The school has been contacted for comment.
Deputy secretary at the Ministry of Education Jocelyn Mikaere said the bus involved was funded by the ministry.
“We have a Traumatic Incident team working with the kura whose students were on the bus. This support will be available for as long as it’s needed.”
Wairoa Mayor Craig Little said the crash had caused “absolute devastation” in the community.
“Wairoa is a small place, everyone knows each other.”
He said his heart went out to the families involved.
“It’s just one of those things that you just couldn’t even imagine would happen and it’s pretty devastating for us all.
“It’s just absolutely horrible. It’s going to rock the town.”
Little said the crash happened in a 50km/h zone and it was unusual for a fatality to occur there, but added police were working to find out the cause.
Emergency services were called to two other incidents in Wairoa within an hour of the fatal crash.
A Fire and Emergency spokesperson said around 2.15pm yesterday a truck and trailer rolled, partially blocking one lane in the town, and just before 3pm there was a minor incident with a vehicle close to the fatal crash.
Jack Riddell is a multimedia journalist with Hawke’s Bay Today and has worked in radio and media in the UK, Germany, and New Zealand.