Mahinawa Specialist School and Resource Centre is a state, specialist, co-educational school for students aged between five and twenty one years who have intellectual, physical, emotional and/or behavioural needs preventing them from learning satisfactorily when in full time regular mainstream classrooms. Mahinawa is a Decile Five school in a mixed socio-economic area situated within a multicultural community. Students require and receive an integrated programme of education and therapy from a multi-disciplinary team. The teaching focus is to provide an individualised learning programme with high staff to pupil ratios to ensure students’ needs are met and behaviours are managed appropriately. The students are drawn from a wide catchment area from Te Horo to Wellington and Hutt Valley, through referral from numerous community and government agencies.
Our Facilities
Our school is currently spread over nine sites in a variety of settings with two new sites starting in 2022:
A single storey purpose built main facility which houses the school's administration and both primary and secondary classes. These classes have from five to six students with a teacher and two support staff working with them. It is a new facility in a secure site, set in native bush. It is in Takapuwahia Drive, Elsdon, Porirua.
Three primary satellite classes in the Titahi Bay area which are hosted in two contributing schools, Porirua School and Ngati Toa School, and an intermediate class at Titahi Bay Intermediate. These classes have six to nine students with one or two full time teachers assisted three to five support staff in each, to support inclusion into host school activities.
One new primary satellite class in the Porirua East is to be created at Cannons Creek School in late 2021.
Two primary satellite classes on the Kapiti Coast which are hosted in full primary schools at Raumati Beach School and Kapiti Primary School. These classes have six to ten students with a full time teacher, or two part time teachers along with four support staff in each, to support inclusion into host school activities.
A satellite is to be created in the Horowhenua at Levin North School . This is currently being planned and it is hoped that it will be ready to start at the beginning of 2022.
Two College satellites in Kapiti College and Porirua College. These twoclasses are currently housed in temporary spaces while purpose built two classroom units are built. We are expecting the Porirua College class to be finished in April 2022 and for the Kapiti College unit to be completed by Term 4 2022.
A community based hub in Porirua for our most able students who are preparing to leave school. This is in Mohuia Crescent, Porirua. Being located within the community, the site gives the students easy access to leisure and work experience.