Key facts
- School number3803
- School typeFull Primary · Years 1–8
- AuthorityState
- GenderCo-Educational
- BoardingNo
- Language of instructionEnglish medium / other settings
- Established17 November 1858
About Port Chalmers School
Port Chalmers School is a full primary school located on the Otago Harbour, catering for students from new entrant to Year 8. The roll is approximately 150 students.
The school's proximity to the water directly shapes its programme: boating is a central feature of its aquatics programme. The grounds include trees and playing fields.
The school states its mission as providing, in partnership with its community, a learning environment where every child receives equal opportunity and encouragement to develop their potential. Its stated values combine English and te reo Māori concepts:
- Caring
- Common Sense
- Co-operation
- Courtesy
- Whanaungatanga (belonging)
- Ako (to learn)
- Manaakitanga (show respect)
The school has a long-standing historical connection to the merchant vessel PORT CHALMERS, established through the British Ship Adoption Scheme after World War II. Two athletic trophies presented by the ship's officers and crew around 1950, known as the Ships Cups, continue to be contested annually.
School donations
The Ministry of Education profile states that: "Donations should not be requested, unless for a school camp".
With an Equity Index of 448, Port Chalmers 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 Port Chalmers School actually sits, not just the number on its own.
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 →
Student ethnicity
The Ministry publishes this as a raw table — here it's visualised directly against Port Chalmers School's own roll, so the shape of it is clear at a glance.
- European — 75 students (91.5%)
- Asian — 3 students (3.7%)
- Pacific — 3 students (3.7%)
- Māori — 20 students (24.4%)
- MELAA — 2 students (2.4%)
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.
-
John McGlashan College Secondary · Years 7–15 · 10 km
-
St Hildas Collegiate Secondary · Years 7–15 · 10.2 km
-
Balmacewen Intermediate Intermediate · Years 7–8 · 10.8 km
-
Logan Park High School Secondary · Years 9–15 · 8.2 km
-
Otago Boys' High School Secondary · Years 9–15 · 10.9 km
-
Otago Girls' High School Secondary · Years 9–15 · 11 km
Location
- Street address30A Albertson Avenue
- CityPort Chalmers
- Local authorityDunedin City
Official contact details
- ContactVicki Nicolson
- Phone+64 3 472 8685
- Emailoffice@portchalmers.school.nz
- Websitewww.portchalmers.school.nz/
Nearby schools
Schools physically closest to Port Chalmers School, regardless of year level.
-
Sawyers Bay School Contributing · Years 1–6 · 1.3 km
-
Broad Bay School Full Primary · Years 1–8 · 3 km
-
Macandrew Bay School Contributing · Years 1–6 · 5.6 km
-
North East Valley Normal School Contributing · Years 1–6 · 7.4 km
-
Ōpoho School Contributing · Years 1–6 · 7.5 km
Explore schools in Port Chalmers
Browse Port Chalmers schools by type, including primary, intermediate, secondary, composite and other schools.
Enrolment
Port Chalmers School asks prospective families to begin the enrolment process with a school visit. To arrange a visit, families can contact the school office on (03) 472 8685 to schedule a time to meet with principal Vicki Nicolson. An online enrolment form is also available on the school's website.
No information about an enrolment zone, priority criteria, or required documents is stated on the enrolment page.
Co-curricular Activities
The following named activity is described on the school's website:
- Kapa Haka — open to all ākonga from Year 3 to Year 8, covering Te Reo, waiata, haka and poi, with participation in the Otago Polyfest
Frequently asked
These aren't generic answers — each one is built directly from Port Chalmers School's own official Ministry of Education data already shown on this page, so what you read here always matches the figures above.
Sources & methodology
Every fact on this page traces back to one of the rows below — official Ministry of Education data, or Port Chalmers School's own published information, reviewed before publication. Nothing here is inferred or estimated beyond what its source actually states.
| Data | Source | Data period | Last 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) | Port Chalmers School's official website | Current | 3 October 2026 |