Paint was spread across floors and classrooms were left in disarray after a group "demolished" a Rotorua primary school.
Western Heights Primary School was alerted by security to the incident, but by the time workers arrived, the damage was done.
Eight classrooms were affected, with resources left broken and scattered, and walls of the building covered in paint and graffiti.
Four of the classes belonged to 5-year-old students, whose work was destroyed in the incident.
Principal Brent Griffin called the offenders the "lowest form of life", expressing his disappointment in a statement released on the school's social media.
"Eight classrooms had been demolished, ransacked, whatever you want to call it," he said.
"Paint thrown all over the rooms, all over the carpet , walls, children’s desks, furnishings, absolute devastation.
"Who could do that to our beautiful tamariki. It’s hard to understand."
Although staff and members of the community spent over four hours helping to reset the classes, the cost of repairs was estimated to be more than $75,000.
CCTV footage captured the culprits, providing hope to Griffins and his staff that they will be brought to justice.
"Fortunately, we have clear CCTV footage, the police have been informed, and we are very likely to find the offenders," Griffins said.
He went on to appeal to the community, asking parents to come forward with information about the three girls and boy that were involved.
"If your tamariki came home covered in paint, you now know how it happened. If they belong to you, I ask you to do the right thing and make them front up and take responsibility for their actions."
"It's a very small minority who let us down, the offenders are a complete embarrassment to their whanau and community as a whole," Griffins said.
Police Inspector Ewan Dunsmuir confirmed authorities were alerted to the incident around 4.50pm on Sunday, and will conduct a forensic examination on Monday morning.
The school will reopen at midday.
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