Tokoroa SOUTH School opened its doors on the 6th September 1965.

The roll count was 216 children on the first day .

In August 1966 the name of the school was changed to Strathmore School as it is situated on Strathmore Drive

The thistle in the school emblem represents the home town of Sir David Henry.

Strathmore School Trivia

• When SOUTH School first opened, two of the appointed teachers did not turn up  leaving 4 teachers taking 55 children each - One of the teachers was a 2nd year Training college student and another was one of the mothers.
• The inaugural Strathmore School gala day raised  £300
• The school was first opened before the fences were in place. The Principal set the rule that, before entering the school, children should follow the footpath until they reached the concrete path. In other words, Do not cross through the playing field.
  A few years later, with a different Principal and when the fences were all in place, children were climbing over the fence and crossing through the playing field to get to the classrooms.
• Mr Lingard (Principal 1975 – 1977) won the debate on hall v pool by pointing out that the cold weather in Tokoroa would allow the use of the pool for only two months in the year whereas the hall would be used throughout the year plus, as funds became available we could add kitchen and toilet facilities. The revenue from hiring out the hall would in time pay for a pool.
• When the school hall was new the Principal ruled that shoes should be removed before entering. With a change of Principal that rule was dropped and, whether he knew it or not, his own children were seen skating in the hall.
• A number of the classrooms are joined in the middle by a wide corridor and toilets / cloakrooms.  An area has been made in the corridor of one of these double blocks for the reading recovery teacher.