Whakapapa
Learning enriched by our history, traditions and aspirations — in the heart of Whakarewarewa, on the whenua of Tūhourangi.
Rotorua · Aotearoa New Zealand
Nau mai, haere mai
to our kura.
A dual-medium school grounded in the values of Tūhourangi and this special whenua.
He kupu nō te Tumuaki
Whuia ō mata ki Pōhaturoa
“Throw your eyes to Pōhaturoa, standing steadfast, day and night… Together, we strive for excellence and success.”
Whakataukī opening the Tumuaki’s welcome
Ngā ara ako
Rūmaki and Auraki — two pathways, one commitment: every child known, valued and supported.
Whanaungatanga
In partnership with whānau, nurturing confident, capable and culturally grounded learners.
Our values
What we stand for, every day
Four values guide how we teach, how we play and how we care for one another across our kura.
Mana
Strength & standing
Every child leaves our kura taller than they arrived — proud of their whakapapa, confident in their voice, ready for what comes next.
Aroha
Care & connection
We know our learners by name and by story. Whānau are welcome in the classroom, at the gate and around the table — always.
Whakaute
Respect & regard
Respect for one another, for our tikanga, for our environment, and for the generations who carried this kura before us.
Tika me te pono
Right & true
We do what is right, even when it is hard. Honesty, fairness and responsibility are the ground we stand on.
Two pathways, one kura
Choose the learning that fits your tamaiti
Whakarewarewa School is a dual-medium school. Both pathways share the same values, the same care and the same high expectations — they differ in the language your child learns through.
Learning through te reo Māori
A full immersion pathway where teaching, learning and daily life in the kura are carried in te reo Māori, building confident, fluent speakers grounded in tikanga.
- Curriculum delivered in te reo Māori
- Tikanga and kawa woven through the day
- Haka, waiata and pōwhiri as learning
- English introduced as a subject
Learning through English
A mainstream English-medium pathway where te reo Māori and tikanga are part of everyday learning — and where every learner is stretched and supported.
- Curriculum delivered in English
- Te reo Māori as a daily learning area
- Local stories, place-based learning
- Same values, same whānau welcome
2
Learning pathways
4
Core values
1
Whānau of learners
100%
Welcome at our gate
Pānui & news
What is happening at the kura
Notices, celebrations and reminders from around our school community.
22 September 2026
Term 3 ends with our end-of-term hui
Whānau are warmly invited to our end-of-term hui on Friday. We will celebrate learning, share kai and farewell the term together.
15 September 2026
Enrolments now open for 2026
We are taking enrolments for the new year across both Rūmaki and Auraki pathways. Come and see our kura in action before you decide.
Enrol now →8 September 2026
Te wiki o te reo Māori celebrations
Waiata, kōrero and a whole-school pōwhiri — our tamariki celebrated te reo Māori all week, in both pathways.
Ng\u0101 mahere — our plans
Whakarewarewa School Strategic Plan
Where we are heading as a kura — our priorities, our commitments to wh\u0101nau, and how we measure our progress.
Nau mai, haere mai
Come and see our kura in action
The best way to know if Whakarewarewa School is right for your whānau is to walk through our gateway. Visits are welcome any school day.