Our People

I have worked in education administration for many years and enjoy being part of the Hampton Hill School community working with the staff, the children and their families.  My main role as office manager is looking after the school finances and payroll. Originally from England, I have lived in Tawa for over 25 years where I help my husband Michael run his plumbing business.  We have two amazing children and an adorable cat! I enjoy gardening, walking, pilates and travel – especially holidays around New Zealand exploring our beautiful country!

Hello, I’m Rebecca Quirke and I am the new entrant teacher at Hampton Hill School.  I have taught at Hampton Hill for about seven years in a range of different roles.  I love teaching and inspiring children to learn by making the experience of learning as fun and enjoyable as possible. When I’m not at school I love to spend time with my amazing family.  I enjoy being creative – to paint, mosaic, scrapbook and like learning new crafts.  I am also a bit of a back yard farmer and enjoy growing my own vegetables and raising chickens.

I am originally from Japan, but I have also lived in Hong Kong, Thailand and the United States, so it’s safe to say that I love traveling, exploring cultures and eating cuisines from all over the world.

In my teen years I was a competitive swimmer, so I really enjoy being active.  I also love creative activities such as dance and visual arts.

I am excited to be working at Hampton Hill School because I resonate with the school’s vision to Grow People to Thrive. It is about generating interest in learning through diverse teaching methods and keeping it exciting and engaging by challenging students to think outside the box; forging them into curious and creative thinkers. I  love to work in a school that recognises the importance of teaching our children how to learn and adapt to modern technology in this fast paced, evolving world. Honestly, I cannot think of anything better than working in an environment with people who share my vision and values.

I have been involved with the school for quite a number of years, with our two daughters and son having all gone through the school.  As well as teaching my class, I am in charge of Science and was fortunate to spend 6 months at NIWA on a Primary Science Fellowship in 2012.This was an awesome experience and I came away from that with a new passion for Science and for kids to develop a curiosity about the world around them.

I am also involved in our Enviro Schools programme, PE and School Hockey. My interests include walking – the longer the better; music- I lead church singing, play the viola and bass guitar; gardening; and my own gorgeous family (that is growing up way too fast!)

Kia Ora Koutou,

I became part of the Hampton Hill team in 2020. I was born Tauranga and raised on Matakana Island, a beautiful island in the harbour of Tauranga Moana, Bay of Plenty. Prior to moving to Wellington I spent 10 years in Perth, Western Australia where I studied my undergraduate degree online via Massey University. Returning to New Zealand in 2017, I studied a graduate diploma  of teaching (primary) and graduated in 2018. In 2019, Wellington became home for our family of four and I gained my first teaching position at Wainuiomata Intermediate.

Becoming a mother and parent of two amazing children inspired me to become a teacher. Therefore, I understand the importance of establishing a caring inclusive environment where positive relationships are established, learning is celebrated and more importantly, the desire for every student to become passionate about their learning.

I enjoy netball and volleyball and am always willing to try new sports. I also have an interest in literacy and Te Reo Maori.

I am a friendly person who gets on well with others. I have a natural rapport with children and have always enjoyed working with children of all ages. It is important to me to help children achieve their goals, and I will always go that bit further to find ways to help them develop their understanding and learning. I have the skills and enthusiasm to ensure a fun learning experience and enjoy seeing the excitement in children’s eyes when they master a new activity.

My name is Rachel McKinnon and I’m delighted to be joining the Hampton Hill School community in 2020. I am really looking forward to meeting you and the Kārearea Class. It is going to be an exciting year, and there will many opportunities to learn, grow and thrive together in a collaborative and supportive class environment. I have a real passion for learning and teaching, and I strive to prepare students with the skills that they need in order to be life-long leaners.

I believe that a classroom should be a place where people and culture are at the heart of everything we do, and I want children to feel confident and inspired to embrace all learning opportunities. I always seek to establish a classroom environment based on mutual respect for each other and the world around us. 

I am originally from the Waikato, but have always loved to visit the vibrant and beautiful Wellington area. In my spare time, I love to try new activities and go exploring. In this regard, I have spent a number of years living and teaching in Scotland and traveling to different parts of the world. I always try to embrace new opportunities and to step outside my comfort zone! There is something very special about New Zealand’s approach to education and way of life, and I’m really looking forward to resettling back in beautiful Aotearoa. I love sport, and enjoy playing netball and tennis. I also like to spend time outdoors, especially climbing a mountain or on my bike. This year, I hope to learn how to paddle board!

Kia ora Koutou

Ko Leah Merewater toku ingoa, my name is Leah Merewater. I am a part-time teacher and I am so excited to be part of such a great team of teachers and such a wonderful school of tamariki.

I’ve been teaching since 2008 and I love it! I’ve taught from New Entrants up to Year 5/6 kids and I’m still not sure what my favourite age group is. What I enjoy about being in the classroom is seeing tamariki light up with their learning.

I’ve travelled all over the world but now proudly call Titahi Bay home. My husband, Karl and I, have three gorgeous energetic sons and a lovely adventurous dog called Rudi. When I’m not teaching you will find us walking Rudi, visiting parks and play grounds or out in the garden

I value lifelong learning and am so happy to be in a job where I learn something new every day. I have been associated with the school for quite a few years – firstly as a parent of three awesome children who have all gone on to become very successful and happy young adults; secondly as supervisor of the After School Care when it first started; and thirdly as a Teacher Aide.

I appreciate the fact that I am part of a dynamic, caring environment and I love all aspects of my job –  the people, the children and the community. The work I am involved in at Hampton Hill School is challenging, interesting, professional and very rewarding and I am grateful for the opportunity to help and assist wherever and whenever I can.

Staying in touch with family and friends is very important to me and in my spare time I also enjoy walking the dog, exploring our beaches, reading, drawing and writing poetry.

I started working here in 2013, I work with the junior children. I have three children who have all been to this school. I also work and support my husband Steve in his own business. I really enjoy my time here with the children and feel we have a great supportive community.

It’s great to see the children progress as they learn and grow up. My interests are my children’s sports, going to the beach, reading and catching up with friends.

I joined the Hampton Hill School team in January 2020 – I have 20 years experience in the building industry as a plasterer, so it’s great to utilise my skills and experience to support the school community. I’m passionate about assisting the teaching team to create a safe and functional environment for everyone to enjoy.

I live locally and am a dad of two, my daughter is a student at Hampton hill and my son will start next year. I grew up in Rotorua and have been in Wellington for the last 14 years. In my spare time, I enjoy family holidays and am also working on renovating our home.