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St Johns Hill School, Whanganui

Contributing · Years 1–6 · Co-Educational · Whanganui

A state primary school in Whanganui, it opened in 1929 with a roll of 44 pupils, having grown from a side school established in 1916. The school's origins trace to an earlier private school on St Johns Hill dating from 1901.

Last checked 22 September 2026 · Roll data from August 2026

At a glance

TypeContributing · Years 1–6
LocationWhanganui
RegionManawatū-Whanganui Region
School number2450
414
Students
as at August 2026
416
Equity Index
Yes
Enrolment scheme
Open
School status

Key facts

  • School number2450
  • School typeContributing · Years 1–6
  • AuthorityState
  • GenderCo-Educational
  • BoardingNo
  • Language of instructionEnglish medium / other settings
  • Established1 August 1929
See NZ school term dates & holidays →

About St Johns Hill School

St Johns Hill School is a primary school located in Whanganui, New Zealand. The school's identity is grounded in four core values drawn from te reo Māori concepts, each represented by a distinct visual design.

The four values are:

  • Kaitiakitanga — guardianship and stewardship of the environment, community, histories, language and stories
  • Manaakitanga — showing respect, generosity and care for others in a way that acknowledges the mana of all people
  • Rangatiratanga — self-leadership, determination and a growth mindset, with effort and perseverance actively encouraged
  • Kotahitanga — togetherness and holistic development, with peer learning supported through Tuakana–Teina relationships

The school's visual identity connects these values to the local landscape, with design elements referencing the Whanganui River and St Johns Hill itself. The use of Māori concepts as the school's foundational framework reflects a bicultural approach to school culture and community.

Enrolment

Enrolment scheme on record

St Johns Hill 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 may be requested".

With an Equity Index of 416, St Johns Hill School is below the 432 threshold newly required to opt into the donations scheme, though a school already receiving this funding from an earlier year may continue to do so. Outside the scheme, a school can still ask families for donations, but cannot compel or enforce payment.

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 Johns Hill School actually sits, not just the number on its own.

OFFICIAL DATA
416
Scale: 344–569
Band: Few (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 442.8
St Johns Hill School 416

Student ethnicity

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

  • European — 329 students (79.5%)
  • Asian — 69 students (16.7%)
  • Pacific — 15 students (3.6%)
  • Māori — 78 students (18.8%)
  • MELAA — 10 students (2.4%)
  • Other — 2 students (0.5%)

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

Location

View larger map on OpenStreetMap
  • Street addressParkes Avenue
  • CityWhanganui
  • Local authorityWhanganui District

Official contact details

Nearby schools

Schools physically closest to St Johns Hill School, regardless of year level.

Explore schools in Whanganui

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

Contributing schools (1) Full Primary schools (1) All schools in Whanganui →

Sports and Activities

St Johns Hill School offers team sports across summer and winter seasons. Two school-wide events are held annually: Cross Country in Term 3 and Athletics in Term 4. The following term sports are also offered, organised by year group:

  • Tee-Ball — Years 1–4
  • Kiwi Cricket — Years 2–6
  • Rippa Rugby — Years 3–6
  • Volleyball — Years 3–6

Frequently asked

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

St Johns Hill School is classified as a Contributing school serving Years 1–6.

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.

Yes. St Johns Hill 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.

414 students, according to the August 2026 roll data.

It reflects the estimated socio-economic barriers St Johns Hill 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 St Johns Hill 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) St Johns Hill School's official website Current 22 September 2026