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.
Photos from Te Paepae o Aotea's post ... See MoreSee Less
Photo highlights from the Minute‑to‑Win‑It LRA Challenge today, where students competed in teams of four, representing their Awa, to complete a series of fast‑paced challenges. Once a team finished, the next team took their turn.
Tomorrow is finals day, with students representing the following Awas:
PĀTEA: Rory, James, Adam and Robbie.
TANGAHOE: Lucy, Haily, Danielle and Suzanna.
WAINGONGORO: Ashlyn, Evita, Kateia and Lucas.
KAŪPOKONUI: Tiama, Indyka, Paityn and Summer.
May the best Awa WIN!
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Our second group of Level 2 Gateway students took part in the Youth Responder course today, delivered by Vertical Horizonz. They are gaining invaluable life skills while earning excellent qualifications to strengthen their CVs. ... See MoreSee Less
Highlights from the field events, capturing Te Paepae o Aotea students competing at the TSSSA Athletics at TET Stadium in Inglewood on Tuesday, 17 March 2026. ... See MoreSee Less
Te Paepae o Aotea students competed at the TSSSA Athletics on Tuesday, 17 March 2026. This premier regional event, held at TET Stadium in Inglewood, saw students proudly represent our school across various track and field disciplines in pristine weather conditions. Here are the track photo highlights from the day. ... See MoreSee Less
Photos from Te Paepae o Aotea's post ... See MoreSee Less
Please note UPDATED DRAW: Thursday, 19 March 2026. ... See MoreSee Less
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
