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 Levin to Wellington and Hutt Valley, through referrals 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 2026:
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 or three support staff working with them. It is a relatively 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 three contributing schools in Linden Primary,Porirua School and Ngati Toa School, and an intermediate class at Titahi Bay Intermediate. These classes have six to twelve students with one or two full time teachers assisted by three to five support staff in each, to support inclusion into host school activities.
Two primary satellite class in Porirua East which are hosted by Cannons Creek School which is a contributing school and Tairangi School which is a full primary school.
Two primary satellite classes on the Kapiti Coast are hosted in full primary schools at Raumati Beach School and Kapiti Primary School. These classes have six to twelve students with one ot two full time teachers and three to four support staff in each, to support inclusion into host school activities.
A primary satellite class in Horowhenua is hosted Levin North School . This class is in a contributing class with two teachers and four aides.
Two College satellites in Kapiti College and Porirua College are both housed in purpose built facilities. There are two classes in each site with two full time teachers and four to six support staff.
A community based hub in Porirua has been set up in newly rennovated space in Driver Crescent, Cannons Creek. This space is sited within the community, giving the students easy access to leisure activities and work experience. This site has up to twelve students with a full time teacher and three assistants supporting the students.
An Outreach and Therapy office is housed in a rented space in Bedford Street Porirua. The Outreach Team working with ORS funded students within local schools operate out of this space. The transition teacher and the therapists working in Porirua East all have office space at this site due to the lack of space at the main site.