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Heriot School, Tapanui

Contributing · Years 1–6 · Co-Educational · Heriot, Tapanui

A rural community state school in Heriot, New Zealand, established in 1879. The school has a small staff of around seven teachers and teacher aides, reflecting its size as a rural primary school serving the local community.

Last checked 15 October 2026 · Roll data from September 2026

At a glance

TypeContributing · Years 1–6
LocationTapanui
RegionOtago Region
School number3749
67
Students
as at September 2026
441
Equity Index
Yes
Enrolment scheme
Open
School status

Key facts

  • School number3749
  • School typeContributing · Years 1–6
  • AuthorityState
  • GenderCo-Educational
  • BoardingNo
  • Language of instructionEnglish medium / other settings
  • Established29 January 1879
See NZ school term dates & holidays →

About Heriot School

Heriot School is a rural community school located in Heriot, New Zealand. It has operated continuously since 1879.

The school's stated values are Excellence, Honesty, and Respect. The principal is Colin McHutchon.

Enrolment

Enrolment scheme on record

Heriot School has an enrolment scheme (a home zone) on record. Living inside it guarantees a place; living outside it does not, though out-of-zone applications may still be considered.

School donations

The Ministry of Education profile states that: "Donations should not be requested, unless for a school camp".

With an Equity Index of 441, Heriot School is in the range eligible to opt into the Ministry's donations scheme — receiving additional government funding per student in exchange for not seeking donations (except for overnight camps).

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 Heriot School actually sits, not just the number on its own.

OFFICIAL DATA
441
Scale: 344–569
Band: Below Average (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
Heriot School 441

Student ethnicity

The Ministry publishes this as a raw table — here it's visualised directly against Heriot School's own roll, so the shape of it is clear at a glance.

  • European — 65 students (97%)
  • Asian — 1 students (1.5%)
  • Māori — 7 students (10.4%)
  • MELAA — 1 students (1.5%)
  • Other — 1 students (1.5%)

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 — Heriot School
Contributing · Years 1–6
Potential next stage

Location

View larger map on OpenStreetMap
  • Street address181 Roxburgh Street
  • SuburbHeriot
  • CityTapanui
  • Local authorityClutha District

Official contact details

Nearby schools

Schools physically closest to Heriot School, regardless of year level.

Explore schools in Tapanui

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

Contributing schools (2) Secondary schools (1) All schools in Tapanui →

Co-curricular Activities and Sports

Heriot School offers participation in a range of sporting events and activities throughout the year, including competitions that involve neighbouring schools Tapanui, Waikoikoi, and Waikaka. A South-West Otago Sports Activator works with students and teachers three times per term.

  • Swimming
  • Triathlons
  • Cross country
  • Miniball
  • Hockey
  • Netball
  • Touch tournaments
  • Golf
  • Athletics

Frequently asked

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

Heriot School is classified as a Contributing school serving Years 1–6.

It's a state school in the Otago 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.

Yes. Heriot School has an enrolment scheme (a home zone) on record. Living inside it guarantees a place; living outside it does not, though out-of-zone applications may still be considered.

67 students, according to the September 2026 roll data.

It reflects the estimated socio-economic barriers Heriot School'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 Heriot School'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) Heriot School's official website Current 1 October 2026