We are a full primary school (year 0-8) that provides opportunities for students of all ethnic groups to learn in a 21st century environment that encourages high achievement while fostering and valuing relationships that lead to a sense of belonging and a desire to achieve personal excellence.

We provide quality educational experiences in Te Reo Māori including a modern e-learning programme. Our innovative curriculum programme is based on Te Marautanga o Aotearoa and is strongly focused on meeting the individual needs of our students.

The school curriculum reflects the Māori cultural values of the school and the nature of our students and our community. We have a strong focus on place based education connecting people, place and whenua. We offer incredible outdoor education opportunities and formal swimming lessons are also a feature of our curriculum.

Through the Temuka Sports Group we are able to provide a high quality physical education programme delivered by experienced sports coaches, which encourages both competition and cooperation. 

A well supported transition programme from early childhood to year 9. We provide exceptional learning opportunities that are further enhanced by our small classes and strong staff student relationships. Our rural setting surrounded by farms, wetlands and rivers, just minutes from town and neighbouring Arowhenua Marae provides us with the advantages of being a small rural school with access to additional services, support and learning opportunities for our students. Our students truly have the best of both worlds! Arowhenua Māori School is in the unique position of being the only original native school neighbouring a Marae left in the South Island. It is also the only primary school for more than 100 kms offering a Level Two bilingual education option. These unique characteristics are enhanced by the support of Te Runaka O Arowhenua. Our students contribute to and participate regularly in events at the Marae including kapahaka practice. Opportunities for students to learn in and through tikanga Māori and te reo Māori are provided in a natural way at Arowhenua Māori School.

He named the new building, Tarahaoa, the ancient Māori name for Mount Peel. This building still stands in the south western corner of the school grounds. It is recorded that the land for the original school was provided by Mrs J Kahu and that repeated representations had been made to the government of the time to secure a school for the community. The Native schools Act of the time required the community to provide considerably more support to establish a native school than those schools administered by the Education Department. A new school was opened on the 8th June 1951 by the Honourable E.B. Corbett Minister of Māori affairs. The name Tarahaoa was then given to the new building ensuring that the old tradition would live on. The Hon .E.T. Tirikatene, M.P. for Southern Māori, called attention to this name, and to the connection with what the Pākeha now calls Mt. Peel. Thus the old tradition lives on, to fire the imaginations of future generations Māori children.

In 1969 the control of Native Schools was transferred to regional education departments. The community of Arowhenua did not support this change, it was their wish that the strong association and commitment of the local tangata whenua to establish and support the school and its original purpose was not forgotten. The word Native was replaced by the word Māori in the schools name and unlike the other native schools that were transferred at that time, a date of closure for Arowhenua is not recorded. Consequently Arowhenua Māori School is considered by generations of supporters to be last Native School in New Zealand. In 2001 Arowhenua Māori School provided a bilingual option and continues to honour the unique history and its relationship with Tarahaoa through the commitment to provide a quality education based on whānaungatanga and the connections between the people, place and the whenua through the principles of Toitū te Iwi, Toitū te Ao Tūroa, Toitū te Pae Tawhiti, Toitū te Rangatiratanga.

1905 Arowhenua Native School standing to the side of Te Hapa o Niu Tireni (‘New Zealand’s broken promise’) –a reference to the long pursued claim of Ngai Tahu. This was the gathering place for Ngai Tahu Te Kerēme Hui. Connecting our Kura to hapū and iwi expectations and their tenacity to achieve for future generations. “Mō tātou a mō kā uri a muri ake nei” For us and our children after us.

Principal – Whaea Bronwyn Te Koeti-James

Ruma Ohau – TBC

Ruma Takapo – Whaea Lisa

Ruma Kohurau – Whaea Anahera

Office Administrator – Whaea Vanessa

Kaitiaki-a-kura – Matua Rick

Principal – Bronwyn Te Koeti-James

Presiding Member – Tori McNoe

Nicholas Williams

Staff Representative – Lisa Cormie

Maania Tealei

Dr Pounamu Jade Aikman