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Ararira Springs Primary- Te Puna o Ararira, Lincoln

Full Primary · Years 1–8 · Co-Educational · Lincoln

A state primary school for Years 1–8, located in Lincoln, Canterbury, it opened in January 2019 on a 4-hectare site with a design capacity of 750 students. The school's Māori name, Te Puna o Ararira, was gifted by Te Taumutu Rūnanga and references the nearby spring-fed Ararira/LII River.

Last checked 15 October 2026 · Roll data from September 2026

Jump to: Enrolment · Curriculum · Extracurricular

At a glance

TypeFull Primary · Years 1–8
LocationLincoln
RegionCanterbury Region
School number585
543
Students
as at September 2026
397
Equity Index
Yes
Enrolment scheme
Open
School status

Key facts

  • School number585
  • School typeFull Primary · Years 1–8
  • AuthorityState
  • GenderCo-Educational
  • BoardingNo
  • Language of instructionEnglish medium / other settings
  • Established1 January 2019
See NZ school term dates & holidays →

School donations

The Ministry of Education profile states that: "Donations may be requested".

With an Equity Index of 397, Ararira Springs Primary- Te Puna o Ararira is below the 432 threshold newly required to opt into the donations scheme, though a school already receiving this funding from an earlier year may continue to do so. Outside the scheme, a school can still ask families for donations, but cannot compel or enforce payment.

Check directly with the school for current charges, contributions or other costs. Learn more on the donations scheme or fees and charges at school, both on education.govt.nz.

Equity Index

The Ministry publishes this figure as a bare number — KuraData shows it against the directory-wide average, so you can see where Ararira Springs Primary- Te Puna o Ararira actually sits, not just the number on its own.

OFFICIAL DATA
397
Scale: 344–569
Band: Fewest (2026)
WHAT IT MEANS

The Equity Index estimates the socio-economic barriers students face, on average, and is used to inform government funding and support. It is not a measure of school quality or academic performance.

Higher values indicate a higher level of estimated socio-economic barriers; lower values indicate fewer. Learn how the Equity Index is calculated →

EQI scale (344–569)
Directory avg 445
Ararira Springs Primary- Te Puna o Ararira 397

Student ethnicity

The Ministry publishes this as a raw table — here it's visualised directly against Ararira Springs Primary- Te Puna o Ararira's own roll, so the shape of it is clear at a glance.

  • European — 424 students (78.1%)
  • Asian — 108 students (19.9%)
  • Pacific — 7 students (1.3%)
  • Māori — 71 students (13.1%)
  • MELAA — 24 students (4.4%)
  • Other — 5 students (0.9%)

Percentages may sum to more than 100% because students can identify with more than one ethnic group.

Education pathway

Nearby schools serving the next or previous year levels are shown as potential pathway options. They do not indicate formal enrolment pathways or actual student transfers.

Current stage — Ararira Springs Primary- Te Puna o Ararira
Full Primary · Years 1–8
Potential next stage
Secondary options (further away or later entry)

Location

View larger map on OpenStreetMap
  • Street address18 Russ Drive
  • CityLincoln
  • Local authoritySelwyn District

Official contact details

Nearby schools

Schools physically closest to Ararira Springs Primary- Te Puna o Ararira, regardless of year level.

Explore schools in Lincoln

Browse Lincoln schools by type, including primary, intermediate, secondary, composite and other schools.

Full Primary schools (1) All schools in Lincoln →

Enrolment

Ararira Springs Primary – Te Puna o Ararira operates within an enrolment scheme. Out-of-zone enrolment applications are not currently being accepted; details of the scheme are available from the school office.

In-zone families can enrol online or by completing a paper form at the school. The following documents are required:

  • Birth certificate or passport
  • Proof of address (most recent power bill)
  • Student visa (where applicable)

After the form is submitted, the enrolment process involves the following steps:

  • Meeting with staff (Trine or Justine) to meet the team
  • Individual and family photos for school records
  • Completion of permission forms
  • Time with the principal and leadership team

The school uses cohort entry, in place since Term 1, 2024. Rather than starting on a child's fifth birthday, new entrants begin school in groups at two set points per term — the first day of term and a mid-term date set by the Ministry of Education. Upcoming entry dates are 20 July and 24 August 2026 (Term 3) and 12 October and 16 November 2026 (Term 4).

Curriculum

Ararira Springs Primary operates with a stated vision of "enhancing our world" and a mission phrase of "it starts with me" (māku e whakatika). The school's values — described in both English and te reo Māori as caring, curious and capable (kia raupi, kia manawa reka, kia rīrā) — are intended to underpin all curriculum decisions.

The school describes its curriculum as placing knowledge of the individual learner at the centre of learning pathway decisions, with an expectation that students take an active and responsible role in their own learning.

Specific named subjects, year levels covered, and any bilingual or specialist programme structures are not detailed in the available curriculum pages.

Co-curricular Activities

The following music tuition programmes are available at Ararira Springs Primary, delivered by independent tutors who use the school's facilities. Arrangements and payments are made directly with each tutor.

  • Guitar, Ukulele and Vocals — taught by Katrina Robinson, a professional musician
  • Drum kit lessons — taught by Catherine (Cat) Wall, who also performs with Christchurch-based bands including the All Girl Big Band, End Game, and Ambush Brass

Frequently asked

These aren't generic answers — each one is built directly from Ararira Springs Primary- Te Puna o Ararira's own official Ministry of Education data already shown on this page, so what you read here always matches the figures above.

Ararira Springs Primary- Te Puna o Ararira is classified as a Full Primary school serving Years 1–8.

It's a state school in the Canterbury region. New Zealand domestic students are generally entitled to free enrolment and education at state schools.

Yes. It's a co-educational school, enrolling both boys and girls.

543 students, according to the September 2026 roll data.

It reflects the estimated socio-economic barriers Ararira Springs Primary- Te Puna o Ararira's students face, on average. The Ministry uses the Equity Index to help target funding and support. It is not a measure of school quality or academic performance.

Sources & methodology

Every fact on this page traces back to one of the rows below — official Ministry of Education data, or Ararira Springs Primary- Te Puna o Ararira's own published information, reviewed before publication. Nothing here is inferred or estimated beyond what its source actually states.

DataSourceData periodLast checked
School characteristics Ministry of Education — 15 October 2026
Student roll Ministry of Education / Education Counts September 2026 15 October 2026
Equity Index Education Counts — 15 October 2026
Address & coordinates Ministry of Education — 15 October 2026
Contact details NZ Schools Directory Current 15 October 2026
School information (AI-curated, human-reviewed) Ararira Springs Primary- Te Puna o Ararira's official website Current 4 October 2026