Key facts
- School number3038
- School typeFull Primary · Years 1–8
- AuthorityState
- GenderCo-Educational
- BoardingNo
- Language of instructionEnglish medium / other settings
- Established26 January 1893
About Te Horo School (Otaki)
Te Horo School is a state primary school located in a rural area between Ōtaki and Waikanae on the Kāpiti Coast. The school was established in 1893 and has operated as a focal point of its local community since that time. It teaches students from Year 1 to Year 8 (ages 5 to 12).
The school operates as a whole school rather than in separate year-level silos, with a stated emphasis on the tuakana/teina relationship, in which older students are paired with younger buddies. Despite its proximity to Wellington, the school maintains a rural character, reflected in facilities that include a small grazing paddock (Moores Meadow), vegetable gardens, and a bush reserve, as well as events such as an Agricultural Day and the community fair Paddy's Mart.
The school's stated values are framed under the acronym HEART, covering courage, empathy, fun, respect, and tolerance. It participates in Te Kāhui Tokotoko, the local Ōtaki Schools cluster, and has connections with Katihiku Marae. Kapa haka is offered alongside a performing arts programme that has included productions, choir, rock bands, and instrumental tuition in drums, ukulele, recorder, guitar, and glockenspiel.
The school's Manākitia Fund accepts donations from families, businesses, and the wider community to cover the cost of school activities for students experiencing financial hardship.
Enrolment
Enrolment scheme on recordTe Horo School (Otaki) has an enrolment scheme (a home zone) on record. Living inside it guarantees a place; living outside it does not, though out-of-zone applications may still be considered.
School donations
The Ministry of Education profile states that: "Donations may be requested".
With an Equity Index of 425, Te Horo School (Otaki) 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 Te Horo School (Otaki) 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 Te Horo School (Otaki)'s own roll, so the shape of it is clear at a glance.
- European — 190 students (92.7%)
- Asian — 4 students (2%)
- Pacific — 10 students (4.9%)
- Māori — 48 students (23.4%)
- MELAA — 8 students (3.9%)
- Other — 3 students (1.5%)
Percentages may sum to more than 100% because students can identify with more than one ethnic group.
Location
- Street address124 School Road
- SuburbTe Horo
- CityŌtaki
- Local authorityKapiti Coast District
Official contact details
- ContactAllie McHugo
- Phone+64 6 364 3071
- Emailoffice@th.school.nz
- Websitewww.th.school.nz
Nearby schools
Schools physically closest to Te Horo School (Otaki), regardless of year level.
-
Otaki School Contributing · Years 1–6 · 6.3 km
-
TKKM o Te Rito Composite · Years 1–15 · 6.9 km
-
Kapiti School Full Primary · Years 1–8 · 15.6 km
-
Paraparaumu School Full Primary · Years 1–8 · 15.6 km
-
Raumati Beach School Full Primary · Years 1–8 · 17.3 km
Explore schools in Ōtaki
Browse Ōtaki schools by type, including primary, intermediate, secondary, composite and other schools.
Co-curricular Activities
Te Horo School offers a range of named sports, cultural, and co-curricular activities across the school year.
- Kapa haka — students learn waiata and haka; a performance team competes at the Kāpiti schools kapa haka festival, Tākiri o te Ata, held in Term 4
- Athletics — school athletics carnival including throwing, jumping, and running events
- Swimming
- Padder Tennis
- Weetbix Tryathlon — school enters a team in the Palmerston North event
- Touch Rugby — after-school tournament at Otaki Domain, with grades for Years 1–2, 3–4, 5–6, and 7–8
- Cross Country
- Soccer
- Tough Guy and Gal Challenge — junior event held at external venues in Wellington and Palmerston North
- Netball
- Hockey
- Rippa Rugby — non-contact form of rugby delivered in-school by a trained professional
- Vidulich Vase House Group Competition
- Senior Winter Tournament
- EOTC & CAMPs
- Junior Sports
- Basketball
- Super Schools
Frequently asked
These aren't generic answers — each one is built directly from Te Horo School (Otaki)'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 Te Horo School (Otaki)'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) | Te Horo School (Otaki)'s official website | Current | 27 September 2026 |