Te Wharekura ō Rūātoki is a rural school catering for students from Years 1 to 13.

Our school is in the sunny Bay of Plenty in the North Island of New Zealand. Rūātoki is a small rural area nestled on the western side of Te Urewera National Park. There are many Marae in our immediate area which provides an environment rich with historical value.

The current student enrolment numbers 171 and ninety-nine percent of students at our school are of Tūhoe - NZ Maori descent.  The school offers a unique cultural experience in a community with traditional Tūhoe values. The absence of the stress and pressure of city living provides an opportunity for students to concentrate fully on achieving their personal goals.  

The school provides high quality educational opportunities for its students and as a result is well supported by the communities it serves.  Because of the reputation the school has developed in Kapa Haka and Manu Korero the board is able to attract high quality staff.

The school is well resourced with newly invested information technology equipment.  Our students are given every opportunity to up-skill in this area.  We have seven classrooms in the Wharekura area, two classrooms at Intermediate level and six classrooms at primary level.

Our Administration block "Te Konae Aronui" has undergone major reconstruction over the past 18 months and is now operational.    Te Konae Aronui houses the Tumuaki, Deputy Principal, Reception area, Customer Support Officer, School Management Support Officer, Whanau/Staff Room and the sickbay.  The upper floor of the building houses a very comprehensive community Library.

At the moment, we are in the process of some major building projects.  Our greatest asset “Mauri Tau” the School Hall and the nearby Technology Block were burnt down in September 2009.  At this stage, the 5 classrooms in our Technology Block have been rebuilt and now feature some of the latest state of the art equipment.  "Mauri Tau" is under construction and should be completed by the end of August 2011.

The grounds are extensive with playing fields, a small adventure playground and two netball/tennis courts between the primary classrooms. 

Te Wharekura ō Ruātoki is governed by a Board of Trustees. The board currently employs a Tumuaki, Deputy Principal, Assistant Principal, 2 Senior Managers, 15 Kaiako, a Librarian, School Management Support Officer, Curriculum Support Officer, 2 Cleaners, a Caretaker and 2 Van drivers.  

Local Health and ‘other’ educational amenities are available and well-utilised by the wharekura. Local kaumatua avail themselves tirelessly to ensure that the ‘special character’ of the Tuhoe Iwi is maintained.

The school is a smoke free environment.