Our History

During 1946 work was started on the building of the District High School in Waitara East and the Principal, Mr E.W.P.Massey, had the unenviable task in February 1947, of running a school with its Primary pupils in Waitara West, and the Secondary pupils in Waitara East. As the population of Waitara started to increase, because of the post World War II "baby boom," it became necessary to house classes of Form One and Two children on the site occupied by the Secondary Department. In this way a Secondary School developed with an attached Intermediate Department. Waitara East Primary School was established in October 1953, and Mr E.W.P. Massey was for a time responsible for the first classes of primer children who started there in 1954. Waitara West School then became Waitara Central, with pupils ranging from Primers to Standard Four, a remarkable feat for one man to be headmaster for three schools simultaneously.