A rural Waikato school with just nine students will have its final roll call at the end of the year after its voluntary closure was formally approved by Education Minister Erica Stanford.
Stanford signed a notice on September 14 declaring 134-year-old Waingaro School, near Ngāruawāhia, will close on January 1, 2027.
"Under section 199 of the Education and Training Act 2020, I hereby declare that Waingaro School (2060), Ngaruawahia, will close on 1 January 2027 and will cease to be established on that day," the notice said.
The closure followed a request from the school's board after years of declining student numbers.
There were currently nine students enrolled at the school, which was operating at about 18% of its capacity.
According to Ministry of Education documents, the board requested the school's voluntary closure after a sustained long-term roll decline raised concerns about its future viability.
Parents in the area would continue to have a choice of three Year 1-8 primary schools nearby. Local schools consulted during the process supported the closure.
Earlier this year, the board sought community feedback on the future of the school, which was established in 1892, saying declining enrolments and financial pressures had made it increasingly difficult to sustain operations.
In consultation documents, the board said it recognised the school's importance to the community and the strong emotional, cultural and historical connections many local families had with it.
However, it warned that limited funding associated with a very small roll, combined with rising costs, had placed increasing pressure on the school's finances.
The board also noted ministry modelling showed little prospect of significant growth in the local school-aged population.
The school will cease to be established from January 1, ending a long chapter of education in the rural Waikato community.
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