TIPENE
About TIPENE
TIPENE is a full-time secondary 7-day boarding school focussed on Māori and Pacific boys who wish to be immersed in a Māori environment, where success is normalised. The school caters for year 9 – 11 students and will gradually phase in additional year groups annually.
The school is in Bombay, South Auckland, on the site of the former St Stephen’s School. It is a collaboration between the Te Rauhitanga o te Mano o Tipene (St Stephens Old Boys Association), St Stephen’s and Queen Victoria Schools’ Trust Board and Te Tuara Trust.
Key information
- Language of instruction: Māori and English
- Distinguishing characteristic: A boys school with TIPENE pedagogy/ Kaupapa Māori
- Curriculum: New Zealand
- Qualification: NCEA
- Open date: Term 1 2025
- Sponsor: Te Tuara Trust
Key links
- School website: TIPENE
- School social media: Facebook
- Education Counts listing: TIPENE: Profile and Contact Details | Education Counts
Reporting
Read TIPENE 2025 Annual Report.
Rolls
The table below shows the establishment rolls and actual roll returns.
|
Roll type |
Number of students |
|
March 2025 roll return |
41 |
|
March 2026 roll return |
72 |
|
Establishment roll |
103 |
Establishment rolls reflect expected enrolments in ‘Term 5’.
Establishment rolls are used for establishment funding (a one-off payment to cover set up costs) and some funding components in the first year. Both new state and charter schools receive establishment funding.
Learn more about rolls at charter schools
Performance thresholds and monitoring
All schools including charter schools are assigned an Equity Index number (EQI). This EQI determines the performance thresholds that charter schools are contracted to meet.
In 2026 TIPENE, falls in the more EQI group.
TIPENE is assessed against the following annual measures:
|
Measure |
Performance threshold |
|
Regular attendance |
35% |
|
Student achievement (Years 3-10) - reading |
30% |
|
Student achievement (Years 3-10) - writing and maths |
25% |
|
Student achievement (Years 11-13) |
65% |
Achievement measures are the percentage of students achieving at or above the expected curriculum level.
A school’s first year is its baseline year. Schools are monitored against this baseline and their minimum performance thresholds. The Authorisation Board can step in if they are not meeting these thresholds.
Schools are expected not only to meet the minimum requirements but to keep improving and work towards the government’s overall education targets.
Read more about performance thresholds
Application
Below is TIPENE original application to open its school. All sponsors must submit an application like this, and it helps the Charter School Authorisation Board (CSAB) decide whether to approve a school.
The application may not fully reflect how TIPENE operates today. This is because the school can change over time through further discussions with the CSAB, contract negotiations, the establishment process, and the staff and students involved.
Commercially sensitive details have been redacted.