Kia eke atu ki Taupaenui o te tangata

People reaching their full potential

Welcome to our school

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.

Meet our principal

Rachel Williams, Tumuaki


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

Te Paepae O Aotea Curriculum

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.

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Today, Te Paepae o Aotea hosted Whanganui High School for our annual sports exchange in beautiful weather conditions.
It was a hard-fought contest across all codes, with Volleyball and Debating securing Te Paepae o Aotea's two victories. However, Whanganui High School proved too strong overall and took the trophy home this year.
Congratulations to Lauren Kalin (Senior A Debating Team) and Evita Morellon (Senior B Debating Team), who were awarded Best Speakers of the Day for Debating.
Well done to all our students who competed today, proudly upholding our school values both on and off the field. We look forward to challenging Whanganui High School again next year in our quest to bring the trophy back home.
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Te Paepae o Aotea would like to thank our local businesses for their support of the Gateway programme by providing student placements. ... See MoreSee Less

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Photos from Te Paepae o Aotea's post ... See MoreSee Less

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Te Paepae o Aotea would like to thank our local businesses for their support of the Gateway programme by providing student placements. ... See MoreSee Less

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Photos from Te Paepae o Aotea's post ... See MoreSee Less

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See what's happening

We have completed our lockdown EXERCISE and all all students, staff and persons on site are safely accounted for.
27 March 2025

Te Paepae o Aotea is conducting a lockdown EXERCISE - Thursday, 27 March 2025 at 11.50am.