Key facts
- School number567
- School typeComposite · Years 1–15
- AuthorityState
- GenderCo-Educational
- BoardingNo
- Language of instructionAll students taught in te reo Māori
- Established6 June 2006
About Te Wharekura o Te Kaokaoroa o Patetere
Te Wharekura o Te Kaokaoroa o Pātetere is a composite area school located in Putāruru. It was established in October 2006 by the Minister of Education as a designated Character School under Section 156 of the Education Act 2001. The school originated from a group of parents seeking a Māori-medium alternative for their children in the area.
The school operates as a Level 1 Māori immersion school, meaning instruction is delivered primarily in te reo Māori. It spans the full educational pathway from Kōhanga Reo through to Wharekura, with the intention of supporting students into further and tertiary education.
The school's motto, Whāngai te iti kahurangi, translates loosely as "nurture that which is small and precious." The school logo, designed by deputy principal April Silveira and adopted in 2004, incorporates the kaokao weaving pattern, which represents the cartilage that joins muscles together. The school colours — royal blue, sky blue, black, and white — derive from the school's original name, Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Waitete, named after a river in Arapuni with significance to Raukawa oral history.
School donations
The Ministry of Education profile states that: "Donations should not be requested, unless for a school camp".
With an Equity Index of 523, Te Wharekura o Te Kaokaoroa o Patetere is in the range eligible to opt into the Ministry's donations scheme — receiving additional government funding per student in exchange for not seeking donations (except for overnight camps).
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 Wharekura o Te Kaokaoroa o Patetere 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 Wharekura o Te Kaokaoroa o Patetere's own roll, so the shape of it is clear at a glance.
- European — 42 students (14.5%)
- Asian — 8 students (2.8%)
- Pacific — 37 students (12.8%)
- Māori — 279 students (96.2%)
- MELAA — 1 students (0.3%)
- Other — 3 students (1%)
Percentages may sum to more than 100% because students can identify with more than one ethnic group.
Location
- Street address117 Buckland Street
- CityPutaruru
- Local authoritySouth Waikato District
Official contact details
- ContactKeith Silveira
- Phone+64 7 883 3780
- Emailoffice@kaokaoroa.school.nz
- Websitewww.kaokaoroa.school.nz
Nearby schools
Schools physically closest to Te Wharekura o Te Kaokaoroa o Patetere, regardless of year level.
-
John Paul College Secondary · Years 7–15 · 41.3 km
-
Rotorua S D A School Full Primary · Years 1–8 · 43.6 km
-
Taumata School Full Primary · Years 1–8 · 44 km
-
Aquinas College Secondary · Years 7–15 · 44.7 km
-
Tauranga Adventist School Full Primary · Years 1–8 · 47.4 km
Explore schools in Putaruru
Browse Putaruru schools by type, including primary, intermediate, secondary, composite and other schools.
Enrolment
Te Wharekura o Te Kaokaoroa o Pātetere operates a board of trustees enrolment policy administered by the tumuaki. Priority for admission is given to students within the Raukawa District who meet the school's requirements, though all applicants are considered.
Entry is assessed against the following criteria:
- The number of students already enrolled in the class
- The applicant's previous Kōhanga Reo or kura reports and attendance record
- The applicant's ability in te reo Māori
- Whether siblings are already enrolled
- The commitment of the student and their whānau to the kura's philosophy and active involvement in the community
The enrolment process involves four steps: requesting a school prospectus and application form, submitting a completed application package to the school office, attending an interview with the Pouarahi or Principal, and receiving an outcome decision.
Co-curricular Activities and Sports
Te Wharekura o Te Kaokaoroa o Pātetere offers the following named competitive sports and programmes:
- Adventure Sports
- Athletics
- Basketball
- Bowls
- Chess
- Cross Country
- Football
- Golf
- Kī-o-rahi
- Netball
- Rippa Rugby
- Rugby
- Rugby League
- Rugby League 7's
- Swimming
- Touch
- Winter Sports
- Aims-Games — inter-school competition
- CNIAS
- Elite Sport Programme — specialist training for students selected on the basis of demonstrated sporting talent
- Manawa Ora — a 10-week hauora programme incorporating nutrition guidance from a qualified nutritionist, weekly training sessions, and walking challenges involving whānau
- Pre-Season Programme — two one-hour training sessions per week for Year 7–13 students, focused on cardio and high-intensity workouts, run by physical education teachers
- Sports Academy — includes off-site experiences such as attendance at professional rugby training sessions
Frequently asked
These aren't generic answers — each one is built directly from Te Wharekura o Te Kaokaoroa o Patetere'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 Wharekura o Te Kaokaoroa o Patetere'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 |
| Māori-medium immersion data | Māori Schools Directory, Ministry of Education | — | 6 September 2026 |
| School information (AI-curated, human-reviewed) | Te Wharekura o Te Kaokaoroa o Patetere's official website | Current | 13 October 2026 |