'Whāia te iti kahurangi, ki te tūohu koe, me he maunga teitei'

Seek the Treasure that you Value most dearly, if you bow your head, let it be to a lofty mountain ...


Nau Mai, Tauti Mai ki te Kura o Waihārara
Welcome to Waihārara School


Waihārara School is small rural decile 1 kura catering for students from years 1 to 8, 15 minutes from the townships of Awanui and Pukenui and 20 minutes north of Kaitaia.  

Free transport is available within our transport zone on the school bus or school van.

At the beginning of the Aupouri Peninsula. State Highway 1 runs along the eastern boundary of the school. To the west is Aupouri Forest, and beyond that Ninety Mile Beach. Lake Waiparera, is immediately to the south west.  To the east is the beautiful Rangaunu Harbour and the seaside settlement of Kaimaumau, home to many of our students.

Current students identify as Māori with whakapapa to the local iwi, Ngāi Takoto and are the mokopuna of past students. Tikanga me Te Reo Māori is provided daily in a natural way.

Our community is primarily involved with farming, fishing, forestry and tourism. Our school’s history includes a strong connection to early Dalmatian immigrant families who settled in the area at the time of the kauri gum diggers.

The richness of our people, place and environment is celebrated and explored through an innovative, local curriculum. We provide quality educational experiences with a strong focus on literacy and numeracy that fully integrates modern e-learning including the daily use of iPads and laptops. The arts are also a major focus in the curriculum. Music, dance, drama, kapa haka and art promote student engagement and learning at a deeper and more creative level, resulting in a positive climate of student engagement.

We provide exceptional learning opportunities that are further enhanced by our small classes and strong staff student relationships. We are fortunate to have experienced, committed teachers and support staff, who develop warm, respectful, relationships with our students.

'Growing Together to be the Best that we can be'

Principal's Welcome
Dobro došli – Nau Mai Haere Mai

He marangai, tū ana te pāhukahuka, he iti Pioke, nō Rangaunu, he au tōna! 

We stand strong in our identity, embrace learning opportunities and are Kaitiaki of our Taiao.


E mihi ana kia koutou,

The School Board, staff, students and I warmly welcome you to Waihārara School.

We strive to provide a Te Ao Māori pathway underpinned by our core values. 


Rangatiratanga - Ako - Kaitiakitanga are community informed and addresses behaviour, improves children's well-being, and increases educational achievement.

Māori enjoying education success as Māori means having an education system that provides all Māori students with the opportunity to realise their own unique potential and succeed in their lives as Māori.


To do this it is important we work together to support and inspire your child to be the best they can be and enjoy their learning journey throughout their time at Waihārara.

The whānau of Waihārara School are proud of what we do and what we achieve. We invite you and your whānau to join us on our exciting journey.

Ngā mihi  |  Davene Clarke | Tumuaki |  Principal 

'He iti marangai, tū ana te pāhukahuka. He iti Pioke nō Rangaunu, he au tōna! '

Nā te āheitanga, ko te taea
Nā te taea, ko te whakatutukitanga
Nā whakatutukitanga, ko te huarahi

Ability is what we are capable of doing
Motivation determines what we do
Attitude determines how well we do it