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Sawyers Bay School, Port Chalmers

Contributing · Years 1–6 · Co-Educational · Sawyers Bay, Port Chalmers

A state primary school located in Sawyers Bay, near Dunedin, New Zealand. The school operates across multiple classes and serves a small community, with newsletters reflecting a close-knit roll and regular family involvement in school activities.

Last checked 22 September 2026 · Roll data from August 2026

At a glance

TypeContributing · Years 1–6
LocationPort Chalmers
RegionOtago Region
School number3817
113
Students
as at August 2026
432
Equity Index
Yes
Enrolment scheme
Open
School status

Key facts

  • School number3817
  • School typeContributing · Years 1–6
  • AuthorityState
  • GenderCo-Educational
  • BoardingNo
  • Language of instructionEnglish medium / other settings
  • Established17 November 1858
See NZ school term dates & holidays →

About Sawyers Bay School

Sawyers Bay School is a New Zealand primary school that organises its approach to learning around five stated student values. The school defines these values in terms of learner behaviours and dispositions rather than academic outcomes.

The five values are:

  • Thinkers — questioning, investigating, reflecting, creating, and showing flexibility and empathy
  • Risk takers — challenging themselves, showing resilience and confidence, and engaging with new learning
  • Collaborators — working in teams, showing tolerance, and demonstrating respect for themselves and others
  • Communicators — sharing and interpreting information using varied forms of communication, and listening actively
  • Self-managers — taking responsibility for their actions, words, and learning, and working toward personal goals

Enrolment

Enrolment scheme on record

Sawyers Bay School 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 should not be requested, unless for a school camp".

With an Equity Index of 432, Sawyers Bay 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 Sawyers Bay School actually sits, not just the number on its own.

OFFICIAL DATA
432
Scale: 344–569
Band: Below 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 441
Sawyers Bay School 432

Student ethnicity

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

  • European — 104 students (92%)
  • Asian — 2 students (1.8%)
  • Pacific — 5 students (4.4%)
  • Māori — 25 students (22.1%)

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 — Sawyers Bay School
Contributing · Years 1–6
Potential next stage
Secondary options (further away or later entry)

Location

View larger map on OpenStreetMap
  • Street address99 Stevenson Avenue
  • SuburbSawyers Bay
  • CityPort Chalmers
  • Local authorityDunedin City

Official contact details

Nearby schools

Schools physically closest to Sawyers Bay School, regardless of year level.

Explore schools in Port Chalmers

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

Contributing schools (1) All schools in Port Chalmers →

Frequently asked

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

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

It's a state school in the Otago 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.

Yes. Sawyers Bay School 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.

113 students, according to the August 2026 roll data.

It reflects the estimated socio-economic barriers Sawyers Bay 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 Sawyers Bay 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 — 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) Sawyers Bay School's official website Current 22 September 2026