Police were called to a Mount Maunganui school after a boy held a lighter against other students' heads and threatened to burn them.
The 12-year-old boy was subsequently suspended from Mount Maunganui Intermediate for three days, following the incident last week.
Principal Lisa Morresey said the boy had been disciplined and subsequent restorative meetings between the students, staff and parents had been successful. Ms Morresey said the boy's behaviour was uncharacteristic of playground behaviour at the school.
"He had a lighter and he was grabbed by two students. He ... threatened them. He didn't actually hurt them with the lighter. It was a boy being stupid," she said.
The boy is understood to have pressed the lighter against the heads of the boys that grabbed him and flicked the lighter, causing it to spark.