Built from official New Zealand government data.
Home/ Schools/ Marton/ South Makirikiri School

South Makirikiri School, Marton

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

A state primary school in the Rangitīkei region, it was gazetted as a public school in January 1873, with origins as a private school dating to the early 1850s. Three of its main classroom buildings were erected in 1878.

Last checked 18 September 2026 · Roll data from August 2026

Jump to: About · Curriculum · Extracurricular

At a glance

TypeFull Primary · Years 1–8
LocationMarton
RegionManawatū-Whanganui Region
School number2446
153
Students
as at August 2026
444
Equity Index
No
Enrolment scheme
Open
School status

Key facts

  • School number2446
  • School typeFull Primary · Years 1–8
  • AuthorityState
  • GenderCo-Educational
  • BoardingNo
  • Language of instructionEnglish medium / other settings
  • Established26 January 1873
See NZ school term dates & holidays →

About South Makirikiri School

South Mākirikiri School is a state primary school located in the Rangitīkei region. The name Mākirikiri comes from a Māori word meaning stoney creek, referring to a waterway that originally ran through the area.

The school's origins date to the early 1850s, when children were taught on the site under the name Upper Rangitikei School, operating as a private school with roughly 20–29 pupils. It was gazetted as a public school by the Education Board on 17 December 1872, formally opening in January 1873. Three of the main classroom buildings currently on site were erected in 1878.

The school acknowledges Ngāti Apa as the local iwi. Ngāti Apa trace their ancestry to Ruatea, captain of the Kurahaupō canoe, and have a long connection to the Rangitīkei area. Descendants of the original farming families in the district continue to have children enrolled at the school today.

The school describes its curriculum as learner-centred, with an emphasis on critical thinking, creativity, collaboration, and communication through literacy and numeracy. Its current stated vision is "Empowering ākonga to embrace their potential and connect with the world."

Enrolment

No enrolment scheme listed

No enrolment scheme is currently listed for South Makirikiri School 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".

With an Equity Index of 444, South Makirikiri 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 South Makirikiri School actually sits, not just the number on its own.

OFFICIAL DATA
444
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 444.4
South Makirikiri School 444

Student ethnicity

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

  • European — 130 students (85%)
  • Asian — 6 students (3.9%)
  • Pacific — 8 students (5.2%)
  • Māori — 18 students (11.8%)
  • MELAA — 2 students (1.3%)
  • Other — 2 students (1.3%)

Percentages may sum to more than 100% because students can identify with more than one ethnic group.

Location

View larger map on OpenStreetMap
  • Street address945 Makirikiri Road
  • CityMarton
  • Local authorityRangitikei District

Official contact details

Nearby schools

Schools physically closest to South Makirikiri School, regardless of year level.

Explore schools in Marton

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

Full Primary schools (1) All schools in Marton →

Curriculum

South Makirikiri School follows the New Zealand Curriculum, the national curriculum framework that covers learning areas, values, and key competencies. In the primary years, the school's focus is on reading, writing, and mathematics as foundational skills.

The school incorporates cultural competencies from Tātaiako into its planning and teaching, with attention to language, identity, and culture as part of its curriculum approach.

Co-curricular Activities and Sports

The following named sports and activities are offered at South Makirikiri School:

  • Netball — competes in winter weekend competitions
  • Rugby — competes in winter weekend competitions
  • Hockey — competes in winter weekend competitions
  • Basketball — competes in winter weekend competitions
  • Senior swimming sports — held at the end of Term 1 in Marton
  • Athletics Day — whole-school event
  • Cross country — whole-school event held at Duddings Lake; Year 5–8 students also participate in an interschool cross country hosted by Massey University
  • Sailing — available to Year 8 students on Duddings Lake, weather permitting, with the principal Mr Allan

Frequently asked

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

South Makirikiri 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.

No enrolment scheme is currently listed for South Makirikiri School in the available Ministry of Education data. Check the current Ministry of Education information or contact the school for the latest enrolment arrangements.

153 students, according to the August 2026 roll data.

It reflects the estimated socio-economic barriers South Makirikiri 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 South Makirikiri 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) South Makirikiri School's official website Current 18 September 2026