Manukura Explained

Manukura
Former Name:Tū Toa
Type:Co-educational designated character school (Year 9 to 13)
Principal:Nathan Durie
Homepage: www.manukura.school.nz

Manukura is a co-educational designated character school for Year 9 to 13 students. It is based at Massey University in Palmerston North, New Zealand. It is effectively a sports academy specialising in Māori students. The school was founded in 2005 and was originally known as Tū Toa. The school has programmes in netball, basketball, rugby union and rugby sevens.[1] [2] [3] Yvette McCausland-Durie was a co-founder of the school, and is also a member of its board of trustees.[4] [5]

Location

Manukura is based at Massey University in Palmerston North, New Zealand. It was originally based at the Hokowhitu campus. However, in August 2018 the school was awarded $20 million by the New Zealand Government to build a new school at the Manawatū campus. A further $11.6m of funding was announced in 2021.[6] [7] [8] [9] [10]

History

Tū Toa

Tū Toa was founded in 2005, opening with just with 10 students and was originally a correspondence school. Its founders included Yvette McCausland-Durie, her husband, Nathan Durie and Dr Ra Durie. McCausland-Durie had previously taught in Auckland and at Palmerston North Girls' High School. Nathan Durie was a deputy head at St Stephen's College, Auckland, and had previously taught at Hamilton Boys' High School and Palmerston North Boys' High School. His brother, Dr Ra Durie, specialises in sports medicine. The trio were frustrated with the underachievement of Māori students and wanted to try something new. By 2009, Tū Toa had a roll of 25.[4] [6] [7] [11] 2005 also saw the establishment of the Tū Toa Charitable Trust, chaired by the brothers' uncle, Mason Durie, to oversee the governance of the school.[12] [13]

Manukura

By 2013, the parents, teachers and school stakeholders at Tū Toa had become divided on "philosophical differences" about how the school was managed. This saw Dr Ra Durie leaving the Massey University campus and establishing a separate school, Tai Wānanga Tū Toa, in Aokautere. Meanwhile, Yvette McCausland-Durie and Nathan Durie, along with other members of the school's education leadership, stayed at the original Hokowhitu site and reformed as Manukura. The Tū Toa Charitable Trust aligned itself with Manukura.[11] [13]

Sports

Netball

Netball was the school's founding sports programme and Yvette McCausland-Durie was its original head coach. Since 2005, the school has entered teams in local, regional and national competitions.[14] [15] [16] [17] These include the Lower North Island Secondary School Netball (LNISSN) competition, the Lion Foundation New Zealand Secondary School Tournament (NZSS) and Netball Manawatū competitions. Tū Toa won the LNISSN Tournament in 2005, 2006 and 2007 and were runners-up in 2008. At the NZSS Tournament they finished third and fourth respectively in 2005 and 2006. In 2007 they finished third and in 2008 they were placed fifth.[12] [18] In 2009, McCausland-Durie guided Tū Toa to their first NZSS title, In the grand final they defeated Mount Albert Grammar School 34–33.[19] They were subsequently named the 2009 Māori Sports Team of the Year.[20] In 2011, McCausland-Durie guided Tū Toa to their first Netball Manawatū Premier title. In the grand final at Arena Manawatu they defeated Rāhui 46–38.[21] [22]

Rugby union

Rugby union was introduced at Tū Toa in 2011, starting with one under-15 boys team. In 2015 the school introduced their first ever girls rugby union team. The girls' rugby programme began with 12 girls playing in a 10-a-side competition. In 2017 Kristina Sue was appointed head of the girls rugby programme. She subsequently led the Manukura girls 1st XV to a national top four final in just her first year of coaching.[23] [24] [25] [26] [27] [28]

Basketball

A boys' basketball team was introduced in 2015 and a girls' team was added in 2017.[29]

Notable alumni

Netball
Rugby union

Notable coaches

Netball
Rugby union

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Principal's Welcome. www.manukura.school.nz. 6 June 2022.
  2. Web site: Manukura – Profile and Contact Details. www.educationcounts.govt.nz.
  3. Web site: Manukura – 15/05/2018. www.ero.govt.nz. Education Review Office. https://web.archive.org/web/20190202024119/https://www.ero.govt.nz/review-reports/manukura-15-05-2018/. 2 February 2019. 15 May 2018. 10 June 2022.
  4. Web site: Manukura welcomes Central Pulse coach back into classroom. stuff.co.nz. 31 August 2020. 31 May 2022.
  5. Web site: Manukura – Board of Trustees. www.manukura.school.nz. 31 May 2022.
  6. Web site: Tiny Tu Toa scores again. stuff.co.nz. 18 February 2009. 31 May 2022.
  7. Web site: Manukura gets $20m for new school site. stuff.co.nz. 19 August 2018. 6 June 2022.
  8. Web site: Secondary school graduating to a new tertiary home. www.massey.ac.nz. 4 November 2020. 9 June 2022.
  9. Web site: Work to start on Manukura School. Manawatū Standard. PressReader. 15 October 2021. 31 May 2022.
  10. Web site: Work on new Manukura school site to begin. stuff.co.nz. 15 October 2021. 1 June 2022.
  11. Web site: Schools going separate ways. stuff.co.nz. 12 December 2013. 31 May 2022.
  12. Web site: Tū Toa Charitable Trust. maorisportsawards.co.nz. 15 March 2017. 7 June 2022.
  13. Web site: Report to assess rival schools. Manawatū Standard. PressReader. 1 May 2014. 31 May 2022.
  14. Web site: (2012) Mt Albert Grammar v Tu Toa. www.photosport.nz. 1 July 2012. 7 June 2022.
  15. Web site: (2013) Mt Albert v Tu Toa College Final. photoshelter.com. 17 June 2013. 7 June 2022.
  16. Web site: Manukura netball on the rise. www.collegesportmedia.co.nz. 11 October 2016. 6 June 2022.
  17. News: 2019 Netball New Zealand Annual Report. www.netballnz.co.nz. https://web.archive.org/web/20210129032830/https://www.netballnz.co.nz/Downloads/Assets/Download/514205/1/2019%20NNZ%20Annual%20Report%20-%20DIGITAL%20PAGES.pdf. 29 January 2021. 27 April 2022.
  18. Web site: Manukura Netball. www.manukura.school.nz. 6 June 2022.
  19. Web site: Tu Toa team takes national title. stuff.co.nz. 10 October 2009. 31 May 2022.
  20. Web site: Tu Toa named Maori Sports Team of the Year. www.netballnz.co.nz. 2 December 2009. 31 May 2022.
  21. Web site: Staunch Tu Toa storm to first title. stuff.co.nz. 7 September 2011. 7 June 2022.
  22. Web site: Tu Toa find title-winning slickness in first outing. Manawatū Standard. PressReader. 4 April 2012. 1 June 2022.
  23. Web site: Manukura Rugby 7's. www.manukura.school.nz. 6 June 2022.
  24. Web site: Rule invoked to block Tu Toa. stuff.co.nz. 4 May 2012. 7 June 2022.
  25. Web site: Kristina Sue: the accidental coach. www.newsroom.co.nz. 4 May 2012. 11 June 2022.
  26. Web site: Manukura girls' rugby team through to next knockout round, boys miss out. stuff.co.nz. 20 August 2020. 11 June 2022.
  27. Web site: Girls' rugby not just about rugby. www.nzherald.co.nz. 13 July 2021. 31 May 2022.
  28. Web site: Manukura retain Rex Kerr Cup in tough final against St Mary's. clubrugby.nz. 29 September 2021. 6 June 2022.
  29. Web site: Manukura Basketball. www.manukura.school.nz. 6 June 2022.