Waitomo Caves School
Hotel Access Road, Waitomo Caves · Waikato
See all schools in Waitomo Caves →
Composite score
Established
Above median
Rank #1,183 of scored NZ schools
Active MoE intervention — limited statutory manager
A limited statutory manager has been appointed to Waitomo Caves School . NZ Gazette notice
Best suited for
Students aged 5-11 in Waitomo Caves looking for a state-funded setting with an established ERO profile.
Is Waitomo Caves School a good school?
Waitomo Caves School is currently under MoE intervention — a limited statutory manager has been appointed. The school's day-to-day teaching continues; the intervention addresses governance or operational concerns identified by the Ministry. Read the NZ Gazette notice for details.
Strengths from the latest ERO report
- Staff and trustees are aware of the need to progress student outcomes and build collective capability across the school
- There is a plan that identifies actions and goals to raise student achievement
Summary derived from ERO reports + audited financials + MoE records. Every claim links to its source — see data transparency at the bottom of this page.
Score breakdown
6 axes, each scored 0–100 on a national absolute scale. As at 2025.
standdowns 0.0/1k · suspensions 0.0/1k · exclusions 0.0/1k · top 10% of band (n=539) · why? ▼ hide
+6.7% roll over 5yr (2020→2025) · near band median (n=524) · why? ▼ hide
49/100 from ERO review 2024-03 · bottom 10% of band (n=544) · why? ▼ hide
⚠ Insufficient EQI-band peers (n<10) to compute per-axis percentile context. The score above is absolute; treat it as a single-school read rather than a peer comparison.
Real ERO composite (from the latest review): 49/100.
Latest ERO review
2024-03-07 · Shelley Booysen, ERO
- ERO has concerns about levels of achievement in the school
- Staff and trustees are aware of the need to progress student outcomes and build collective capability across the school
- There is a plan that identifies actions and goals to raise student achievement
"Staff and trustees are aware of the need to progress student outcomes and build collective capability across the school."
Composite score across reviews
2 ERO reviews on file, 2018–2024. Click a point to read that review.
Discipline (age-standardised, per 1,000 students)
Stand-down = sent home temporarily. Suspension = formal investigation. Exclusion = removed from school. National averages shown for comparison.
Stand-downs · 2024
0.0
· NZ avg ~37
Suspensions · 2024
0.0
· NZ avg ~5
Exclusions · 2024
0.0
· NZ avg ~1.5
Government funding
Crown funding only (school operations + teacher salaries + property). Excludes locally-raised funds, international fees and trading income — those are in the audited financial report above.
Total Crown funding · 2022
$0.34M
Per-student funding · 2022
$10,611
2018
$0.4M
2019
$0.5M
2020
$0.4M
2021
$0.3M
2022
$0.3M
Roll by year level
July 2025 roll return.
- Year 01 4
- Year 02 8
- Year 03 2
- Year 04 6
- Year 05 3
- Year 06 2
- Year 07 3
- Year 08 4
Roll by ethnicity
Share of total roll. Students who identify with multiple ethnicities are counted once.
- Māori 62.5%
- European/Pākehā 50.0%
- Asian 12.5%
- Pacific 6.3%
Location
Hotel Access Road, Waitomo Caves. Nearby schools marked in grey.
Map tiles © OpenStreetMap, © CARTO
Schools nearby
Within 15km, sorted by distance. Add any to compare with Waitomo Caves School.
Te Wharekura o Maniapoto
Composite · 6km · 124 roll
56
-13 vs this
Te Kuiti Primary School
Full Primary · 8.7km · 338 roll
65
-4 vs this
Te Kuiti High School
Secondary (Year 9-15) · 8.8km · 300 roll
46
-23 vs this
Pukenui School (Te Kuiti)
Full Primary · 10km · 145 roll
37
-32 vs this
St Joseph's Catholic School (Te Kuiti)
Full Primary · 10km · 66 roll
53
-16 vs this
Centennial Park School
Full Primary · 10km · 75 roll
76
+7 vs this
Frequently asked
Is Waitomo Caves School a good school?
Waitomo Caves School is currently under MoE intervention — a limited statutory manager has been appointed. The school's day-to-day teaching continues; the intervention addresses governance or operational concerns identified by the Ministry. Read the NZ Gazette notice for details.
What does the latest ERO review say?
ERO's 2024-03 review identified 3 key findings. ERO has concerns about levels of achievement in the school
How do I enrol my child at Waitomo Caves School?
Contact the school directly on 07-8787534, email office@waitomocaves.school.nz, or visit waitomocaves.school.nz. For state schools, check your home address against the school's enrolment zone — some schools are in-zone-only.
What are the fees?
Waitomo Caves School is a state school. There is no tuition fee for domestic students; voluntary donations may be requested.
What is the roll size?
Waitomo Caves School has 32 students, with an EQI of 526 (higher socio-economic need).
When was the school last reviewed by ERO?
The Education Review Office last reviewed Waitomo Caves School in 2024-03, signed by Shelley Booysen. 3 ERO reports are on file in our archive.
Data transparency
Every fact on this page links to its source. We never publish a claim without provenance — read our methodology for the full rules.
Sourced from
- ero.govt.nz
- gazette.govt.nz
- schoolsdata.co.nz
- crimestats.co.nz