Healthy Active Learning

Improving the wellbeing of tamariki.  

Healthy Active Learning is a joint initiative between Sport New Zealand and the Ministries of Health and Education  to improve the wellbeing of children and young people, through healthy eating and drinking and quality physical activity. 

We partner with Sport New Zealand and Te Whatu Ora Taranaki as part of our strategy for young people. 

We are committed to supporting 31 Taranaki schools to achieve:

  1. Education settings that value and prioritise quality play, active recreation, sport, and health and physical education.

  2. Education settings that support and promote quality food and drink environments.

  3. Education settings tjat value mātauranga Māori and promote culturally distinctive approaches to play, active recreation, sport, kai and inu, and curriculum delivery.

  4. Teachers and kaiako who implement active teaching and learning approaches to deliver quality health and physical education. 

  5. Education settings that work effectively with whānau and their local community to enable inclusive and equitable access to play, active recreation, sport, and quality food and drink. 

We tailor this national intiative for each school community. 

 Success will look very different for each school.​​​​​​​

Manukorihi Intermediate

St Joseph's School Waitara 

Waitara Central School 

Fitzroy School 

Central School 

St Joseph's School New Plymouth 

St Joseph's School Pātea

Whenuakura School 

Kakaramea School ​​​​​​​

Huirangi School 

Inglewood Primary School 

Rahotu School 

Moturoa School 

Devon Intermediate

Mangorei School 

Coastal Taranaki School

West End School 

Midhirst School 

Woodleigh School ​​​​​​​

Westown School 

Avon School 

Kaponga Primary School 

Pembroke School

Manaia School 

Hāwera Primary School 

Turuturu School 

Te Paepae O Aotea 

Highlands Intermediate 

Vogeltown School 

Stratford Primary School 

Normanby School  ​​​​​​​

Amy Buick

Healthy Active Learning Lead

 021 246 2692

amy.buick@sporttaranaki.org.nz

Amy has a wide range of experience as a teacher and leader in primary education. Her passion lies in Health and Physical Education, where she is committed to creating meaningful, positive outcomes for both tamariki and kaiako. Amy is enthusiastic about her role at Sport Taranaki, where she continues to champion wellbeing and active lifestyles in schools and communities with an amazing team.





Jason Avery

Healthy Active Learning Advisor

027 273 3010

jason.avery@sporttaranaki.org.nz

Jason has been involved in the Taranaki education sector for the past 20 years, including roles as Associate Principal at Devon Intermediate and Deputy Principal at Mangorei School. He has also worked in professional and community rugby environments in England and Taranaki. He is excited to be part of this kaupapa combining his passions for education and hauora.

Rosie Crowley

Health Development Advisor

​​​​​​​027 973 8129

rosie.crowley@sporttaranaki.org.nz

Rosie brings her passion for communuity health promotion to the team. With a background in Health Science, she focused her studies on community healthcare. Having recently returned from London, Rosie is reconnecting with local communities through meaningful engagement and collaboration. In her role, she supports kaiako, whānau, and tamariki by promoting hauora and helping create inclusive kai and wai environments. She is passionate about setting tamariki up for a lifetime of healthy habits.​​​​​​​

Mattie Thomas

Healthy Active Learning Advisor

027 711 3982

mattie.thomas@sporttaranaki.org.nz

Mattie has a background in education and coaching mainly as a classroom teacher at Highlands Intermediate. He has also worked with the Taranaki Cricket Association. Through this time he played and coached cricket professionally overseas with clubs in Scotland, Holland, and England. He still plays for the Taranaki cricket side. Mattie is excited to work alongside kura and kaiako within the Taranaki region to help grow an area he is passionate about. He is also grateful to have such a wonderful team to help implement the mahi and shared outcomes of the role.  

Megan Hitchcock

Healthy Active Learning Advisor

 021 822 082

megan.hitchcock@sporttaranaki.org.nz


Before joining the Healthy Active Learning team, Megan taught at Sacred Heart Girls’ College in New Plymouth in the Intermediate and Secondary School areas of Health, Physical Education and Science. She has also taught in Wellington and London. Megan enjoys helping empower students to make informed decisions, fostering lifelong habits around hauora and contributing to healthy active communities. ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Case Studies