Key facts
- School number2854
- School typeFull Primary · Years 1–8
- AuthorityState
- GenderCo-Educational
- BoardingNo
- Language of instructionEnglish medium / other settings
- Established1 January 1921
About Hataitai School
Hataitai School is a state primary school located on the Eastern Peninsula of Wellington, catering for Year 0–8 students with approximately 250 pupils. The school opened in 1921 as the Roseneath Side School and celebrated its centenary in 2023.
The school's motto, Kia Kaha, Kia Toa — Be Strong, Be Brave, dates from its founding year. Its value system is organised around the concept of respect, expressed through three principles: Mana (respect for self), Manaaki (respect for others), and Ako (respect for learning).
Students are organised into three learning teams by year level:
- Papatūānuku (Earth) — Years 1–3
- Ngā Wai (Water) — Years 4–6
- Ahi (Fire) — Years 7–8
The school's name and identity draw on local Māori mythology. The area takes its name from Whātaitai, one of two taniwha said to have resided in Wellington Harbour (Whanganui-a-Tara). This narrative is represented in the school's Pou, a carved totem depicting both taniwha — Whātaitai at the base and Ngake at the top — along with a chiefly cloak wrapping the figures to represent community and protection.
School donations
The Ministry of Education profile states that: "Donations may be requested".
With an Equity Index of 365, Hataitai School is below the 432 threshold newly required to opt into the donations scheme, though a school already receiving this funding from an earlier year may continue to do so. Outside the scheme, a school can still ask families for donations, but cannot compel or enforce payment.
Check directly with the school for current charges, contributions or other costs. Learn more on the donations scheme or fees and charges at school, both on education.govt.nz.
Equity Index
The Ministry publishes this figure as a bare number — KuraData shows it against the directory-wide average, so you can see where Hataitai School actually sits, not just the number on its own.
The Equity Index estimates the socio-economic barriers students face, on average, and is used to inform government funding and support. It is not a measure of school quality or academic performance.
Higher values indicate a higher level of estimated socio-economic barriers; lower values indicate fewer. Learn how the Equity Index is calculated →
Student ethnicity
The Ministry publishes this as a raw table — here it's visualised directly against Hataitai School's own roll, so the shape of it is clear at a glance.
- European — 175 students (78.5%)
- Asian — 42 students (18.8%)
- Pacific — 6 students (2.7%)
- Māori — 26 students (11.7%)
- MELAA — 10 students (4.5%)
- Other — 5 students (2.2%)
Percentages may sum to more than 100% because students can identify with more than one ethnic group.
Education pathway
Nearby schools serving the next or previous year levels are shown as potential pathway options. They do not indicate formal enrolment pathways or actual student transfers.
-
Evans Bay Intermediate Intermediate · Years 7–8 · 1.9 km
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South Wellington Intermediate Intermediate · Years 7–8 · 2.8 km
-
Tawa Intermediate Intermediate · Years 7–8 · 15.2 km
-
Wainuiomata High School Secondary · Years 9–15 · 12.4 km
Location
- Street addressArawa Road
- SuburbHataitai
- CityWellington
- Local authorityWellington City
Official contact details
- ContactMichelle James
- Phone+64 4 386 1510
- Emailoffice@hataitai.school.nz
- Websitewww.hataitai.school.nz/
Nearby schools
Schools physically closest to Hataitai School, regardless of year level.
-
Roseneath School Full Primary · Years 1–8 · 1.2 km
-
Kilbirnie School Contributing · Years 1–6 · 1.3 km
-
Clyde Quay School Full Primary · Years 1–8 · 1.4 km
-
St Mark's Church School (Mt Victoria) Full Primary · Years 1–8 · 1.6 km
-
Mt Cook School (Wellington) Full Primary · Years 1–8 · 1.8 km
Explore schools in Wellington
Browse Wellington schools by type, including primary, intermediate, secondary, composite and other schools.
Enrolment
Hataitai School operates an enrolment zone (zoned school). Prospective families can verify whether their address falls within the zone via the school's enrolment scheme documentation or by entering their address at nzschools.tki.org.nz.
To enrol, families must download and return the school's enrolment form. The following documents are required at enrolment:
- New Zealand Birth Certificate (or, for children born overseas, a Passport or other proof of residency status)
- Immunisation Certificate (for New Entrant enrolments)
- A utilities bill as proof of address (for New Entrant enrolments)
Children who are not New Zealand citizens or do not hold the appropriate residency entitlement cannot be enrolled.
Children start school on their birthday. Before starting, they are offered two school visits, both held on Wednesday mornings. The first visit runs from 9am to 10.30am; the second from 9am to 12.30pm. Visit dates are confirmed by letter sent by email and/or post.
The school asks that families enrol well in advance to allow time for class visits and planning.
Co-curricular Activities
The following named music tuition programmes are offered within the school day:
- Piano lessons, taught by Kerry Wood
- Violin lessons, taught by Kerry Wood
- Guitar lessons, taught by David Greer
- Drum lessons, taught by Kim Andrews
Students performing in these programmes take part in a concert held twice yearly.
Frequently asked
These aren't generic answers — each one is built directly from Hataitai School's own official Ministry of Education data already shown on this page, so what you read here always matches the figures above.
Sources & methodology
Every fact on this page traces back to one of the rows below — official Ministry of Education data, or Hataitai School's own published information, reviewed before publication. Nothing here is inferred or estimated beyond what its source actually states.
| Data | Source | Data period | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|
| School characteristics | Ministry of Education | — | 15 October 2026 |
| Student roll | Ministry of Education / Education Counts | September 2026 | 15 October 2026 |
| Equity Index | Education Counts | — | 15 October 2026 |
| Address & coordinates | Ministry of Education | — | 15 October 2026 |
| Contact details | NZ Schools Directory | Current | 15 October 2026 |
| School information (AI-curated, human-reviewed) | Hataitai School's official website | Current | 13 October 2026 |