Last updated October 2026
Rotorua S D A School is a state-integrated, co-educational full primary school for Years 1 to 8 at 3 Tilsley Street, Glenholme, Rotorua. It opened in 1954 and had 45 students on its roll at 1 September 2026.
It has no home zone, so any student can apply. Its site describes a Christian special character based on the beliefs and values of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, alongside te reo Māori lessons, karakia, waiata, kapa haka and mihi whakatau as part of school life.
Students can play in a miniball team in the Rotorua league and in touch rugby, senior students have a camp, and the school runs a weekly transition-to-school afternoon where pre-schoolers are paired with a junior buddy.
At a glance
- Principal
- Lanea Strickland
- Address
- 3 Tilsley Street, Glenholme, Rotorua
- Phone
- 07 348 4689
Home zone
No home zone: any student can apply to enrol. If more students apply than there are places, the school decides how places are offered.
Who goes here
Share of the 45 students who identify with each group. Students can name more than one, so these add up to more than 100%.
MELAA: Middle Eastern, Latin American and African.
What ERO found
The Education Review Office’s latest report on the school is a School Evaluation Report from September 2024. ERO found that results have improved over time and are becoming fairer, with a large majority of students at the expected curriculum level in reading, writing and maths and some students making faster progress in reading and maths. A majority of students attend regularly, but the school has not yet reached the Ministry’s attendance target.
ERO saw collaborative leadership focused on improvement, a local curriculum that builds strong foundations in literacy and maths, respectful and inclusive classrooms, more whānau involvement in decisions, and growing partnerships with whānau and iwi to better meet the needs of Māori students. It noted that the impact of teacher professional learning on achievement is not yet clear and that board members want governance training.
The agreed next steps are to raise regular attendance, build the use of te reo Māori in line with whānau hopes, formally review how professional learning is affecting student results, and for the board to finish reviewing school policies and set a regular review cycle.
Read the ERO reports for Rotorua S D A School
Enrolling
As a state-integrated school, it gives preference to families with a connection to the beliefs, values and lifestyle of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, and also offers a limited number of non-preference places to families who accept the school’s special character.
The school’s site says it is open to all Christian denominations, that non-preference applicants who cannot be placed straight away can join a waiting list, and that compulsory attendance dues apply.
Families request an enrolment meeting through the school’s Enrolment Info page and need a birth certificate and immunisation record. Pre-schoolers can attend the weekly transition-to-school programme before they start.
Schools nearby
Where students go next
Based on home zones around the school’s own address. Families can apply to any school, and your own address decides which zones you are in.
In Glenholme Rotorua
Rotorua S D A School is in Glenholme Rotorua. Our suburb guide covers what it is like to live there, with parks, places and local businesses.
Read our Glenholme Rotorua guide →Questions parents ask
Is Rotorua S D A School zoned?
No. It has no home zone, so any student can apply to enrol.
What years does it teach?
Years 1 to 8.
How many students go there?
45 at 1 Sep 2026.
Does it ask for donations?
No. It is in the donation scheme, so it only asks for donations for school camps.
What is its Equity Index?
508. The Ministry of Education’s Equity Index estimates the socio-economic barriers a school’s students face, from 344 (fewest) to 569 (most). It is used to share out funding, not as a measure of quality.
Updated automatically when the Ministry publishes new data.
Spotted something incorrect on this page? Let us know.
Sources and data notes 1
- School facts: School details and roll: Ministry of Education school directory, 24 Oct 2026 (CC BY 4.0). NCEA results, roll history and stand-downs: Education Counts, school leavers 2023 to 2025, stand-downs 2025, rolls 2021 to 2025 (CC BY 4.0).