Burnside High School

Christchurch · Canterbury Region

Secondary (Year 9-15) · State · Co-Educational · Major urban area · Enrolment scheme

Burnside High School at a glance

Burnside High School is a co-educational secondary (year 9-15) school in Christchurch, within the Canterbury Region, operating in the state sector, with 2,736 students on roll, and an Equity Index of 416. The school has been open since 1960.

With 2,736 students on roll, Burnside High School is a one of the largest school — larger than about 100% of New Zealand schools.

The school's Equity Index is 416, which is well below the national average of 463. A lower Equity Index signals less socio-economic need in the school's community than the national norm. The gap of 47 points is substantial enough to matter when comparing schools.

The roll is genuinely diverse: no single ethnic group dominates, with Asian at 45.6% and European at 41%. Diversity of this kind is common in urban New Zealand schools.

On the isolation index the school scores 0.21 (low isolation) — this measures how far students travel and how accessible the school is, not how good it is.

Students by ethnicity

European 1,26641.0%

Pasifika 1163.8%

Asian 1,40745.6%

Middle Eastern / Latin American / African 1083.5%

Other 210.7%

International 1695.5%

European 1,266 · 41.0%

Pasifika 116 · 3.8%

Asian 1,407 · 45.6%

Middle Eastern / Latin American / African 108 · 3.5%

Other 21 · 0.7%

International 169 · 5.5%

Total roll recorded: 2,736 students. Percentages are calculated from the 2026 roll census and may not sum to exactly 100% because of rounding and students who decline to state an ethnicity.

Roll in context

2,736Students on rollLarger than 100% of NZ schools · national median 215.5

416Equity IndexBelow national mean of 463

1.16Diversity scoreHigher = more mixed roll (max 1.95)

0.21Isolation indexlow isolation

344 · lowest need569 · highest need

School facts

School typeSecondary (Year 9-15)
YearsYears 9–15
AuthorityState
GenderCo-Educational
SettingMajor urban area
Territorial authorityChristchurch City
Education regionCanterbury, Chatham Islands
Regional councilCanterbury Region
Enrolment schemeYes — has an in-zone entitlement
BoardingDay school only
Language of instructionAll students taught in English/other setting
Cohort entryNo — individual entry
DonationsDonations may be requested
Opened1960
Roll date2026 directory export
Statistical areaBurnside
WardFendalton Ward
General electorateIlam
Māori electorate—

Location

Canterbury Region

Christchurch 43.5073° S · 172.5777° E

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Nearby schools

Christ The King School (Burnside)Christchurch · Full Primary 0.2 km Wairarapa Cobham IntermediateChristchurch · Intermediate 0.6 km Tuia Burnside Primary SchoolChristchurch · Contributing 0.7 km Westburn Te Kura O HereoraChristchurch · Full Primary 0.8 km Wairakei School (Christchurch)Christchurch · Contributing 1.2 km Tūora Fendalton SchoolChristchurch · Contributing 1.5 km