The History of Whenuapai School

It all began in 1957 when the Waitemata City Council decided to build a new school. Whenuapai School was to be located on Kennedy Road in Kumeu. The property was just about to be bought by the council when someone pointed out that the school should be situated in central Whenuapai near the Airbase. The Whenuapai Poultry Farm owned by the Andersons was sold to the council and preparations for the school began. It started with just 3 permanent classes which are now rooms 8, 9 and 10.

The founding principal of the school was Mr Mcrae, whose wife was also on the staff. They lived close by in the school house on the corner of Totara Rd. The first school committee had many battles in the first couple of years getting classrooms for the already burgeoning school, getting a pedestrian crossing outside the school and having a telephone installed.

But from small things big things grow, and 50 years on Whenuapai School has grown and blossomed on those foundations laid in 1957.