pm

      "Amazing mahi, would love my (not yet 2 yr old) daughter to be part of your learning community!"

      Kylie Johnston
      23/10/2018 at 1:47pm
      Jane Langley
      23/10/2018 at 12:30pm
      Barry Grehan
      23/10/2018 at 10:16am

      "Natural play. So good, Sabrina!"

      Sarah
      22/10/2018 at 8:04pm
      Jaime Campbell
      21/10/2018 at 9:47am
      Anonymous pledger
      21/10/2018 at 9:18am
      Liz Clarkson
      21/10/2018 at 7:34am

      "I believe in this and want to see it succeed!"

      Summer Boyd
      20/10/2018 at 9:30pm

      "Love this!"

      Rosa Armstrong
      20/10/2018 at 9:23pm
      Anonymous pledger
      20/10/2018 at 8:56pm

      "Well done Ako!"

      Anonymous pledger
      20/10/2018 at 7:54pm
      Carrie Harman
      20/10/2018 at 7:28pm

      "What an awesome school! Just what our kids need! I hope you are successful and more such schools start up. "

      Followers of Help revolutionise the New Zealand education system with Ako

      This campaign was successful and got its funding on 02/12/2018 at 9:00 PM.