Take a trip with Country Life to Auckland's northernmost school, Tomarata School, where kids are found tending to chickens and planting fruit trees.

Tomarata School is more than a school - it's a hub for the community that surrounds it.

While chickens cluck loudly in harmony with the sound of children playing, cows peer over the neighbouring fence to glimpse what they're missing out on.

In the summer evenings, a pile of utes line the school fence while the farmers that drive them use the school's courts for a match of tennis.

And while Country Life visits, pupils are busy planting fruit trees kindly donated by Ballance Agirnutrients.

Go back to school with Country Life

Principal Chris King believes there is such a unique element to a country school that they will always exist.

"I understand why there's a pull to a bigger school. There may be different opportunities there.

"But the uniqueness of a small school and the more personalised approach to education, I think it's really special and I think the community recognises that."

Tomarata is Auckland's northernmost school situated halfway between Pakiri Beach and Mangawhai in the Wellsford area.

It's just shy of celebrating 90 years after being established in 1934, which is a feat for any country school after many rural-based schools were shut down under Trevor Mallard at the turn of the century.

King says in a community such as Tomarata the school is a hub and its role and importance shone earlier in the year when a local family's house was affected by the Auckland floods.

King says they found comfort at the school where staff made them cups of tea and cared for them until short-term housing was available.

"I think the community views the school as a meeting place and a place that's historical and important to the community.

"There's just a lot of community buy-in to the school, not just the parent community."

Tomarata School is host to an orchard, chickens, vegetable gardens, and an off-site Nature Classroom, set in native bush, where students learn bush craft, plant identification, and how to be kaitiaki of the natural environment.

King says the rural philosophy helps children feel connected.

"It's part of our school's vision that kids will be outdoors, enjoying the outdoors, being healthy and getting involved. So things like having the fruit trees and the chickens and the vegetable gardens, are just ways to get kids outdoors and interacting with nature.

"You see the smiles on their faces. And I guess that's reassurance that we're on the right track."…

Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details