Their annual eight-hour mountain bike challenge was held on Saturday and is expected to raise a record amount for the school.
"We’re looking at possibly ticking over the $50,000, which is incredible," Papakaio School principal Damian Brown said.
While the final number was yet to be counted, the money, along with other funding in their budget, would allow the school to have a teacher aide in every classroom, he said.
This would improve the education they are able to offer their 120 pupils.
"Every extra minute that these kids can get with somebody who is qualified to help them, it’s going to be beneficial to them, and we’re in a very fortunate position to be able to offer that now."
The amount raised this year would be a 25% increase on last year’s total.
The event attracted 150 mountain bike riders across all age groups.
Riders compete as either individuals or in teams to complete as many laps of the track as they can in eight hours.
There was also a shorter four-hour event, and a children’s track as well.
It was a highlight of the school event calendar because it brought the community together, Mr Brown said.
"For a little school, we punch way above our weight in terms of what we can create as an event, and hopefully that can inspire our students to feel the same."
He said he was "blessed" to be surrounded by such passionate people.
"You’ve got a committee there working behind everybody ... they’re amazing but then you’ve got school staff, parents, whanau, local business and other people in the wider community.
"They haven’t really got any official affiliation with us any more, but they’re still chipping in to support the tamariki and that’s what it’s all about."
Mr Brown was also pleased there were no injuries on the day.
"Everyone went home safe."
This year they launched their new Battle of the Bikers competition, in which local primary schools received points for each entry.
Papakaio School were the inaugural winners and Mr Brown hoped to grow that completion in the future.
"We had kids from Weston [School], we had kids from [Oamaru] Intermediate and Totara.
"It was good, but if there is an area we can work on next year I think it’s engaging the schools a bit more."
They had high numbers from the three Oamaru high schools as well, he said.
