TL;DR — the 60-second version
Muriwhenua is surrounded by moana on every side — and we want every tamaiti at Te Rangi Āniwaniwa to grow up belonging to it, not afraid of it. Swimming is already part of everyday lessons here; Pioke builds on that with five dedicated afternoons a week, turning the basics into real strength — like the young pioke that shelter in these harbours before they're strong enough for open water — and, down the track, divers and kaimoana gatherers who can care for these waters themselves.
- When: 2.30–3.30pm, Mon–Fri, year-round (heated on-site pool)
- Who: ~15–20 tamariki, Years 1–6, coached by Jim ($50/hr)
- Cost: ~$20,430 indicative Year One budget
- Funded by: kura + grants, once registered as its own trust
- Covers: every tamaiti's Swim NZ registration — no cost barrier to competing
- Watch-out: karate likely needs to shift to 4–5pm to avoid a clash
The ask: Board approval in principle, plus a working group to set up the trust, confirm Jim's contract, and start funding applications ahead of Term 1, 2027. Full detail below.
00Whakataki — Introduction
He kaupapa kauhoe mā ngā tamariki o te kuraA swimming kaupapa for the tamariki of our kura
This proposal sets out a plan to establish Pioke, a new swimming club to be run from our kura. Swimming is already part of everyday lessons here — this club builds on that foundation, giving tamariki who want it more time in the water, dedicated coaching, and a pathway into competition and beyond. It covers the vision behind the club, when it will run, who it is for, what it will cost, how it will be staffed, how it will travel to events, how it will fund and govern itself, and what it could grow into over time.
The figures in this document are working estimates, built to give the Board and whānau a realistic starting point for discussion. They are marked clearly throughout and are intended to be tested, adjusted, and confirmed by the committee before the club's first term.
01Te Wawata — Vision Statement
PiokeA shark of these home waters
Pioke exists because our tamariki, like the pioke that share these waters with them, need a safe place to grow before they're ready for open water.
Muriwhenua is held by moana on every side — Te Moana-a-Rehua to the west, Te Moananui-a-Kiwa to the east, meeting at Te Rerenga Wairua, with Te Oneroa-a-Tōhē running the length of our coast. These waters have fed, carried, and farewelled our tīpuna for generations. Young pioke are born into this same coastline, sheltering in harbours and estuaries until they're strong enough for the open sea — our tamariki are no different.
Everyday lessons already give our tamariki the basics. Our vision is that this club is where that becomes real strength — every tamaiti who passes through this kura leaves not just able to swim, but genuinely confident in the water: able to read the moods of the moana and move safely in and around it, in a pool, an awa, or the open sea. A strong swimmer is a safe swimmer, and a safe swimmer is free: free to compete, free to gather kaimoana, and free to grow into a kaitiaki of these waters in their own time.
Pioke is not only a swimming club. It is a commitment that no tamaiti of ours will be kept from the water by fear or by lack of skill — that instead, they grow up belonging to it, tough and at home in these waters, as their tīpuna did before them.
Note: this vision statement is offered as a starting draft. We recommend it is taken to kaumātua and whānau for karakia, whakataukī, and any te reo refinement before it is adopted formally.
02Te Tirohanga Whānui — Proposal at a Glance
03Ngā Wā — Timings
He wā tūturu, ā, ka taea te panoniA regular time, able to change as we learn
Sessions are proposed for the kura pool, straight after the school day, five days a week:
Because the kura pool is heated and on-site, the club is proposed to run year-round, across all four terms (approximately 38 weeks a year), rather than being limited to the warmer months. This also opens up training and competition options through the winter months that an unheated pool wouldn't allow. Days and times are set as a starting point only — they may shift around kura events, pool maintenance, and coach availability, and will be confirmed with whānau at the start of each term.
Scheduling note: keeping the session at 2.30–3.30pm was deliberately chosen to keep tamariki on kura grounds straight after school, rather than needing to be collected and dropped off elsewhere. This does overlap with the kura's current karate session — moving karate to a later slot (e.g. 4.00–5.00pm) is proposed as the simplest fix, to be confirmed with the karate instructor and whānau.
04Ngā Tamariki — Estimated Numbers
The first intake is planned around 15–20 tamariki, primary-aged (Years 1–6), reflecting realistic uptake for a first year and a group size the pool and a single paid coach can safely manage with whānau support.
- Group size: kept small enough in Year 1 to build strong foundations and safe supervision ratios, rather than opening to the whole kura roll immediately.
- Ratios: water safety guidance for group swim instruction generally recommends no more than 8–10 tamariki per instructor in the water at one time. At 15–20 tamariki, this means the paid coach is supported by at least one whānau helper per session, particularly for our newest or least confident swimmers.
- Growth: if numbers grow beyond ~20, the club would look at a second whānau-supported group, an assistant coach, or a split timetable, rather than stretching the existing ratio.
05Te Kaiwhakaako Kauhoe — Coach Workload
The proposal is to engage Jim as the club's paid swim coach, delivering all five sessions each week (Monday–Friday) across the school year, at an indicative rate of $50 per hour:
| Task | Time / week | Cost / week |
|---|---|---|
| In-water teaching (5 × 1 hour sessions, Mon–Fri) | 5.0 hrs | $250 |
| Total, paid teaching hours | 5.0 hrs / week | $250 / week |
Alongside these paid teaching hours, the role also carries pool set-up and safety checks, session planning and progress records, and liaison with whānau and the kura office. The working group should confirm with Jim whether this additional time sits within the $50/hr rate for the five teaching hours, or needs to be budgeted separately, before the contract is finalised.
Workload rises further around competition periods (entries, permission slips, travel coordination — see Section 7). Jim is supported, not replaced, by whānau volunteers who help with supervision, changing rooms, and transport.
Note: the coach should hold, or be supported to gain, a current first aid certificate and an appropriate swim-teaching qualification (e.g. through Swimming New Zealand or Water Safety NZ). Budget for this is included in Section 6.
06Ngā Utu — Projected Costs (Year One, Indicative)
These figures are planning estimates only, based on a heated, on-site kura pool (no hire fee) running across a full four-term season. They should be tested against actual quotes before the budget is finalised.
| Item | Notes | Estimate (NZD) |
|---|---|---|
| Coach wages (Jim) | 5 × 1-hr sessions/week (Mon–Fri) × ~38 weeks, $50/hr = $250/week | $9,500 |
| Pool running costs | Heating, chemicals & power top-up for club sessions, 5 days/week, year-round (on-site pool) | $2,000 |
| Learn-to-swim & safety equipment | Kickboards, pull buoys, lane rope, rescue tube, first aid kit (one-off) | $900 |
| Club caps / uniform | Approx. 20 tamariki | $350 |
| Coach qualifications | First aid + swim-teaching course/certification | $500 |
| Travel & transport to events | Fuel / van hire / kai for zone & regional competitions, across the year | $2,200 |
| Swimming NZ annual registration | $141.11 per tamaiti, club-covered so cost is never a barrier to entry — budgeted at full estimated intake of 20 (range $2,116.65–$2,822.20 for 15–20 tamariki) | $2,822 |
| Trust establishment | Charities Services / Companies Office registration, bank account set-up | $300 |
| Contingency (~10%) | Unplanned costs | $1,860 |
| Total, Year One (indicative) | ~$20,430 | |
Note: equipment and trust set-up are largely one-off Year One costs; a Year Two budget would be materially lower once these are in place. Moving to five sessions a week (up from three) roughly doubles the coach wages and pool running lines compared with the earlier three-day model — but gives tamariki daily contact with the water and Jim, rather than every second day. Covering every tamaiti's Swimming NZ registration means cost is never the reason a child misses out — individual competition entry fees, when a tamaiti and their whānau choose to travel to a specific event, are met by whānau (see Section 7). This is where external funding (Section 8) does the most good — reducing what the club needs to draw from the kura itself.
Benchmark — what this could cost at a hub-style facility: for comparison, indicative pool-hire and coaching rates crunched for Te Hiku Hub (based on KASC charges), also run on a 5-day week, look like this:
| Model | Facility hire | Coaching | Daily total | Weekly total (5 days) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Normal (1 hr × 3 lanes) | $60 | $40 | $100 | $500 |
| Extended (1.5 hr × 3 lanes) | $90 | $60 | $150 | $750 |
| Squads (0.5 hr × 1 lane + 1 hr × 3 lanes) | $70 | $60 | $130 | $650 |
Note: these are not costs this proposal expects to pay — they're included purely as a point of comparison, matching our own 5-day week. A hub model's facility hire alone runs $300–$450 a week, on top of its own coaching costs — all of which the kura's heated, on-site, free-to-use pool avoids entirely. Set against that, Jim's coaching cost of $250/week sits comfortably within the hub's own coaching-only rates ($200–$300/week for 5 days), while the club keeps full control of the pool and programme. That gap is what lets this proposal cover equipment, travel, and every tamaiti's Swimming NZ registration for a fraction of what a hub-based model would cost.
07Haerenga ki ngā Whakataetae — Travel to Events & Competitions
Once tamariki are building confidence and skill in the water, the club intends to take part in local and regional swimming events — likely including zone and Northland-region competitions, and inter-kura or inter-school swimming days.
- Local events: low-cost, same-day travel by kura van or whānau car pool.
- Regional/zone events: may require a half or full day away, van hire or fuel reimbursement for whānau drivers, and packed kai — budgeted in Section 6.
- Who pays for what: the club covers each tamaiti's annual Swimming NZ registration (Section 6), so every tamaiti is eligible to enter events regardless of whānau finances. Where a tamaiti and their whānau choose to travel to and enter a specific away event, the event's own entry fee is met by the whānau.
- Supervision on the road: the coach travels with the team wherever possible, supported by at least one whānau chaperone per vehicle, in line with standard kura trip requirements.
- Selection: in the early years, participation in events is offered as an opportunity for any tamaiti who wants to attend and is developmentally ready, not restricted to a small "top squad" — keeping the focus on confidence and belonging first, competitiveness second.
As the club matures, travel further afield (regional finals, national age-group events) may become realistic for some tamariki — this would be planned for and costed separately as it arises, with additional fundraising where needed.
08Te Whakahaere Pūtea me te Amanatanga — Funding, Trust Structure & Mana Motuhake
Kia mana motuhake te kaupapaSo the kaupapa can stand on its own
To grow beyond a kura activity into a lasting club with its own mana, Pioke is proposed to establish itself as an independent structure — most likely a charitable trust or incorporated society with its own committee, bank account, and rules, working alongside the kura rather than depending entirely on it.
Registering formally (through the Companies Office as an incorporated society, and/or with Charities Services as a registered charity) gives the club the right to sign contracts, hold its own bank account, own equipment, and apply directly for grants in its own name — the standard path New Zealand community sports clubs use to become self-sustaining.
This independence matters for two reasons: it protects the kura from carrying the club's financial and legal risk long-term, and it lets the club build its own mana — its own name, its own funding relationships, and its own future — rather than being wholly reliant on kura budget each year.
Funding avenues to pursue once established include:
- Sport Northland — Kauri Club fund, a regional community funding programme supporting sport and active recreation initiatives across Te Tai Tokerau.
- Northland Sport Fund, an endowment fund (Sport Northland & Northland Community Foundation) that has specifically supported swimming among other codes across the region.
- Foundation North, a major funder of Auckland and Northland community and sporting initiatives.
- Far North District Council community funding, for local clubs and initiatives based in the district.
- Lottery Grants Board and other national community funders, once the club holds the incorporated/charitable status most funders require to apply.
- Iwi and hapū social investment / education funds connected to Muriwhenua, where the kaupapa's tie to whenua, moana, and tamariki is likely to align well with funding priorities.
Note: exact grant amounts and eligibility change year to year and should be confirmed directly with each funder before the committee applies. This proposal recommends a working group be tasked with the trust registration and first round of funding applications ahead of the Term 1, 2027 start.
09Te Anamata — Future Pathways
Mai i te kaukau ki te ruku, mai i te ruku ki te kaiFrom swimming, to diving, to gathering kai
Once the club is established and tamariki are confident, safe swimmers, there is a natural next step: building toward snorkel and dive certification pathways for older tamariki, in partnership with a recognised diving organisation. Strong swimming is the foundation this depends on — it cannot be skipped.
This future stage would let the club take on a role beyond sport: teaching the next generation to safely and sustainably gather kaimoana — kina, pāua, kūtai, and fish — from the waters around Muriwhenua, alongside the tikanga, seasonal knowledge, and kaitiakitanga that go with that mahi. It positions Pioke not just as a swim club, but as a pipeline for water confidence, ocean safety, and mātauranga moana that will serve these tamariki for the rest of their lives.
This stage is not proposed for Year One — it is included here so the Board can see where the kaupapa is heading, and can support early decisions (such as the club's independent trust structure) in a way that leaves this pathway open.
10Te Whakapaipai Wāhi — Facility Care
Cleaning and general upkeep of the pool surrounds and changing facilities used by the club will be whānau-led, run on a simple roster basis. This keeps ongoing costs down, builds shared ownership of the kaupapa, and reflects the same whanaungatanga that underpins the club itself — whānau showing up for their tamariki in practical, visible ways.
11Ngā Painga — Impact for Tamariki & the Future
Water safety in Aotearoa is not evenly shared. Water Safety New Zealand's 2025 Drowning Prevention Report recorded 18 Māori drowning deaths in that year, underlining that Māori remain one of the communities most at risk in and around water — and that swimming and water-safety skills built early save lives.
The same report notes that young New Zealanders under 25 are now drowning at lower rates than ever recorded, crediting structured water-skills programmes for that shift. A kura-based, whānau-supported club — building on the swimming tamariki already learn in everyday lessons, with dedicated coaching and real time in the water — sits squarely inside what has been shown to work.
Every tamaiti who becomes a genuinely confident, strong swimmer is a tamaiti far less likely to become a drowning statistic — in a pool, an awa, or the moana.
Tamariki grow up knowing the waters of Muriwhenua as theirs to move through with confidence, not fear — as at home in it as the pioke that share it with them, and connected to their tīpuna.
A foundation strong enough to lead to diving, kaimoana gathering, kaitiakitanga of the moana, and even future employment in aquatic, marine, or outdoor sectors.
Beyond the water itself, the club builds whanaungatanga: whānau on the pool deck together, tamariki representing their kura at events, and a kaupapa the community can point to with pride — one that starts as a swim club and grows into a lasting piece of how this kura and its tamariki relate to the sea around them.