Tapawera Area School caters for the education of students from 5 years old all the way through to the end of high schooling. the school works strongly to function as one school but for many activities secondary and primary work in different ways and spaces.

Tapawera Kindergarten is also onsite, located in one of the primary classrooms.  It is a separate entity but we do work together to link learning and ensure smooth transition of Early Childhood Education into Primary schooling.

Being a rural school means our programmes have a particular flavour at times and strong connections with our local environment and the opportunities that environment provides.  Tapawera Area School was established in 1942 as the ‘Consolidated School’ which was formed through the closure and combining of a number of small primary schools across the region.  Later it became a District High School and then finally an Area School.

Many of our students travel a good distance to attend using the services of Wadsworth Motors School Bus Services.  A service which is still going strong after 100 years.

Our primary classes tend to be much smaller than town schools giving students opportunity to form closer learning relationships with teachers.  Our high school classes are much smaller than those found in large secondary schools but with all the same opportunities and resources.  We work hard to ensure equivalent or better opportunities for students.