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Merle Leask Free Kindergarten, Ashburton

Kindergartens, Ashburton

Merle Leask Free Kindergarten is a community-based early childhood service in Ashburton, registered under the "Kindergartens" category. KuraData brings together its 20 Hours ECE status, children on the roll, age and ethnicity breakdown, Equity Index and official contact details in one place.

Last checked 15 October 2026

At a glance

TypeKindergartens
LocationAshburton
RegionCanterbury Region
Service number5469
21
Children on the roll
20 Hrs funded
20 Hours ECE
Community based
Authority
EQI 2
Equity Index

Service type

Merle Leask Free Kindergarten is a free kindergarten — historically session-based (shorter, set daily sessions rather than all-day care), run on a not-for-profit basis.

20 Hours ECE

Merle Leask Free Kindergarten participates in the 20 Hours ECE scheme, which funds up to 20 hours a week of early childhood education for children aged 3 to 5.

Authority

Merle Leask Free Kindergarten is community based — typically run by a trust, incorporated society, or other not-for-profit body, rather than operated for private profit.

Equity Index

Merle Leask Free Kindergarten has an Equity Index rating of "EQI 2" on the Ministry of Education's 1–4 scale for early childhood services. A lower number means the service draws more of its enrolled children from lower socio-economic communities, making it eligible for additional government funding. This is a different scale to the schools Equity Index (344–569) and the two should never be compared directly.

Learn how the ECE Equity Index works →

Children by age

As at July 2025, based on 21 children on the roll.

2 years 1 (4.8%)
3 years 6 (28.6%)
4 years 14 (66.7%)

Children by ethnicity

Percentages may add up to more than 100%, since a child can be recorded under more than one ethnicity.

European 5 (23.8%)
Māori 8 (38.1%)
Pacific 11 (52.4%)
Asian 1 (4.8%)

Location

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Contact details

Nearby ECE services

Explore ECE in Ashburton

Browse Ashburton early childhood services by type.

Education & Care Services (1) Kindergartens (2) All services in Ashburton →

What comes next

Primary schools closest to Merle Leask Free Kindergarten — most children move into a primary school after early childhood education, though families are free to choose any school.

Data source