A Community of Learning | Kāhui Ako is a group of education and training providers that form around children and young people's learning pathways, and work together to help them achieve their full potential. 

Kaitaia Intermediate School belongs to Te Kāhui Tai Kura o Te Hiku

The ‘Far North’ or ‘Te Hiku’ district is one of New Zealand’s earliest inhabited areas, with a proud history, sweeping and beautiful landscape, and a rich heritage of peoples and activities. 

The five iwi of ‘Te Hiku o te Ika’ (the tail of the fish) are , N . Te Hiku has a population of about 22,000 people, which accounts for about forty per cent of the whole Far North District. Centred on Kaitaia, Te Hiku extends from Te Rerenga Wairua (Cape Reinga) down to the North Hokianga harbour in the west, and south as far as Mangonui on the East coast. Te Hiku also includes Kaeo, linked historically as a special interest area. A map of Te Hiku is presented below, also showing the distribution of our schools. 

The Far North Community of Learning (FNCoL) comprises twenty schools, of which three include secondary level students: one of these is a Secondary school, one is a Composite Area school and the third is a Composite, State Integrated school. Of the remaining seventeen, a large number (12) are Full Primary schools, including one State Integrated. One Intermediate and four Contributing primary schools make up the group. 

Many of our schools are relatively isolated and significant numbers of students are from remote rural schools. Driving distance from our northern-most school (Te Hapua) to Herekino in the southwest is 126km; or from Te Hapua to the south-eastern most school, is about 160 km (2 ¼ hours). Thus the combination of school size and geographical isolation is a significant feature for us to consider.

 Of positive help, however, is the fact that ten schools within the CoL have worked for the past three years as part of the Muriwhenua Learning Change Network (LCN) and have an established a culture of working collaboratively.