Te Kauwhata College

Te Kauwhata College is a semi-rural college in the North Waikato catering for students from Year 7-13. Currently with a roll of just over 500 students the school is growing, as the local area expands in population. We welcome the new opportunities that growth brings but remain small enough to retain a distinctive local character.

A foundation member of the To Tatou Haerenga Kahui Ako (North Waikato Community of Learning), Te Kauwhata College has longstanding strong links with the community it serves and an emphasis on local character and history in its curriculum. Strong academic traditions are founded in the motto Ko te Maatauranga te Huarahi ki te Anamata (Knowledge is the pathway to our dreams or education is the key to success) and the school has a modern approach to teaching the Key Competencies, preparing students for the world that they will face and lead, rather than that of the past.

Te Kauwhata college has the word GROW as the acronym for the core values that inform our work together. Growth, Respect, Ownership and Whanaungatanga are the pillars, or ‘pou’ of our school, founded in the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi - Participation, Protection and Partnership. We aim to GROW young people who are confident, connected, capable, creative citizens. Young people who can move with ease between rural and urban New Zealand. Globally informed young citizens who understand the differences between the various worlds of our fore-fathers, who respect and understand the cultures of each other and those around us, as well as those of the different worlds in which we may find ourselves in the future.

The wellbeing of our school community and environment has been a strong affirmative and positive focus for the last 4 years. Our work around student wellbeing in a holistic and community-based sense - Manaakitangata, is the umbrella for all that we do. In 2019 Te Kauwhata College won recognition in this regard by being one of four finalists in the National Prime Minister’s Awards for Excellence in Education. A committed, collegial and proactive staff continues to build on this strong foundation.

We offer a wide range of Education Outside of the Classroom (EOTC) and Cultural activities, and good quality, future focused learning. Our teachers’ response to the COVID-19 Pandemic and the challenges that that has presented to educators across the world has been nothing short of amazing. With positivity and creativity, we look forward to making the most of the digital learning environment and the opportunities that are opened up by this unfortunate and unprecedented event, at the same time as we keenly await the return of our students to our classrooms and school grounds.

• Region: Waikato
• Co Ed Status: Co-Educational
• Roll Total: 466
• Authority: State