Key facts
- School number3824
- School typeFull Primary · Years 1–8
- AuthorityState : Integrated
- GenderCo-Educational
- BoardingNo
- Language of instructionEnglish medium / other settings
- Established6 February 1945
About St John's School (Ranfurly)
St John's School is a Catholic integrated primary school located in Ranfurly, a small rural town in the Maniototo district of Central Otago. The school was established in 1945 and opened by Bishop O'Neill as a Mercy school — that is, a school founded in the tradition of the Sisters of Mercy. It operates across three classrooms and caters to students from Year 0 through to Year 8, with a roll of 66 students.
The school's Catholic character is central to its operation. Its stated values are respect, honesty, and Catholic Faith, and its vision is to develop confident, compassionate, and resilient learners who reflect the Mercy Charism and the teachings of Jesus.
The school grounds include a multi-purpose all-weather turf, a large rugby field, junior and senior adventure playgrounds, and a sandpit. The school also maintains a farm called "Holy Paddocks", where local farmers assist students in rearing calves, sheep, lambs, and chickens and harvesting honey.
School donations
The Ministry of Education profile states that: "Donations may be requested".
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 St John's School (Ranfurly) 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 St John's School (Ranfurly)'s own roll, so the shape of it is clear at a glance.
- European — 48 students (71.6%)
- Asian — 13 students (19.4%)
- Māori — 7 students (10.4%)
- Other — 2 students (3%)
Percentages may sum to more than 100% because students can identify with more than one ethnic group.
Location
- Street address6 Stuart Road
- CityRanfurly
- Local authorityCentral Otago District
Official contact details
- ContactHeather Dowling
- Phone+64 3 444 9514
- Emailoffice@sjr.school.nz
- Websitewww.sjr.school.nz/
Nearby schools
Schools physically closest to St John's School (Ranfurly), regardless of year level.
-
Maniototo Area School Composite · Years 1–15 · 1 km
-
Strath Taieri School Full Primary · Years 1–8 · 41.2 km
-
Waitaki Valley School Full Primary · Years 1–8 · 52.3 km
-
Duntroon School Full Primary · Years 1–8 · 55.7 km
-
St Gerard's School (Alexandra) Full Primary · Years 1–8 · 56.3 km
Explore schools in Ranfurly
Browse Ranfurly schools by type, including primary, intermediate, secondary, composite and other schools.
Enrolment
St John's School (Ranfurly) is an integrated Catholic school catering to Years 0–8. Enrolment priority is determined by connection to the Catholic faith: children with such a connection receive preferential enrolment, while others are enrolled on a non-preferential basis. Enrolment status is assessed by the Parish Priest in accordance with the Handbook for Boards of Trustees of NZ Catholic Integrated Schools.
The number of non-preferential enrolments is set by the government at 5% of the school's maximum roll. Families seeking enrolment are directed to contact the school directly or speak with the Principal.
Curriculum
St John's School (Ranfurly) follows the national Religious Education curriculum for Catholic schools in Aotearoa New Zealand, titled Tō Tātou Whakapono – Our Faith. The programme is structured around four main themes and five cross themes, with each year level working under a specific overarching concept.
The four main themes are:
- Te Atua (God)
- Te Rongopai (Good News)
- Ā Tātou Whakapapa (Our Story)
- Kia Noho Hāhi (Being Church)
The five cross themes are:
- Mana Tapu (Grace)
- Aroha Pūmau (Holiness)
- Tika (Justice)
- Whakaaronui (Wisdom)
- Īnoi (Prayer)
Each year level is assigned an overarching concept: Years 1–2 focus on Whakatau (Welcomed), Years 3–4 on Aroha mai Aroha atu (Loved), Years 5–6 on Oho Ake (Inspired), and Years 7–8 on He Iriiringa (Called).
Frequently asked
These aren't generic answers — each one is built directly from St John's School (Ranfurly)'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 St John's School (Ranfurly)'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) | St John's School (Ranfurly)'s official website | Current | 15 October 2026 |