Whataroa School is a small rural primary school, catering for children from Year 0-8, with a current growing roll of 21 and staffing entitlement of 2.60. Teachers have high expectations of their student’s achievement school-wide and individual needs are catered for.

At Whataroa School we currently have our Teaching Principal and a Release Teacher in the Senior Room (Yr 4-8) and one full-time Teacher in the Junior Room (Yr 0-3). We also have a full time and a part-time in-class support assistant, a cleaner and a gardener. 

 Most children travel by bus from Whataroa Flat Road (11kms), TeTaho (11kms) and from Okarito (24.2km).

The school was established in 1879 and has been refurbished as part of the Small & Rural Schools Project (MOE). There are two classrooms, a School/Community Library, resource room and an administration area. There is also an adventure playground, swings area, covered swimming pool, netball court and large playing field.

The school also makes good use of the Whataroa Community Hall, located next door to the school, for assemblies, annual prize giving and sports activities.

Whataroa Playgroup is located on the school grounds in a free standing building.

Our school networks closely with the four other South Westland schools, with each school hosting sporting or cultural events during the year.  This enables us to broaden our student's social base and nurture a positive regional identity. There are 5 schools in total; Haast, Fox Glacier, Franz Josef, Whataroa & South Westland Area School.

South Westland Area School is our nearest high school and is situated in Hari Hari approximately 32km from Whataroa. Our Year 7 & 8 students travel to Hari Hari weekly for Technology, Science and PE classes. A bus conveys the children from Whataroa every Friday.

OUR VISION