Tararua College
State, co-educational, school
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Tararua College is a secondary school in Pahiatua, New Zealand, with approximately 407 students.
Secondary (Year 9–15)
"those who strive live fully"
| Tararua College | |
|---|---|
| Location | |
 | |
Churchill Street, Pahiatua, New Zealand | |
| 40.4560°S 175.8338°E | |
| Information | |
| Type | State, Co-educational, Secondary (Year 9–15) |
| Motto | Māori: Tama Tu Tama Ora "those who strive live fully" |
| Established | 1960 |
Ministry of Education Institution no. | 235 |
Principal | Iain Anderson[1] |
| Enrollment | 390[2] (March 2026) |
Socio-economic decile | 3I[3] |
| Website | www.tararuacollege.school.nz |
History
Tararua College opened in 1960. Like most New Zealand state secondary school opened in the 1960s, the school was built to the Nelson common design plan, characterised by two-storey H-shaped classroom blocks, of which the school has one. The regional station Tararua TV was started in 2004, in an egg-carton lined room at the school.[4] In 2006, pupil brawls and abuse of teachers at the school was effectively stopped with the introduction of a ban on student cellphones.[5] Later that year a student teacher was forced to resign after admitting an affair with a pupil of the school.[6]
Enrolment
As of March 2026, Tararua College has a roll of 390 students, of which 161 (41.3%) identify as Māori.[2]
As of 2026, the school has an Equity Index of 510,[7] placing it amongst schools whose students have many socioeconomic barriers to achievement (roughly equivalent to deciles 2 and 3 under the former socio-economic decile system).[8]
Notable alumni
- Heather McRae, principal of Diocesan School for Girls in Auckland.[9]
- Roger Sowry, government cabinet minister, former head boy
- Michael Mason, New Zealand Blackcap cricketer
- Tara Drysdale, New Zealand Blackstick
- Dame Diane Robertson, community leader