Key facts
- School number4013
- School typeContributing · Years 1–6
- AuthorityState : Integrated
- GenderCo-Educational
- BoardingNo
- Language of instructionEnglish medium / other settings
- Established4 February 1962
About Sacred Heart School (Waikiwi)
Sacred Heart School / Te Kura o te Manawa Tapu is a state-integrated Catholic primary school in Waikiwi, catering for students from Year 0 to Year 6. The school was established in 1962 and was originally staffed by the Sisters of Mercy. Today all teaching staff are lay teachers, though the Sisters of Mercy continue to have a close association with the school and live adjacent to the school grounds.
The school holds a Special Character designation, meaning its educational programme is grounded in Catholic philosophy. This encompasses intellectual, social, moral, spiritual, aesthetic, emotional, and physical development. The school's Mercy heritage informs its broader values and approach.
Decision-making at the school involves the Board of Trustees, staff, parents, the local parish, and the wider community. The principal is Catherine Colvin.
Enrolment
No enrolment scheme listedNo enrolment scheme is currently listed for Sacred Heart School (Waikiwi) in the available Ministry of Education data. Check the current Ministry of Education information or contact the school for the latest enrolment arrangements.
School donations
The Ministry of Education profile states that: "Donations should not be requested, unless for a school camp".
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 Sacred Heart School (Waikiwi) 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 Sacred Heart School (Waikiwi)'s own roll, so the shape of it is clear at a glance.
- European — 43 students (49.4%)
- Asian — 29 students (33.3%)
- Pacific — 6 students (6.9%)
- Māori — 24 students (27.6%)
- MELAA — 4 students (4.6%)
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.
-
Southland Boys' High School Secondary · Years 7–15 · 2.9 km
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James Hargest College Secondary · Years 7–15 · 3.5 km
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Southland Girls' High School Secondary · Years 7–15 · 5.4 km
Location
- Street address435 North Road
- SuburbWaikiwi
- CityInvercargill
- Local authorityInvercargill City
Official contact details
- ContactCatherine Colvin
- Phone+64 3 215 7317
- Emailprincipal@shsinv.school.nz
- Websitewww.shsinv.school.nz
Nearby schools
Schools physically closest to Sacred Heart School (Waikiwi), regardless of year level.
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Southland Adventist Christian School Full Primary · Years 1–8 · 671 m
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Salford School Contributing · Years 1–6 · 2.8 km
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Windsor North School Contributing · Years 1–6 · 2.9 km
-
Southland Boys' High School Secondary · Years 7–15 · 2.9 km
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St John's Girls' School (Invercargill) Full Primary · Years 1–8 · 3.2 km
Explore schools in Invercargill
Browse Invercargill schools by type, including primary, intermediate, secondary, composite and other schools.
Sports and Co-curricular Activities
Students participate in the following sports, subject to available coaches and sufficient numbers:
- Flippa ball (Terms 1 and 4)
- Touch (Terms 1 and 4)
- Cricket (Terms 1 and 4)
- Soccer (Terms 1 and 4)
- Basketball (Terms 3 and 4)
- Netball (Terms 2 and 3)
- Hockey (Terms 2 and 3)
- Aerobics (Terms 2 and 3)
- Table Tennis (Terms 2 and 3)
- Gymnastic Festival (Term 4)
- Badminton (Term 4)
Senior students compete in the Zone Athletics Day and the Catholic Schools Tournament annually.
Frequently asked
These aren't generic answers — each one is built directly from Sacred Heart School (Waikiwi)'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 Sacred Heart School (Waikiwi)'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) | Sacred Heart School (Waikiwi)'s official website | Current | 16 October 2026 |