In 2016, Pūhoro launched its very first cohort in the Manawatū with an initial cohort of 97 Year 11 students from schools within the region.

Pūhoro in the Manawatū has grown from strength to strength. Many of the initial cohort have transitioned on to tertiary institutes and are now in their final years of study.

On Thursday, 5 March, our Year 12 and 13 Pūhoro students attended the first Pūhoro wānanga of the year. While there, our girls had the opportunity to take part in two different activities. The first was a deep dive into the respiratory system, which included both physical and mental competitions. The second activity focused on encryption using plain text, challenging students to work through complex problems and figure out the answers.

Some of the feedback we received from our girls about the wānanga included:

‘I learnt more about the human body internally, good foods, and the respiratory system. I enjoyed the coding activity and mixing in with the different year groups.’

‘I enjoyed the structure - the way there were two larger competitions instead of multiple small activities. It felt like they were more in-depth.’ ‘Ki au, ko tērā wānanga te tino wānanga, nā te mea, he tino kōangiangi ngā kēmu, āra, ko te whakawhitiwhiti tūrama. I ngahau au i te whakawhitiwhiti tūrama, i ngahau au i te whakataetae hi waenga i ngā rōpu'.

Overall, the wānanga was a great experience for our students. They enjoyed the opportunity to challenge themselves, work alongside students from other schools, and deepen their knowledge. We look forward to welcoming our Year 11 students to the next wānanga next term.

Article added: Wednesday 18 March 2026