Papakura Normal School is a large city school. Located in Papakura, a suburb of Auckland, New Zealand, just south of the city's CBD (Downtown Auckland City). The school is located between the South Auckland suburbs of Takanini and Papakura, on the boundary of Papakura Military Camp. Both Primary and Intermediate, educating children from years 0 to 8 (5-year-old to 12-year-old students). P.N.S (Papakura Normal School) opened in 1953 as Papakura North School, then in 1958 North changed to Normal, The word Normal represents the word normale from the French language which means teaching school. At that time a models block was set up and operated as an independent "school within a school". This was to provide opportunities for trainee teachers to experience teaching in a small rural environment.