Key facts
- School number2989
- School typeFull Primary · Years 1–8
- AuthorityState
- GenderCo-Educational
- BoardingNo
- Language of instructionSome students taught in te reo Māori
- Established17 July 1889
About Shannon School
Shannon School is a primary school located in Shannon, in the Manawatū-Whanganui region of New Zealand. The school's motto, Kia Mau te Puawaitanga o to Mana, translates as "Nurturing the Mana of the Learner."
The school's identity is grounded in its local environment. Its logo references the Tararua ranges, the Manawatū River, and the harakeke (flax) plant, which the school uses as a symbol of whānau and community — the outer leaves representing elders, the inner leaves the younger generation.
The school's stated values are Pride, Courage, Caring, Effort, and Unity.
School donations
The Ministry of Education profile states that: "Donations should not be requested, unless for a school camp".
With an Equity Index of 517, Shannon 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 Shannon 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 Shannon School's own roll, so the shape of it is clear at a glance.
- European — 69 students (53.1%)
- Asian — 2 students (1.5%)
- Pacific — 10 students (7.7%)
- Māori — 77 students (59.2%)
- MELAA — 2 students (1.5%)
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.
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Levin Intermediate Intermediate · Years 7–8 · 14.8 km
Location
- Street addressGrey Street
- CityShannon
- Local authorityHorowhenua District
Official contact details
- ContactRochelle Thorn
- Phone+64 6 362 7866
- Emailoffice@shannon.school.nz
- Websitewww.shannon.school.nz
Nearby schools
Schools physically closest to Shannon School, regardless of year level.
-
Koputaroa School Full Primary · Years 1–8 · 7.5 km
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Tokomaru School Full Primary · Years 1–8 · 11.2 km
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Poroutawhao School Full Primary · Years 1–8 · 12.2 km
-
Levin North School Contributing · Years 1–6 · 13.3 km
-
St Joseph's School (Levin) Full Primary · Years 1–8 · 14.5 km
Explore schools in Shannon
Browse Shannon schools by type, including primary, intermediate, secondary, composite and other schools.
Enrolment
Enrolment at Shannon School is arranged through the school office by phone. Prior to a child starting, families are required to collect an Enrolment Pack, which includes a Parent Information Booklet. No further details about required documents, zone boundaries, or priority criteria are provided through this process description.
Curriculum
Shannon School teaches reading, writing, and mathematics daily, with these skills also integrated across other subject areas. The school operates as an Enviroschool, incorporating sustainability practices — including recycling, composting, and maintaining a worm farm — into its learning programme.
The school includes Te Whare Kākano, an immersion Māori space, indicating a te reo Māori component to the curriculum. Year 6–8 students attend annual camps, with noho stays held at school or at Poutū Marae. The local whenua, awa, maunga, and marae are described as part of everyday learning, supported by two school vans.
Specialist learning spaces include a music room, a technology kitchen, and a woodwork room, indicating that music, food technology, and woodwork are offered.
Frequently asked
These aren't generic answers — each one is built directly from Shannon 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 Shannon 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) | Shannon School's official website | Current | 16 October 2026 |