Welcome to Dalefield School

Dalefield School is a vibrant, semi-rural full primary school located 6.5 km from the centre of Carterton. We provide a rich and nurturing learning environment for students from the Dalefield, Matarawa, and Carterton districts, as well as from both Carterton and Greytown. Our current roll is 85 students.

Our House System

Every student is placed in a House upon starting school, fostering a sense of belonging and teamwork. Our Houses reflect important local landmarks and heritage:

• Kahungunu – our local iwi (tribe)
• Papawai – our local marae
• Waiohine – our local river
• Tararua – our surrounding ranges

Our Learning Spaces

We have four learning spaces, each named to honour significant locations in the Wairarapa region:

• Whetū – Our New Entrant space, representing the stars and acknowledging Wairarapa’s dark sky reserve status.
• Waihakeke – Our Years 1-3 space, named after a local area.
• Mangatarere – Our Years 3-5 space, named after the stream that joins the Waiohine River south of Carterton.
• Matarawa – Our Years 6-8 space, named after a significant local area.

School Development and Environmental Focus

Dalefield School continues to grow and evolve. Recent developments include:

• The installation of a brand new playground, designed with input from our senior students.
• Enhanced school safety through parking and access improvements.
• Completion of full perimeter fencing.
• A commitment to sustainability, with 10% of our school grounds dedicated to native ecosystems. Our planting programme is well underway, reinforcing our connection to the land and environment.

Our Values

At Dalefield, our values shape everything we do, creating a strong foundation for learning and personal growth:

• Manaakitanga (Respect & Kindness) – Showing care, respect, and generosity towards others.
• Whanaungatanga (Integrity & Belonging) – Building strong, supportive relationships and acting with honesty and fairness.
• Kotahitanga (Unity & Collaboration) – Working together as one, fostering teamwork and inclusiveness.
• Kaitiakitanga (Courage, Responsibility & Resilience) – Being guardians of our environment, community, and actions, showing bravery and perseverance in doing what is right.

These values guide our students in becoming thoughtful, responsible, and engaged members of their community.

We warmly welcome you to Dalefield School – a place where respect, integrity, unity, and resilience thrive.