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John McGlashan College, Maori Hill (Dunedin)

Secondary · Years 7–15 · Boys School · Maori Hill, Dunedin

A state-integrated boys' school in Dunedin, founded in 1918 as a Presbyterian boarding school. It currently enrols around 500 pupils, with boarders making up approximately a quarter of the roll.

Last checked 21 September 2026 · Roll data from August 2026

Jump to: About · Curriculum · Extracurricular · Facilities

At a glance

TypeSecondary · Years 7–15
LocationDunedin
RegionOtago Region
School number387
528
Students
as at August 2026
390
Equity Index
Yes
Enrolment scheme
Open
School status

Key facts

  • School number387
  • School typeSecondary · Years 7–15
  • AuthorityState : Integrated
  • GenderBoys School
  • BoardingYes
  • Language of instructionEnglish medium / other settings
  • Established26 January 1918
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About John McGlashan College

John McGlashan College is a state-integrated, Presbyterian-affiliated boys' school located in Maori Hill, Dunedin. It opened on 12 February 1918 with a roll of 21 boys — ten boarders and eleven day pupils aged seven to eighteen.

The school was established on land donated by Margaret and Agnes McGlashan, daughters of Scottish settler John McGlashan, to the Presbyterian Church in April 1917. The donation included the family home and three acres of land that John McGlashan had purchased in 1855, naming the property Balmacewen. The school was founded to honour his commitment to education and Christianity; he had served on the Otago Education Board from 1856 and advocated for what he described as a sound and liberal education.

The school operated as a private institution for its first seventy years before becoming state-integrated in 1990. Under this arrangement, the school owns its facilities and charges families an attendance due fee, while staff and running costs are funded by the government.

The school's current roll is approximately 500 pupils, of whom around a quarter are boarders. Boarding has been a continuous feature of the school since its founding. The school describes its special character as teaching boys from both rural and urban backgrounds within a Christian-influenced environment, guided by values of honesty, simplicity, respect, and concern for others.

Several original buildings remain on the site. The original dining room built in 1918 has served various functions over the decades, and the former Balmacewen boarding house, opened in 1919, now operates as the Edgar Learning Centre, housing the library and teaching and meeting rooms.

Enrolment

Enrolment scheme on record

John McGlashan College 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 may be requested".

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 John McGlashan College actually sits, not just the number on its own.

OFFICIAL DATA
390
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 441.9
John McGlashan College 390

Student ethnicity

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

  • European — 438 students (83%)
  • Asian — 65 students (12.3%)
  • Pacific — 6 students (1.1%)
  • Māori — 56 students (10.6%)
  • MELAA — 4 students (0.8%)
  • Other — 4 students (0.8%)
  • International — 20 students (3.8%)

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.

Previous stage
Current stage — John McGlashan College
Secondary · Years 7–15

Further education in Dunedin

Explore tertiary providers based in Dunedin — not necessarily where John McGlashan College's own students go on to study.

See all tertiary providers in Dunedin →

Location

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  • Street address2 Pilkington Street
  • SuburbMaori Hill
  • CityDunedin
  • Local authorityDunedin City

Official contact details

Nearby schools

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Curriculum and Subjects

John McGlashan College offers NCEA Levels 1, 2, and 3, corresponding to Years 11, 12, and 13 respectively. Some senior students take multi-level courses drawing on standards from more than one NCEA level.

At NCEA Level 1, students are required to take English, Mathematics, and Science, alongside three option subjects chosen from the following:

  • German
  • Te Reo Māori
  • Commerce
  • History
  • Geography
  • Food
  • Materials/Design Technology
  • 3D Design
  • Digital Technology
  • Music
  • Visual Art
  • PE
  • Drama
  • Agriculture
  • Option(s) at Correspondence School

Most Year 11 and 12 students study six subjects, while Year 13 students typically study five. Courses generally offer 20–24 credits, assessed through a combination of internal assessment throughout the year and external examinations held in November. Full course details are available on the school's NCEA course information page.

Co-curricular Activities

The following named co-curricular activities are offered at John McGlashan College:

  • John McGlashan Big Band — a jazz group run by Itinerant Music Tutor Ross Kane, rehearsing every Friday in the Music Department
  • John McGlashan College Small Combo — a second jazz group also run by Ross Kane, rehearsing every Friday in the Music Department; both groups perform at the annual Dunedin Youth Jazz Festival and school functions
  • John McGlashan College Pipe Band
  • Rockshop Bandquest — a contemporary music performance competition for Years 7–8
  • Smokefreerockquest — a nationwide live original music competition for Years 9–13
  • Play It Strange — a songwriting programme including competitions where finalists record in professional studios for release on a digital album
  • Otago Secondary Schools Music Festival
  • NZCT Chamber Music Contest
  • Interhouse haka
  • Interhouse singing
  • Interhouse athletics
  • Interhouse swimming
  • Interhouse cross-country
  • Duke of Edinburgh Award — offered at Bronze, Silver, and Gold levels; Year 10 camp activities are used as the adventurous journey component

Instrumental tuition is available through the Itinerant Music Programme in Guitar, Bass Guitar, Drums, Piano, Voice, Woodwind, and Brass.

Facilities Available for Hire

The following named facilities at John McGlashan College are available for external hire:

  • Te Anau Downs Campus — two lodges and several motel rooms; the larger lodge sleeps up to 70 and includes a dining hall, communal area, and commercial kitchen with walk-in chiller; the smaller lodge accommodates up to 28 and has a kitchen, dining room, and wood burner; situated on 3.5 hectares of lakefront with a private jetty
  • Library — holds books, magazines, ebooks, and audiobooks; supports curriculum and independent study

Enquiries about hiring facilities on the main college site can be directed to the Director of Marketing and Business Development.

Frequently asked

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

John McGlashan College is classified as a Secondary (Year 7-15) school serving Years 7–15.

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

No. It's a single-sex school for boys.

Yes. John McGlashan College 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.

528 students, according to the August 2026 roll data.

It reflects the estimated socio-economic barriers John McGlashan College'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 John McGlashan College'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 — 7 September 2026
Student roll Ministry of Education / Education Counts August 2026 7 September 2026
Equity Index Education Counts — 7 September 2026
Address & coordinates Ministry of Education — 7 September 2026
Contact details NZ Schools Directory Current 7 September 2026
School information (AI-curated, human-reviewed) John McGlashan College's official website Current 21 September 2026