Te Paepae o Aotea is a state co-educational school for Year 7 – 15 students based in Hāwera, South Taranaki.
Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Ruanui and Te Korowai o Ngāruahine have gifted the name of our school informed by the aspirations of our community. It was intended that the name be clearly South Taranaki, be inclusive and relevant to the whole community, and reflect our history and ambitions for the future.
Tēna Koutou e te whanau
Te Paepae o Aotea opened in February 2023 with approximately 1000 students. We are a co-educational state school catering for students in Year 7-15. Te Paepae o Aotea was formed in response to the closure of Hāwera High School and Hāwera Intermediate at the end of the 2022 school year.
Our school name, Te Paepae o Aotea, was gifted to us by Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Ruanui and Te Korowai o Ngāruahine. Alongside our name, we were also gifted a whakatauākī and logo. There are two major components to our name, Paepae and Aotea and the condensed meaning is “We are on the learning journey of Aotea, as the people of South Taranaki, realising our full potential.”
Our whakatauāki, ‘Kia eke atu ki Taupaenui o te tangata,’ challenges us to instil in our students the tools to help them achieve their full potential, in the pursuits they and their whānau deem important. Our cultural narrative is the foundation that we use to unpack elements of Mātauranga Māori. Te Ao Māori is prioritised across the curriculum.
A school wide culturally responsive pedagogy builds a family-like context, in which restorative practice promotes a healthy community and maintains authentic relationships.
Ngā mihi
The New Zealand Curriculum is a document that outlines educational requirements in schools. The everyday teaching and learning that students experience is the result of teachers weaving together the national curriculum with local context and the diverse aspirations of learners and their whānau, in ways that are responsive to individual learner progress.
Michelle captured speed and the smiles today with photo highlights from the 1500m Athletic Prelim event. ... See MoreSee Less
+2Today, students enjoyed taking part in the lunchtime LRA Manu competition in the school pool. There were some fantastic efforts and impressive splashes all around. ... See MoreSee Less
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Relay for Life meeting Thursday, 12 February 2026 held in D1 at Interval for all students wanting to take part.
Early bird registration discount for $15 if you signup before Monday, 16 February 2026. Click on the link to register:
taranaki.relayforlife.org.nz/t/te-paepae-o-aotea
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Photos from Te Paepae o Aotea's post ... See MoreSee Less
+2Please note UPDATED team lists - these are now final. ... See MoreSee Less
Register online www.sadd.org.nz/events/taranaki-term-1-workshop ... See MoreSee Less
Calling all Year 12 & 13 athletes! 🌟
Applications are now open for the Future Champions Programme, an initiative designed to support talented athletes in reaching their full potential and achieving higher honours.
Celebrating 20 years in 2026, the Future Champions Programme continues its strong legacy of empowering and developing the next generation of sporting talent in Taranaki.
Delivered by Sport Taranaki in partnership with the Taranaki Secondary School Sports Association - TSSSA the programme recognises, acknowledges, and supports the development of emerging secondary school athletes across the region.
The programme includes a series of workshops focused on nutrition, performance psychology, leadership, injury prevention, mental skills, media engagement, strength and conditioning, drug-free sport, as well as stretching and breathing techniques.
👉 For more information and to apply, visit: www.sporttaranaki.org.nz/school-support-taupua-nga-kura-1/future-champions
⏰ Applications close at 5:00pm on Friday 27 February 2026
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Te Paepae o Aotea congratulates the Hockey 1st XI Mixed Team on winning the Taranaki Secondary School Boys Championship Final in Stratford against Stratford Boys 1st XI. Final scor
The Te Paepae o Aotea team of Ronan Hurley, Tyler Midgley, Luke Barnett and Ryan Hockly took out the 2023 Taranaki Secondary School Safety Team Challenge against six other high s
Students from Te Paepae o Aotea particpated in the Smokefree Rockquest Taranaki Finals held on 30 June at the TSB Showplace, New Plymouth. We had three entries. All bands to write
