Our History

Principal Peter Densem first opened the doors to Arataki School on 4 February, 1963. Back then, it was called Omanu Number 2 and there were six classrooms. It was born out of the need to provide Mount Maunganui’s growing population with a space for children to learn.

The name changed to Arataki “to lead” later that year on the advice of an iwi elder and to this day leadership remains a cherished trait among our teachers, tamariki and community.

Arataki School has grown from a small regional school into a school that caters to over 500 students with a diverse population, a modern approach to education and both Reo Rua (bilingual) and Montessori programmes.