Living and learning free from crime and crash is good for all members of the school community.

Children learn better when:

• they feel – and are – safe
• their learning about safety at school is reinforced in the home
• they have opportunities to take action for their own safety and the safety of their friends, whānau, family and community/iwi
• their learning about safety is relevant and pitched at their level.

As the saying goes, 'It takes a village to raise a child'. In the same way, we need all members of the school community to get involved so that children and young people feel safe and are safe.

How to get involved

There are many ways people may get involved with safety at their school. For example, you could:

• take part in school events
• ask questions about the safety related things the children are learning at school
• ask the school Board of Trustee(s) to make child safety a priority goal in the school charter.

New Zealand Police has been formally involved with schools since the 1930s. How this involvement has grown and developed over time is outlined below.

Purpose

The School Portal is a place where school staff, parents, students and Police can find out how to work together to achieve our respective educational and safety goals.

Structure

The School Portal is structured under five sections:

About the Portal

Here you'll find out about the purpose and structure of the Portal, and the history of Police working with school communities.

Get involved

Here you'll find ways people may get involved with safety at their school.

Information and guidelines

Here you'll find information for all members of the school community on:

• police-school partnerships
• planning processes
• selecting educational programmes
• good practice guidelines on road safety, alcohol and other drugs, and child protection
• information for parents
• information for students

School stories

Here you'll find a place to publish stories about schools and Police working together to ensure students take action to be safe and feel safe. 

Resources

Here you'll find educational programmes, resources and learning activities that inspire students to take action and to be safe. These are sorted under five themes:  

Successful relationships
Assisting students to develop and sustain successful relationships.  Includes Keeping Ourselves Safe, Kia Kaha and Loves-Me-Not.

Travelling safely
Assisting students to keep safe when they're out and about on New Zealand's transport networks (road, rail and paths).  Includes Road Safe and Rail Safe.

Responsible citizens
Assisting students to protect their personal possessions and respect the possessions of others. Includes Burglary Free, Doing the Right Thing, Tag Free, and Safer Schools.

Healthy body, healthy mind
Assisting students to respect their body and mind, understand the negative impact that behaviour-altering substances have on individuals, whānau and the community, and to be able to resist and encourage others to resist the abuse of behaviour-altering substances.  Includes Choice.

Living in a safe community
Assisting students to connect with caring people and caring organisations that contribute to a safe and connected community. Students have a role to play in contributing to the creation of safer communities.  Includes Role of the Police, and links to other helping agencies.

Feedback

If you have suggestions to improve the School Portal or to add relevant information, please send us an email.

History of Police services

Read about the history of services that the Police have supported schools with over many decades.