Our School

Waiouru Kura is a state, co-educational full-primary kura for pupils from Years Zero to Eight. The kura is centrally located between Taihape and Ohakune, just off State Highway One, in the North Island of New Zealand's central plateau. Waiouru township is the home of the New Zealand Army and is a major military training camp. Waiouru Military Camp provides at least 90% employment for our community in both military and civilian roles. We are also fortunate to regularly welcome families of the military forces, from our Pacific Island neighbours, for two year placements in Waiouru. This programme of exchange enriches our cultural environment and
relationship with the New Zealand Army.

Support provided by the New Zealand Army has significant advantages for Waiouru Kura with a wide range of support facilities available to our ākonga. These include recreational facilities, sports fields, tennis and squash courts, gymnasium and indoor swimming pool.

Waiouru Kura is situated on Ruapehu Road in a modern building completed in 2011. The previous, now demolished, kura buildings were over seventy years old and at their peak housed over 1200 pupils. With the downsizing of the Waiouru Military Camp and reduction in ākonga numbers, it was deemed that the construction of a new building would be more economical than the refurbishment of the old buildings.

Rongomaraeroa-0-Ngā-Hau-e-Wha- Our Relationship with the Army Marae

Waiouru Kura is very fortunate to share a strong relationship with the National Army Marae. Rongomaraeroa-o-ngā-hau-e-wha is a multi-cultural marae for all members of the Waiouru Community. Waiouru Kura values the marae as an extension of its learning community, and classrooms. It provides us with a basis for our sense of belonging to Waiouru, it reminds us of our history and our membership with Ngati Tumatauenga. Waiouru Kura was able to cement this sense of belonging with our marae through our contribution to the DIY Marae project at Rongomaraeroa-O-Ngā-Hau-e-Wha in February 2015. This event was filmed and shown on Māori Television in late 2015. We now have a permanent piece of art in the reflection garden.

Waiouru Kura holds its most important events at Rongomaraeroa-o-ngā-hau-e-wha, including the end of year prize giving and termly pōwhiri (welcoming ceremonies) for new nga ākonga and families. We often tautoko and participate in pōwhiri and poroporoaki at the request of the maraestaff.