Ahutoetoe School Working Bee

Ahutoetoe School Working Bee

Growing Community, One Spade at a Time

On a crisp Auckland morning, the Ahutoetoe School community came together for what Oke working bees do best: turning a good idea into something real, practical, and built to last. Parents, whānau, teachers, and volunteers rolled up their sleeves and got stuck in, transforming an underutilised space into a thriving outdoor classroom that will support tamariki for years to come.

From the moment tools hit the soil, the space buzzed with energy. School families worked side by side with a group of corporate volunteers from Serko, who slotted seamlessly into the flow of the day. No standing around. No hierarchy. Just people shifting soil, building beds, planting trees, and cracking on like they’d been part of the Ahutoetoe community all along.

That mix of teachers, whānau, locals, and businesses showing up in person is where the real magic happens. It’s also where kids get to see, up close, what community looks like when people genuinely pitch in.

What We Created Together

In just one working bee, the Ahutoetoe School grounds took a huge step forward. With many hands and a lot of good energy, the community installed:

• 12 Birdies raised garden beds, creating a productive and accessible growing space for students across all year levels
• A full set of garden tools, giving students and teachers everything they need to care for the space properly
• New fruit trees, expanding the school’s orchard and supporting long-term food learning
• A fully functional outdoor classroom, designed for hands-on learning, wellbeing, and connection to the natural world

This space isn’t just about growing food. It’s about confidence. Curiosity. Teamwork. Giving kids a reason to get outside and learn in a way that works for them.

Backed by Council, Built by People

This project was made possible through funding from the Auckland Council Ngā Hapori Momoho – Thriving Communities Grant, helping remove the financial barriers that often prevent great school ideas from becoming reality.

But funding alone doesn’t build outdoor classrooms. People do. Teachers helped shape the vision, parents and whānau brought the muscle, volunteers brought the momentum, and together they created a space the school genuinely owns and is proud of.

Projects like this don’t stop at the school gate. Kids take lessons home. Families start conversations about food, wellbeing, and the environment. A school becomes more connected.

And that’s the real win.