Maungatapu Primary is a School that has a rich and valued history. Over 130 years old, Maungatapu School has seen and experienced many changes in how our world and society function. It has grown with the change and still holds many of the founding principles within the culture of the school.
| 1881 | 4 July 1881 – Date of Establishment at Anglican Church on Te Hono Street. Opening Roll was 26. Mr JW Dufus was Headmaster. |
| 1881 | Local Maori Ngati He, offered 2 acres of land for a school site to Education Department. A classroom and teacher ‘s residence was built and the site was known as “Mara o Tatahu” on the north east side of the Maungatapu Peninsula. |
| 1882 | Construction began. Completed January 1883. |
| 1884 | Cpt Morgan was Headmaster helped by his wife. He established a side school in an old church at Ngapeke. Mrs Morgan continued at Maungatapu. |
| 1888 | 8 pupils at Maungatapu, 31 at Ngapeke. |
| 1889 | Mr Griffin was Headmaster and in April Maungatpau was clased as all tamariki went to Ngapeke. |
| 1890 | Re-opened with 17 pupils |
| 1895 | Tribal migration and low numbers caused the closure of Maungatapu Native School. |
| 1898 | Maungatapu School House moved to Papamoa. |
| 1908 | Petition for re-establishment of Maungatapu Native School. A new site was gifted of 3 acres at present site of school. |
| 1913 | School completed and open with Head Teacher Miss Baker assisted by Miss Geissler. |
| 1914 | Miss Baker resigned and Mr Roach became new Head Teacher in October. Roll 82. |
| 1922 | Roll 65, of which 25 are pakeha. |
| 1937 | Roll numbers saw a new detached open air classroom built, which is the current Puwhariki Unit. |
| 1949 | Tennis courts and driveway were tarsealed. |
| 1953 | Roll 116 pupils. |
| 1956 | Additional 2 acres acquired for play area. |
| 1962 | Maungatapu Maori School Disestablished. A new public school under the control of the South Auckland Education Board. Roll 126 pupils. |
| 1965 | New Classrooms built and new admin block which is part of Rangi-A-Tea. Renovations to original classrooms. |
| 1968 | Construction of swimming pool. |
| 1969 | Two new classrooms. |
| 1974 | Two new classrooms. Roll 400 pupils. |
| 1976 | Library set up and two relocatable classrooms were added. Roll 512 pupils. |
| 1979 | Welcome Bay School Opened. 170 pupils left Maungatapu which relieved the pressure which had peaked in 1977 with 575 pupils. |
| 1982 | School roll 330 pupils. |
| 1984 | Te Kohanga Reo discussed provision for Kohanga reo children. |
| 1987 | Local Maori visit school to discuss provision for children in the Máori language and culture. Class opened to focus on promotion Te Reo and Máori Culture. |
| 1988 | Unit received official Bi-Lingual status. |
| 1989 | Election of first Board of Trustees. |
| 1990 | School Carpark complete. |
| 1995 | New playground constructed at front of school. |
| 1998 | New school and community hall and new administration block. |
| 1999 | New classroom. |
| 2000 | New Classroom. |
| 2001 | Library becomes a classroom. |
| 2002 | Mel Donovan retired with Sue Horne appointed as new Principal of school. |
| 2002 | New Library |
| 2004 | A two classroom block relocated in school to build Whare Toi. |
| 2005 | Rangiatea completed, attached to Old Admin block |
| 2006 | Pūwhāriki classrooms renovated to have 3 classrooms and changing of toilets and book room. |
| 2006 | 125 year anniversary celebrated by school and community on school grounds. |
| 2007 | School hosts Ra Whakangahau Kapa Haka festival. |
| 2011 | Maungatapu is a Decile 5 school that has 23 classrooms, catering for new entrant through to Year 6. There are 3 classrooms in the Puwhariki unit. The role sits at 460 pupils. The school is divided into house groups, which are: Arataki, Rangitane, Ikatere, Tangaroa and Awanui. |
| 2013 | School Dental Clinic closed. Two 21st Century classrooms in the Senior Syndicate Room 15 & 16 with a karakia opening service. |
| 2014 | Library repaired with a new roof Term 1. Term 2: Under construction: Two more 21st Century classrooms in the Middle Syndicate Room 13 & 14. Term 3: 21st Century classrooms in the Middle Syndicate Room 13 & 14 with a karakia opening service |
| 2015 | A new role, Dual Medium Leader is created, with Ngaire Paki, appointed, with the support of iwi. |
| 2015 | Dental Clinic & Old Library (used as a classroom) removed from site |
| 2017 | Two new roll growth classrooms. |
| 2018 | Retirement of Principal, Sue Horne, at end of Term 4 (Roll 595) |
| 2019 | Appointment of new Principal, Tane Bennett (ex student) |
| 2019 | Room 18 and 19 modernised |
| 2019 | Kapa haka rōpu qualifies for the Nationals through the Regional Competition for the first time in history |
| 2020 | New School Logo introduced. |
| 2020 | School Donation Scheme introduced by Government to enhance free education. Schools with a decile rating between 1-7 qualify (and later with an Equity Index greater than 432) |
| 2020 | Covid 19 Pandemic; school experiences lockdowns. |
| 2020 | Old Administration Block & Rangiatea is demolished is make way for two new rollgrowth classrooms. |
| 2020 | Rooms 1,2,3 fully renovated for the second time and blessed. New name for the classroom block is; ‘Te Whare Moemoeā o Te Pūwhāriki’. |
| 2022 | Kapa haka rōpu qualifies for the Nationals for a second time through the Regional Competition. |
| 2023 | Kapa haka group attends National Competition in Nelson, for the first time (as 2020 nationals cancelled due to pandemic), achieving unprecedented success. |
| 2023 | Decile Rating System is replaced with a Equity Index System. Maungatapu School is 469 on the scale (ranging from 344-569). At the same time, a 50% increase to funding per student is given to MLP (Māori Language Programme L1). |
| 2023 | 6 Nov – roll hits 600 for the first time |
| 2023 | 2 new roll growth classrooms – Block T on site of Old admin/Rangiatea. Design includes a new atea. |
| 2024 | At the request of local iwi, MoE approve enrolment of Rumaki Raukura Y7-8 reviewable in 2yrs with students capped to 30. Starting roll of 18 |
| 2024 | Bike Track opens on school grounds, shared school & TCC project |