Rotorua Lakes High School
Secondary (Year 9-15) · State
- Year levels
- 9–13
- Total roll
- 630
- Enrolment zone
- Yes
- Gender
- Co-Educational
Where is it, and how do I get in touch?
- Address
- Porikapa Road, Te Ngae, Rotorua
- Territorial authority
- Rotorua District
- Phone
- 07-3456124
- office@rotorualakes.school.nz
- Directions
- Get directions
Other schools nearby: schools in Rotorua · schools in Bay of Plenty
Can my child go here?
This school has an enrolment scheme, so a place is not open to every address. How enrolment zones work
Loading zone map…
Zone boundaries shown here are approximate. Ministry of Education data warns these boundaries do not have high spatial precision and can place neighbouring addresses on different sides of a line. This is not a confirmation of enrolment eligibility — always confirm directly with the school. Zone geometry also does not reflect enrolment priority rules (siblings, special character categories, ballots) — it shows the mapped boundary only.
Check if your address is in zone →
Source: Ministry of Education, CC BY 3.0 NZ
What would the day look like?
The practical things this school states on its own website — the hours, the uniform, the term dates, and how children get there. These are the school’s own words, not the Ministry’s record and not ERO’s.
Quoted from this school’s own website, as we read it on 13 August 2026. A web page carries no date of its own, so that is the day we read it — not a statement that any of this is still the case. Each line quotes the words it came from.
- Uniform
- Required
SCHOOL JACKET: Regulation blue monogrammed jacket ONLY. SHOES: Plain fully black leather or canvas shoes – i.e. one colour.
- Required
- Getting there
- School buses run to the school; the school is working with Go Bus and the Ministry of Education on the transition to its new school bus operator
We are working closely with Go Bus and the Ministry of Education to ensure that the transition to our new school bus operator goes well.
- School buses run to the school; the school is working with Go Bus and the Ministry of Education on the transition to its new school bus operator
What does the school say about itself?
Quoted, not summarised. Every school describes itself well, so this is here to be read as the school’s own case rather than as a finding — and a school that states nothing simply has no row.
Quoted from this school’s own website, as we read it on 13 August 2026. A web page carries no date of its own, so that is the day we read it — not a statement that any of this is still the case. Each line quotes the words it came from.
- International students
- Accepted, as stated
We welcome our international students in the spirit of manaakitanga (care and respect) and whanaungatanga (connection), two of the four values of our school.
- Accepted, as stated
What is on offer beyond the classroom?
The sports, arts, clubs and groups this school names on its own website. Not a complete list of what any school offers, and not a count — a school that names more here has written more down, which is not the same as doing more.
Quoted from this school’s own website, as we read it on 13 August 2026. A web page carries no date of its own, so that is the day we read it — not a statement that any of this is still the case. Each line quotes the words it came from.
- On offer
- Athletics Day
RLHS regularly participates in House Competitions to promote physical activity and House pride, including events such as Athletics Day, Swimming Sports, Inter-House Games, House Haka challenges, and more.
- Swimming Sports
RLHS regularly participates in House Competitions to promote physical activity and House pride, including events such as Athletics Day, Swimming Sports, Inter-House Games, House Haka challenges, and more.
- Inter-House Games
RLHS regularly participates in House Competitions to promote physical activity and House pride, including events such as Athletics Day, Swimming Sports, Inter-House Games, House Haka challenges, and more.
- House Haka challenges
RLHS regularly participates in House Competitions to promote physical activity and House pride, including events such as Athletics Day, Swimming Sports, Inter-House Games, House Haka challenges, and more.
- Athletics Day
Who goes here?
Ethnicity breakdown of the total roll, shown as context. Not ranked, and not compared against any average.
- European
- 448
- Māori
- 277
- Pacific
- 23
- Asian
- 48
- MELAA
- 4
- Other
- 8
- International
- 3
Roll by year level and age
Shown as context, not ranked, not compared to any average. As at 30 June 2026, from the same annual return as the roll count above.
| Māori | Pacific | Asian | MELAA | Other | European/ Pākehā | International students | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year 09 | 66 | 5 | 11 | 2 | 1 | 96 | 0 | 144 |
| Year 10 | 77 | 5 | 8 | 1 | 4 | 118 | 0 | 166 |
| Year 11 | 73 | 5 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 109 | 2 | 156 |
| Year 12 | 58 | 5 | 9 | 2 | 1 | 110 | 0 | 147 |
| Year 13+ | 21 | 3 | 10 | 1 | 2 | 69 | 0 | 88 |
| Total | 295 | 23 | 48 | 7 | 8 | 502 | 2 | 701 |
| Māori | Pacific | Asian | MELAA | Other | European/ Pākehā | International students | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Age 12 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Age 13 | 55 | 2 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 77 | 0 | 115 |
| Age 14 | 74 | 7 | 10 | 2 | 3 | 117 | 0 | 165 |
| Age 15 | 67 | 5 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 98 | 0 | 145 |
| Age 16 | 69 | 5 | 9 | 1 | 1 | 114 | 1 | 151 |
| Age 17 | 25 | 4 | 10 | 2 | 0 | 83 | 1 | 103 |
| Age 18 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 13 | 0 | 20 |
| Age 19+ | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Total | 295 | 23 | 48 | 7 | 8 | 502 | 2 | 701 |
Source: Education Counts, Ministry of Education, CC BY 4.0
Academic results
Percentage with NCEA level 1 or above — 2025
81%
| Rotorua Lakes High School | 81% |
|---|---|
| Bay of Plenty Region | 87.3% |
| Secondary (Year 9-15) | 88% |
| State: Not integrated | 83.6% |
| New Zealand | 85.2% |
Trend and demographic breakdown
| Female | 77.2% |
|---|---|
| Male | 84.5% |
| Māori | 70.1% |
| Pacific | 83.3% |
| Asian | 100% |
| MELAA | Too few to report |
| Other | Too few to report |
| European/Pākehā | 84.9% |
| Total | 81% |
Source: Education Counts, Ministry of Education, CC BY 4.0 — Table 2: Comparison NCEA level 1 data (2023-2025)
Percentage with NCEA level 2 or above — 2025
68.7%
| Rotorua Lakes High School | 68.7% |
|---|---|
| Bay of Plenty Region | 78.1% |
| Secondary (Year 9-15) | 81% |
| State: Not integrated | 75.4% |
| New Zealand | 77.8% |
Trend and demographic breakdown
| Female | 65.8% |
|---|---|
| Male | 71.4% |
| Māori | 50.7% |
| Pacific | 83.3% |
| Asian | 90.9% |
| MELAA | Too few to report |
| Other | Too few to report |
| European/Pākehā | 74.8% |
| Total | 68.7% |
Source: Education Counts, Ministry of Education, CC BY 4.0 — Table 2: Comparison NCEA level 2 data (2023-2025)
Percentage with NCEA level 3 or above — 2025
49.1%
| Rotorua Lakes High School | 49.1% |
|---|---|
| Bay of Plenty Region | 56.5% |
| Secondary (Year 9-15) | 61.8% |
| State: Not integrated | 55.2% |
| New Zealand | 59% |
Trend and demographic breakdown
| Female | 49.4% |
|---|---|
| Male | 48.8% |
| Māori | 31.3% |
| Pacific | 66.7% |
| Asian | 72.7% |
| MELAA | Too few to report |
| Other | Too few to report |
| European/Pākehā | 54.6% |
| Total | 49.1% |
Source: Education Counts, Ministry of Education, CC BY 4.0 — Table 2: Comparison NCEA level 3 data (2023-2025)
Percentage with VP Award — 2025
29.4%
| Rotorua Lakes High School | 29.4% |
|---|---|
| Bay of Plenty Region | 18.1% |
| Secondary (Year 9-15) | 15.2% |
| State: Not integrated | 14.4% |
| New Zealand | 14.1% |
Trend and demographic breakdown
| Female | 35.4% |
|---|---|
| Male | 23.8% |
| Māori | 25.4% |
| Pacific | 16.7% |
| Asian | 36.4% |
| MELAA | Too few to report |
| Other | Too few to report |
| European/Pākehā | 31.1% |
| Total | 29.4% |
Source: Education Counts, Ministry of Education, CC BY 4.0 — Table 2: Comparison Vocational Pathway data (2023-2025)
Retention
Percentage staying until at least 17th birthday — 2025
68.1%
| Rotorua Lakes High School | 68.1% |
|---|---|
| Bay of Plenty Region | 77.3% |
| Secondary (Year 9-15) | 83.5% |
| State: Not integrated | 81.4% |
| New Zealand | 83% |
Trend and demographic breakdown
| Female | 62% |
|---|---|
| Male | 73.8% |
| Māori | 49.3% |
| Pacific | 66.7% |
| Asian | 90.9% |
| MELAA | Too few to report |
| Other | Too few to report |
| European/Pākehā | 73.9% |
| Total | 68.1% |
Source: Education Counts, Ministry of Education, CC BY 4.0 — Table 2: Comparison trend data (2023-2025)
— 2024
not reported
| Female | not reported |
|---|---|
| Male | not reported |
| Māori | not reported |
| Pacific | not reported |
| Asian | not reported |
| MELAA | not reported |
| Other | not reported |
| European/Pākehā | not reported |
| Total | not reported |
Source: Education Counts, Ministry of Education, CC BY 4.0 — Table 1: School leavers enrolled in tertiary education one year after leaving school (2022-2024 leaver cohorts)
— 2023
not reported
| Asian | not reported |
|---|---|
| Female | not reported |
| Male | not reported |
| Māori | not reported |
| Pacific | not reported |
| MELAA | not reported |
| Other | not reported |
| European/Pākehā | not reported |
| Total | not reported |
Source: Education Counts, Ministry of Education, CC BY 4.0 — Table 2: School leavers enrolled in tertiary education two years after leaving school (2021-2023 leaver cohorts)
— 2024
not reported
| Female | not reported |
|---|---|
| Male | not reported |
| Māori | not reported |
| Pacific | not reported |
| Asian | not reported |
| MELAA | not reported |
| Other | not reported |
| European/Pākehā | not reported |
| Total | not reported |
Source: Education Counts, Ministry of Education, CC BY 4.0 — Table 1: School leavers enrolled in tertiary education one year after leaving school (2022-2024 leaver cohorts)
— 2023
not reported
| Female | not reported |
|---|---|
| Male | not reported |
| Māori | not reported |
| Pacific | not reported |
| Asian | not reported |
| MELAA | not reported |
| Other | not reported |
| European/Pākehā | not reported |
| Total | not reported |
Source: Education Counts, Ministry of Education, CC BY 4.0 — Table 2: School leavers enrolled in tertiary education two years after leaving school (2021-2023 leaver cohorts)
Student engagement
Age-standardised stand-down rate per 1,000 students — 2024
95.1%
| Rotorua Lakes High School | 95.1% |
|---|---|
| Bay of Plenty Region | 37.4% |
| Secondary (Year 9-15) | 35.8% |
| State | 40.2% |
| New Zealand | 37.1% |
Trend and demographic breakdown
| Female | 87.2% |
|---|---|
| Male | 104.1% |
| Māori | 176.9% |
| Pacific | 83.2% |
| Asian | 0% |
| Other | 0% |
| European/Pākehā | 54.1% |
| Total | 95.1% |
Source: Education Counts, Ministry of Education, CC BY 4.0 — Table 2: Comparison stand-down rates data (2024)
Age-standardised suspension rate per 1,000 students — 2024
5.9%
| Rotorua Lakes High School | 5.9% |
|---|---|
| Bay of Plenty Region | 3.8% |
| Secondary (Year 9-15) | 4% |
| State | 4.5% |
| New Zealand | 4.1% |
Trend and demographic breakdown
| Female | 3.7% |
|---|---|
| Male | 8.3% |
| Māori | 11.4% |
| Pacific | 0% |
| Asian | 0% |
| Other | 0% |
| European/Pākehā | 3.7% |
| Total | 5.9% |
Source: Education Counts, Ministry of Education, CC BY 4.0 — Table 2: Comparison suspension rates data (2024)
Age-standardised exclusion rate per 1,000 students — 2024
3.1%
| Rotorua Lakes High School | 3.1% |
|---|---|
| Bay of Plenty Region | 1.4% |
| Secondary (Year 9-15) | 1.7% |
| State | 1.9% |
| New Zealand | 1.8% |
Trend and demographic breakdown
| Female | 1.4% |
|---|---|
| Male | 5.2% |
| Māori | 6.4% |
| Pacific | 0% |
| Asian | 0% |
| Other | 0% |
| European/Pākehā | 1.1% |
| Total | 3.1% |
Source: Education Counts, Ministry of Education, CC BY 4.0 — Table 2: Comparison exclusion data (2024)
About the school
- Equity Index (EQI)
- 473
- Boarding
- No
- Language of instruction
- Some students taught in te reo Māori
- Urban / rural
- Large urban area
- Date opened
- 2 February 1971
The Equity Index is used by the Ministry to allocate equity funding. It describes the socio-economic barriers a school’s students face, not how good the school is. How the Equity Index works
What did ERO find?
The Education Review Office reviews every school and publishes what it finds in full. We quote ERO’s report here, section by section, in ERO’s own words and order, and link to it. We do not summarise a report, pick a line out of one, or turn one into a score. How ERO reviews schools
- Reports ERO holds
- 4
- Last reviewed
- 7 December 2023
- Latest report
- Te Ara Huarau | School Profile Report
- Report type
- Profile report
- Board assurance
- The board attested to all areas (7 December 2023)
A board assurance statement is the board’s own account of whether it took all reasonable steps to meet its legal obligations, on the date shown. It is not ERO’s finding. ERO reports separately, in the same report, on any non-compliance it identified during that process.
The same report — the board assurance report of 7 December 2023 — also sets out actions for compliance: the non-compliance ERO identified during that process. This is that section of the report in full, in ERO’s words.
ERO and the board have identified the following areas of non-compliance during the board assurance process:
the school needs to check a primary identity document and a secondary identity document, required for safety checking of workforce.
[Children’s Act 2014, and regulations 5–8 of the Children’s (Requirements for Safety Checks of Children’s Workers) Regulations 2015]
The school has since taken steps to address the areas of non-compliance identified.
The roll ERO recorded, and when
ERO writes a roll into each report it publishes: a count taken for that report, on the day shown, by the review team that was there. The Ministry of Education’s current roll for this school is 630 — the figure at the top of this page, and the one to use for how big the school is now. These are a different measurement by a different body, so they will rarely agree, and a difference between them is not a change in the school.
May 2016
662
Counted while ERO’s review team was at the school. Education Review Office, report of 5 August 2016
This is one count taken for one report. It says what the roll was on that day, and nothing about how the roll has moved.
What ERO wrote in its latest report
This is ERO’s report of 7 December 2023 — “Te Ara Huarau | School Profile Report” — section by section, under ERO’s own headings, in ERO’s own order. Nothing is summarised, shortened or reordered.
Background
This Profile Report was written within two years of the Education Review Office and Rotorua Lakes High School working in Te Ara Huarau , an improvement evaluation approach used in most English Medium State and State Integrated Schools. For more information about Te Ara Huarau see ERO’s website. www.ero.govt.nz
Context
Rotorua Lakes High School offers education for years 9 to 13 and is situated on the east side of Rotorua, providing learning, with its community at the heart of decisions being made. The school has identified their focus as developing and maintaining student pathways that meet the needs of its community.
Rotorua Lakes High School ’s strategic priorities for improving outcomes for learners are:
Learners being at the centre – All ākonga are supported to develop successful pathways and outcomes.
Barrier free access to education – All ākonga can follow their needed pathways with support provided to ensure equitable outcomes.
Providing quality teaching and leadership – delivering positive outcomes for all of our ākonga, kaiako , and community.
You can find a copy of the school’s strategic and annual plan on Rotorua Lakes High School ’s website.
ERO and the school are working together to evaluate how effectively student engagement initiatives are leading to improved outcomes for students.
The rationale for selecting this evaluation is:
increasing student retention and transition into future pathways
better meeting the needs of different cohorts of students through targeted programmes and initiatives
reviewing the implementation of restorative environments and culturally responsive practice.
The school expects to see targeted programmes within the junior and senior school improving wellbeing and academic outcomes, including retention and engagement, for all students involved.
Strengths
The school can draw from the following strengths to support the school in its goal to improve student outcomes.
Strong community partnerships, including with mana whenua that support student wellbeing, teaching and learning programmes and the strategic direction of the school.
Effective review processes around teaching and learning programmes that inform next steps.
On-going professional development plans in place support restorative and relational practice.
A well-considered range of teaching strategies, initiatives and interventions support individual learning approaches and needs.
High expectations for student achievement, engagement and attendance is evident across the school.
Where to next?
Moving forward, the school will prioritise reviewing the:
student engagement programme, within the senior school, to know, understand and inform further improvements for target student wellbeing and academic outcomes
impact of current teaching strategies and approaches, in the junior school, on student progress, engagement and achievement
enactment of restorative and relational practice across the school, to inform improvements.
ERO’s role will be to support the school in its evaluation for improvement cycle to improve outcomes for all learners. ERO will support the school in reporting their progress to the community. The next public report on ERO’s website will be a Te Ara Huarau | School Evaluation Report and is due within three years.
Shelley Booysen Director of Schools
7 December 2023
About the School
The Education Counts website provides further information about the school’s student population, student engagement and student achievement. educationcounts.govt.nz/home
Read the full report on ero.govt.nz →
All 4 reports ERO holds for this school
ERO reviews a school every few years — around four years between reviews is the usual cycle — so an older date here reflects where a school sits in that cycle, not how it is doing.
Source: Education Review Office, CC BY 4.0.
Roll date: 30 June 2026 (2026).