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Poroutawhao School, Levin

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

A rural state primary school (Years 1–8) located on State Highway One north of Levin, it has served the surrounding community since 1924, marking its centenary in 2024.

Last checked 15 October 2026 · Roll data from September 2026

Jump to: About · Enrolment · Curriculum · Extracurricular

At a glance

TypeFull Primary · Years 1–8
LocationLevin
RegionManawatū-Whanganui Region
School number2965
99
Students
as at September 2026
476
Equity Index
Yes
Enrolment scheme
Open
School status

Key facts

  • School number2965
  • School typeFull Primary · Years 1–8
  • AuthorityState
  • GenderCo-Educational
  • BoardingNo
  • Language of instructionEnglish medium / other settings
  • Established26 January 1924
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About Poroutawhao School

Poroutawhao School is a rural full primary school (Years 1–8) located on State Highway One, approximately eight minutes north of Levin, in the Manawatū-Whanganui region. The school's name reflects its original location at the edge of the bush, and it has operated on the same site for 100 years, marking its centenary in 2024.

The school serves the families of the surrounding rural area, including the communities of Ngāti Huia ki Poroutawhao, as well as landowners, farmers, growers, and residents of Waitarere and Okatia Beach. Its in-zone area runs from Waiterere to Whirikino; places for out-of-zone students are allocated by ballot.

The school describes itself as a small country school with strong community ties. A parent-led body, the Poroutawhao Support Group (PSG), organises fundraising, social events, and maintenance support. The school also provides transport services from Waitārere, Moutua, and Levin.

School donations

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

With an Equity Index of 476, Poroutawhao 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 Poroutawhao School actually sits, not just the number on its own.

OFFICIAL DATA
476
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
Poroutawhao School 476

Student ethnicity

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

  • European — 79 students (79.8%)
  • Asian — 8 students (8.1%)
  • Pacific — 7 students (7.1%)
  • Māori — 36 students (36.4%)
  • MELAA — 3 students (3%)

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 — Poroutawhao School
Full Primary · Years 1–8
Potential next stage

Location

View larger map on OpenStreetMap
  • Street address796 State Highway 1
  • CityLevin
  • Local authorityHorowhenua District

Official contact details

Nearby schools

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

Explore schools in Levin

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

Full Primary schools (5) Contributing schools (1) Intermediate schools (1) All schools in Levin →

Enrolment

Poroutawhao School is a full primary state school serving Year 0 to Year 8 students, with a roll of approximately 110 to 120 students across four multi-level classes.

The school operates an enrolment scheme in accordance with Ministry of Education guidelines. The home zone covers the surrounding district, bounded by Moutua-Foxton to the north, State Highway 1/Kawiu Road to the south, the settlement of Poroutawhao, and Waitārere Beach to the west. Students from outside this zone are also welcome to apply.

Where applications exceed available places, the school follows the Ministry of Education's ballot procedure. Prospective families can submit an online pre-enrolment form or contact the school office directly by phone at (06) 368 6015 or by email at principal@poroutawhao.school.nz. Once a place is accepted, families are invited for classroom visits in the weeks before the child's start date. The school also arranges visits to a child's early childhood centre prior to enrolment.

New entrants begin in a small reception class before moving into the Year 1 class, with the transition based on the child's readiness and confidence.

Curriculum

All year levels at Poroutawhao School cover the eight New Zealand curriculum areas:

  • English
  • The Arts
  • Health & Physical Education
  • Learning Languages
  • Mathematics & Statistics
  • Science
  • Social Sciences
  • Technology

Teaching approaches include mixed ability and ability groupings, cross-curricular activities, and play-based learning, particularly for students transitioning from early childhood.

Co-curricular Activities and Sports

Poroutawhao School offers sporting and cultural activities for students from Year 1 to Year 8. The school has its own hockey turf, available to students at lunchtime and for training, and a hard court used for netball and basketball.

  • Hockey
  • Netball
  • Basketball
  • Agricultural Day (Ag Day) — an annual public event featuring livestock judging categories including calves, yearlings, lambs, kids, and chickens, alongside baking, crafts, and pinecone art competitions

Frequently asked

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

Poroutawhao School is classified as a Full Primary school serving Years 1–8.

It's a state school in the Manawatū-Whanganui 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.

99 students, according to the September 2026 roll data.

It reflects the estimated socio-economic barriers Poroutawhao 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 Poroutawhao 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) Poroutawhao School's official website Current 4 October 2026