Tēnā tātou e te kura. ‘Tiro ake. Pikia. Ko te ara poutama ki angitū. ‘Gaze upward. Ascend it. It is the stairway to success.’

Ōtūmoetai Intermediate School welcomes all students for 2025. To our Year 7 students, and new Year 8 students, we greet you as you arrive with your own skillset, characteristics, and freshness. To our returning Year 8 tauira, you now become the role models and the drivers of the many kaupapa within our school.

‘Mā te tuakana, ka tōtika te teina. Mā te teina, ka tōtika te tuakana’.
'By the older sibling the younger sibling learns. By the younger sibling the older sibling learns'.

Kia kaha tātou.

Ōtūmoetai Intermediate School Pōhiri

Day 2 saw our school participating in our own pōhiri process under Te Kapua o ngā Rangi. We acknowledge our kaikaranga and kaikōrero from mana whenua, Ngai Tamarāwaho, Ahenata May-Daniels, Kalani Tarawa, and also Matua Jo’el Komene from Ōtūmoetai College, who stood in for Matua Takiri. Also, we mihi to Matua Tipene who spoke for the manuhiri.

Year 8 students as tuakana, formally welcomed our new Year 7 students as manuhiri. Through this sacred process our Year 7 tauira under Maori tikanga, by mana whenua, formally passed into becoming fully fledged students of Ōtūmoetai Intermediate School. Although there was a stall in proceedings, all students, new Year 7’s and Year 8's showed patience and respect.

A big mihi to our Year 8 kapa haka who stood as pou and led our haka pōhiri, haka tautoko, and waiata, and were supported by the Year 8 students. Acknowledgements also to both year levels as the behaviour, conduct and patience, showed respect and consideration, and thus providing a glimpse at one of our school matapono (values), manaakitanga - respect, consideration and patience.

You can view the school pōhiri video below.

Ōtūmoetai Intermediate School, tēnā tātou katoa.

'Ko Ōtūmoe-tai timu, tai pari, taiahaha!
'As the tide ebbs and flows, so Ōtūmoetai remains steadfast'