Whangarei School
Contributing · State
- Year levels
- 1–6
- Total roll
- 473
- Enrolment zone
- Yes
- Gender
- Co-Educational
Where is it, and how do I get in touch?
- Address
- 155 Bank Street, Whangarei
- Territorial authority
- Whangarei District
- Phone
- 09-4383186
- office@whangareiprimary.school.nz
- Directions
- Get directions
Other schools nearby: schools in Whangārei · schools in Northland
Can my child go here?
This school has an enrolment scheme, so a place is not open to every address. How enrolment zones work
Loading zone map…
Zone boundaries shown here are approximate. Ministry of Education data warns these boundaries do not have high spatial precision and can place neighbouring addresses on different sides of a line. This is not a confirmation of enrolment eligibility — always confirm directly with the school. Zone geometry also does not reflect enrolment priority rules (siblings, special character categories, ballots) — it shows the mapped boundary only.
Check if your address is in zone →
Source: Ministry of Education, CC BY 3.0 NZ
What would the day look like?
The practical things this school states on its own website — the hours, the uniform, the term dates, and how children get there. These are the school’s own words, not the Ministry’s record and not ERO’s.
Quoted from this school’s own website, as we read it on 13 August 2026. A web page carries no date of its own, so that is the day we read it — not a statement that any of this is still the case. Each line quotes the words it came from.
- Uniform
- Required
All children are expected to wear light blue school uniform polo shirt at school every school day.
- Required
What does the school say about itself?
Quoted, not summarised. Every school describes itself well, so this is here to be read as the school’s own case rather than as a finding — and a school that states nothing simply has no row.
Quoted from this school’s own website, as we read it on 13 August 2026. A web page carries no date of its own, so that is the day we read it — not a statement that any of this is still the case. Each line quotes the words it came from.
- In their words
- Learning at Whangārei Primary is underpinned by the school vision, ‘Dare to be Remarkable’ Me Hautoa Taumata Rau and the school values of Ngakau Pono (Care), Akonga Toa (Courage), Manaakitanga (Respect), and Akonga Tutika (Responsibility) - an attitude and a set of attributes that both students and adults aspire to model and act upon in everything that they do.
- International students
- Accepted, as stated
Our school welcomes international students as part of our school community.
- Accepted, as stated
What is on offer beyond the classroom?
The sports, arts, clubs and groups this school names on its own website. Not a complete list of what any school offers, and not a count — a school that names more here has written more down, which is not the same as doing more.
Quoted from this school’s own website, as we read it on 13 August 2026. A web page carries no date of its own, so that is the day we read it — not a statement that any of this is still the case. Each line quotes the words it came from.
- On offer
- Cross Country
In addition, we have annual events like Cross Country, Winter Sports, Swimming Sports, and Athletics Day at school.
- Winter Sports
In addition, we have annual events like Cross Country, Winter Sports, Swimming Sports, and Athletics Day at school.
- Swimming Sports
In addition, we have annual events like Cross Country, Winter Sports, Swimming Sports, and Athletics Day at school.
- Athletics Day
In addition, we have annual events like Cross Country, Winter Sports, Swimming Sports, and Athletics Day at school.
- Netball
Netball is open to students from Year 1 to Year 6.
- Hockey
Hockey is open to students from Year 2 to Year 6.
- Cross Country
Who goes here?
Ethnicity breakdown of the total roll, shown as context. Not ranked, and not compared against any average.
- European
- 235
- Māori
- 140
- Pacific
- 15
- Asian
- 107
- MELAA
- 9
- Other
- 0
- International
- 0
Roll by year level and age
Shown as context, not ranked, not compared to any average. As at 30 June 2026, from the same annual return as the roll count above.
| Māori | Pacific | Asian | MELAA | Other | European/ Pākehā | International students | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year 01 | 27 | 5 | 15 | 2 | 0 | 38 | 0 | 75 |
| Year 02 | 26 | 1 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 24 | 0 | 55 |
| Year 03 | 24 | 2 | 22 | 1 | 0 | 45 | 0 | 78 |
| Year 04 | 26 | 8 | 12 | 2 | 0 | 31 | 0 | 65 |
| Year 05 | 17 | 4 | 21 | 3 | 0 | 41 | 0 | 78 |
| Year 06 | 42 | 5 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 55 | 0 | 89 |
| Year 07 | 7 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 1 | 25 |
| Total | 169 | 27 | 90 | 9 | 0 | 249 | 1 | 465 |
| Māori | Pacific | Asian | MELAA | Other | European/ Pākehā | International students | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Age 05 | 27 | 4 | 12 | 1 | 0 | 37 | 0 | 69 |
| Age 06 | 24 | 2 | 14 | 1 | 0 | 23 | 0 | 58 |
| Age 07 | 26 | 2 | 19 | 1 | 0 | 46 | 0 | 77 |
| Age 08 | 27 | 7 | 14 | 2 | 0 | 33 | 0 | 68 |
| Age 09 | 15 | 5 | 20 | 3 | 0 | 38 | 0 | 74 |
| Age 10 | 40 | 4 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 53 | 0 | 87 |
| Age 11 | 10 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 19 | 1 | 32 |
| Total | 169 | 27 | 90 | 9 | 0 | 249 | 1 | 465 |
Source: Education Counts, Ministry of Education, CC BY 4.0
Student engagement
Age-standardised stand-down rate per 1,000 students — 2024
10.9%
| Whangarei School | 10.9% |
|---|---|
| Northland Region | 52% |
| Contributing | 35.6% |
| State | 40.2% |
| New Zealand | 37.1% |
Trend and demographic breakdown
| Female | 0% |
|---|---|
| Male | 24.2% |
| Māori | 30.1% |
| Pacific | 0% |
| Asian | 0% |
| Other | 0% |
| European/Pākehā | 0% |
| Total | 10.9% |
Source: Education Counts, Ministry of Education, CC BY 4.0 — Table 2: Comparison stand-down rates data (2024)
Age-standardised suspension rate per 1,000 students — 2024
0%
| Whangarei School | 0% |
|---|---|
| Northland Region | 6.5% |
| Contributing | 3.5% |
| State | 4.5% |
| New Zealand | 4.1% |
Trend and demographic breakdown
| Female | 0% |
|---|---|
| Male | 0% |
| Māori | 0% |
| Pacific | 0% |
| Asian | 0% |
| Other | 0% |
| European/Pākehā | 0% |
| Total | 0% |
Source: Education Counts, Ministry of Education, CC BY 4.0 — Table 2: Comparison suspension rates data (2024)
Age-standardised exclusion rate per 1,000 students — 2024
0%
| Whangarei School | 0% |
|---|---|
| Northland Region | 2.7% |
| Contributing | 1.5% |
| State | 1.9% |
| New Zealand | 1.8% |
Trend and demographic breakdown
| Female | 0% |
|---|---|
| Male | 0% |
| Māori | 0% |
| Pacific | 0% |
| Asian | 0% |
| Other | 0% |
| European/Pākehā | 0% |
| Total | 0% |
Source: Education Counts, Ministry of Education, CC BY 4.0 — Table 2: Comparison exclusion data (2024)
About the school
- Equity Index (EQI)
- 464
- Boarding
- No
- Language of instruction
- All students taught in English/other setting
- Urban / rural
- Large urban area
- Date opened
- 25 January 1872
The Equity Index is used by the Ministry to allocate equity funding. It describes the socio-economic barriers a school’s students face, not how good the school is. How the Equity Index works
What did ERO find?
The Education Review Office reviews every school and publishes what it finds in full. We quote ERO’s report here, section by section, in ERO’s own words and order, and link to it. We do not summarise a report, pick a line out of one, or turn one into a score. How ERO reviews schools
- Reports ERO holds
- 4
- Last reviewed
- 23 February 2024
- Latest report
- Te Ara Huarau | School Profile Report
- Report type
- Profile report
- Board assurance
- The board attested to all areas (23 February 2024)
A board assurance statement is the board’s own account of whether it took all reasonable steps to meet its legal obligations, on the date shown. It is not ERO’s finding. ERO reports separately, in the same report, on any non-compliance it identified during that process.
The board assurance report of 23 February 2024 carries no actions-for-compliance section — the section ERO uses when it names non-compliance it identified. That is what this report contains; it is not ERO saying it found none. Other reports ERO holds for this school may say something different.
The roll ERO recorded, and when
ERO writes a roll into each report it publishes: a count taken for that report, on the day shown, by the review team that was there. The Ministry of Education’s current roll for this school is 473 — the figure at the top of this page, and the one to use for how big the school is now. These are a different measurement by a different body, so they will rarely agree, and a difference between them is not a change in the school.
September 2017
598
Counted while ERO’s review team was at the school. Education Review Office, report of 13 March 2018
This is one count taken for one report. It says what the roll was on that day, and nothing about how the roll has moved.
What ERO wrote in its latest report
This is ERO’s report of 23 February 2024 — “Te Ara Huarau | School Profile Report” — section by section, under ERO’s own headings, in ERO’s own order. Nothing is summarised, shortened or reordered.
Background
This Profile Report was written within 12 months of the Education Review Office and Whangarei School working in Te Ara Huarau , an improvement evaluation approach used in most English Medium State and State Integrated Schools. For more information about Te Ara Huarau see ERO’s website. www.ero.govt.nz
Context
Whangārei School located in the heart of Whangārei City caters for learners in years 1 to 6. Learning is underpinned by the school vision, ‘Dare to be Remarkable’ and the school values of Ngakau Pono |Care, Ākonga Toa |Courage, Manaakitanga |Respect, and Ākonga Tutika |Responsibility. A new principal has been appointed since the last ERO report.
Whangarei School ’s strategic priorities for improving outcomes for learners are:
strengthen wellbeing in the school
embed a strong identity and positive culture
raise achievement in all areas of school life.
You can find a copy of the school’s strategic and annual plan on Whangare i School ’s website.
ERO and the school are working together to evaluate how well the school is engaging, involving, and strengthening whānau and community partnerships to further increase wellbeing and achievement levels for all learners.
The rationale for selecting this evaluation is to:
effectively engage with whānau to further raise engagement, wellbeing and achievement
providing situations and opportunities to involve whānau and community in the school
strengthen existing partnerships with community
f urther rais e engagement, wellbeing, and achievement in learning.
The school expects to see:
leaders and teachers effectively engaging and utilising whānau and community partnerships to enhance wellbeing and learning opportunities for all tamariki
whānau and community demonstrating increased involvement and connection with the school that will result in improved wellbeing and learning outcomes for all tamariki .
Strengths
The school can draw from the following strengths to support its goal to involve and strengthen whānau and community partnerships to further increase wellbeing and achievement levels for all learners:
school leadership that reflects ongoing commitment to achieve the school’s strategic direction
School values reflect attributes that both students and adults aspire to, model, and act upon in everything that they do
leaders and teachers who value the importance of knowing individual learners and meeting their needs and strengths
effective assessment systems and processes that and monitor the achievement of all tamariki
professional learning and classroom literacy programmes that support improved literacy learning outcomes for tamariki .
Where to next?
Moving forward, the school will prioritise:
building the collective capability and capacity of staff through relevant on-going professional learning programmes
inviting whānau and members of the community to share their knowledge and skills to further develop and strengthen the local curriculum
working towards increasing equitable and excellent outcomes for all tamariki .
Shelley Booysen Director of Schools
23 February 2024
About the School
The Education Counts website provides further information about the school’s student population, student engagement and student achievement. educationcounts.govt.nz/home
Read the full report on ero.govt.nz →
All 4 reports ERO holds for this school
ERO reviews a school every few years — around four years between reviews is the usual cycle — so an older date here reflects where a school sits in that cycle, not how it is doing.
Source: Education Review Office, CC BY 4.0.
Roll date: 30 June 2026 (2026).