Our History

Rawhitiroa school was first opened 11 December 1897 and it had 44 students. It was known as Anderson Road School because that was what the road was called before it changed to Rawhitiroa Road.

The school opened with two teachers. There was a paddock where the children put their ponies until school finished. After school the children would sometimes have to run around after their ponies for about twenty five minutes before being able to catch them.

The children made their own cocoa, a previous student said it tasted horrible sometimes. 

There was a fire place in one of the classrooms, unfortunately, this was the cause of the first fire. The school was burnt down to the ground on April 1944 and reopened November 1945, during that time children went to the Rawhitiroa Hall to carry on with their regular classes. Mangamingi school was opened in 1903 with a role of 15 students.

The 50th Jubilee was held in 1948.

A whole new modern school was built and opened and was built with a heater. Then on the 31st May 1976 the school was burnt down yet again, but this time by a heater that was only installed two weeks previously. The bell was the only thing that survived the fire. The school was reopened on 26 July 1977.

Volunteers built the Rawhitiroa pool in 1960. It was built to be used by the school so the children enhanced their swimming skills.

In December 1988 with a role of six,  Mangamingi School was closed down due to lack of students. The remaining students were transferred to Rawhitiroa School, as it was the next closest school to their houses.

In 1998 the school had its 100th Jubilee with 400 people present. Today the school has 46 students two full time teachers, two full time fixed term teacher, a part-time release teacher and one teacher aide.