Pupils at a North Canterbury country school have learnt about the history, culture and geography of their surroundings while preparing for a special birthday bash.

View Hill School celebrates its 150th birthday on November 6 and 7 — and to celebrate the milestone its story and rich history have been split into six phases.

Over the past six months each has learnt a chapter of the story.

View Hill School is a full primary school located west of Oxford, with nearly 70 students.

The first concentrated on the geology — the landscape and critters that walked the earth. The second moved on to the flora and fauna — birds and plants.

This helped with the landscaping around the school and a rock garden using volcanic rocks from the nearby View Hill rock quarry, and the planting of native plants and shrubs.

The third phase moved on to the people and the settlers. Students visited the Ashley/ Rakahuri estuary and learnt about the entry point of waka who travelled the river which flows near Oxford..

A mana whenua phase followed, studying the customary authority, rights, and responsibilities of Ngai Tahu, who settled in the area, and who would have travelled through it on their travels to the West Coast.

An early settlers phase followed, leading to the final phase of the first school.

Principal Pax O’Dowd says the story will take visitors on a journey through the history with a Showcase performance by the students on Friday, a family-oriented day, for its 150th birthday bash celebration.

There will be a jubilee cake cutting,the unveiling of a tapestry representing the six phases, and a student-led school walk-through.

Saturday, which caters more for adults, is a time to celebrate, chat, and remember with formal speeches, and photos, followed by an adult only dinner and dance.

  • Registrations from former staff, students, board members and parents close on October 7 at viewhill.school.nz or by calling 027 772 0015.