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Mahora School, Hastings

Contributing · Years 1–6 · Co-Educational · Mahora, Hastings

A state primary school in Hastings serving learners in Years 1 to 6, with a current roll of 352 students. The school community includes 39% Māori, 32% Pākehā, 14% Asian, and 14% Pacific learners.

Last checked 15 October 2026 · Roll data from September 2026

Jump to: About · Enrolment · Curriculum · Extracurricular

At a glance

TypeContributing · Years 1–6
LocationHastings
RegionHawke's Bay Region
School number2592
374
Students
as at September 2026
470
Equity Index
Yes
Enrolment scheme
Open
School status

Key facts

  • School number2592
  • School typeContributing · Years 1–6
  • AuthorityState
  • GenderCo-Educational
  • BoardingNo
  • Language of instructionEnglish medium / other settings
  • Established26 January 1903
See NZ school term dates & holidays →

About Mahora School

Mahora School is a primary school located in Heretaunga (Hawke's Bay). The school's name derives from Mahorahora te whenua, reflected in its pepeha, which connects the school to Takitimu waka, the mountains Kahurānaki and Te Mata o Rongokako, the rivers Karamū, Tukituki, and Ngaruroro, and the iwi Ngāti Kahungunu.

The school's motto, "Piki Haere" (Keep on Climbing), was given to the school by Bishop Bennett of Waiapu. From 2016, the school also adopted the whakataukī 'Mā te huruhuru ka rere te manu' — "Adorn the bird with feathers so it can fly." The school's values are represented through the koru in the Pīpīwharauroa (shining cuckoo).

School donations

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

With an Equity Index of 470, Mahora 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 Mahora School actually sits, not just the number on its own.

OFFICIAL DATA
470
Scale: 344–569
Band: Above 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
Mahora School 470

Student ethnicity

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

  • European — 194 students (51.9%)
  • Asian — 56 students (15%)
  • Pacific — 57 students (15.2%)
  • Māori — 146 students (39%)
  • MELAA — 6 students (1.6%)
  • Other — 2 students (0.5%)

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

Location

View larger map on OpenStreetMap
  • Street address710 Frederick Street
  • SuburbMahora
  • CityHastings
  • Local authorityHastings District

Official contact details

Nearby schools

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

Explore schools in Hastings

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

Full Primary schools (7) Contributing schools (6) Intermediate schools (2) Composite schools (1) Other (1) All schools in Hastings →

Enrolment

Mahora School operates an enrolment scheme (effective from 21 August 2002) under section 11G(3) of the Education Act 1989. Prospective families are directed to check whether their address falls within the home zone before submitting an enrolment form, which is available from the school.

Home Zone

The home zone is defined by the following street boundaries:

  • Western side of Karamu Rd between Ellwood Rd and St Aubyn St
  • Both sides of St Aubyn St between Karamu Rd and Pakowhai Rd
  • Eastern side of Pakowhai Rd between St Aubyn St and Duke St
  • Both sides of Pakowhai Rd between Duke St and Ellwood Rd
  • Both sides of Evenden Rd between Pakowhai Rd and the Hastings Napier Expressway
  • Both sides of Percival Rd
  • Hastings Napier Expressway to an easterly extension of Morley Rd
  • Both sides of Morley Rd
  • Both sides of Ellwood Rd

Out-of-Zone Enrolments

The Board determines annually how many out-of-zone places are available for the following year and publishes this on the school's Facebook page. Out-of-zone applications are ranked in the following priority order:

  • Siblings of current students
  • Siblings of former students
  • Children of former students
  • Children of current staff members or board members
  • All other applicants

Where applications within any priority group exceed available places, selection is determined by ballot conducted in accordance with instructions from the Secretary of Education. Parents are notified of any ballot date by notice in a local newspaper.

Curriculum

Mahora School uses a place-based local curriculum that draws on the local contexts of Heretaunga (Hastings), Te Matau a Māui (Hawke's Bay), Aotearoa New Zealand, and the wider world to shape learning experiences for its students.

Co-curricular Activities

The following named cultural groups are described on the school's website.

  • Kapa haka — open to all students; focuses on Ngāti Kahungunu mātauranga through mōteatea, waiata, and haka. Year 6 students can be selected as Kaitātaki (leaders), with two tama and two kōtiro chosen per group. Leaders meet weekly.
  • Whanake Pasifika — a Pasifika cultural group involving siva (dance), pese (song), and other cultural activities, supported by Pasifika tutors and family members.

Frequently asked

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

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

It's a state school in the Hawke's Bay 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.

374 students, according to the September 2026 roll data.

It reflects the estimated socio-economic barriers Mahora 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 Mahora 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) Mahora School's official website Current 3 October 2026