School Info
Our Cultural Narrative and School Pepeha
Our school takes its name from Otonga Road, the street on which we are located. However, the name ‘Otonga’ itself has no specific meaning and is a European shortening of the original name for this block of land, Tihiōtonga.
Through consultation with our kaumatua, Dr. Ken Kennedy, we learned that this land intersects four Māori land blocks. This significant connection is represented in our school logo, which depicts the four winds. Our school houses are named after these winds, symbolising how they bring children from all over the world to this place of the tangata whenua—the people of the land.
The more accurate and meaningful name for our school is Te Kura o Tihiōtonga:
- Tihi means the highest point of a mountain
- o means towards
- Tonga means south
Together, Tihiōtonga translates to “the highest peak towards the south”, a reference to the southern peak of Rotorua.
We are proud to honor the people who lived on this land before us and celebrate this heritage by embracing a dual name:
Otonga Road School / Te Kura o Tihiōtonga.
Our School Facilities and Environment
We take pride in offering modern, well-equipped spaces that inspire learning, creativity, and play.
Indoor Facilities:
- Well-resourced learning environments
- A newly upgraded Hall for music, dance, Kapa Haka, and school productions
- A dedicated Music Room
- A Tech Room featuring a green screen for innovative learning experiences
- A vibrant, buzzing Library that fosters a love of reading
- A brand-new Administration Block and Staffroom
- New Flexible Furniture throughout the school to support dynamic, collaborative learning
- A very well resourced PE Shed for Healthy Active Learning and Sport
We continually enhance our learning environments to ensure seamless indoor/outdoor flow, creating spaces that encourage exploration, collaboration, engagement, and fun.
Outdoor Facilities:
- Four playgrounds and three sandpits for active sand and water play
- A large Astro Turf and Obstacle Course to promote physical development
- A smaller, fully shaded Astro Turf
- Expansive playing fields for hockey, football, and rugby
- A student-created Bike Track and Scooter Track
- Engaging gardens with native birds and insects
- Magic Play Boxes for large loose parts
- Play on the Way markings and games for interactive outdoor learning and fun
Our school also features covered deck walkways, beautifully landscaped gardens, a thriving community garden, and shady trees—perfect for play, learning, and relaxation.
With Jackson Park and Reserve on our doorstep, we embrace the outdoors as an extension of the classroom, using our natural environment as a “third teacher” to inspire curiosity, creativity, and risk-taking.
