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NewzSchools · Aotearoa New Zealand

Te Waka Unua School

Christchurch · Canterbury Region

Full Primary · State · Co-Educational · Major urban area · Enrolment scheme

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Te Waka Unua School at a glance

Te Waka Unua School is a co-educational full primary school in Christchurch, within the Canterbury Region, operating in the state sector, with 501 students on roll, and an Equity Index of 509. The school has been open since 2015.

With 501 students on roll, Te Waka Unua School is a large school — larger than about 81% of New Zealand schools.

The school's Equity Index is 509, which is above the national average of 463. A higher Equity Index signals greater socio-economic need in the school's community — schools in this band receive more targeted government funding and support. The gap of 46 points is substantial enough to matter when comparing schools.

The roll is genuinely diverse: no single ethnic group dominates, with European at 48% and Pasifika at 26.7%. Diversity of this kind is common in urban New Zealand schools.

On the isolation index the school scores 0.12 (low isolation) — this measures how far students travel and how accessible the school is, not how good it is.

Students by ethnicity

European 19448.0%
Pasifika 10826.7%
Asian 8320.5%
Middle Eastern / Latin American / African 164.0%
Other 30.7%
European 194 · 48.0%
Pasifika 108 · 26.7%
Asian 83 · 20.5%
Middle Eastern / Latin American / African 16 · 4.0%
Other 3 · 0.7%

Total roll recorded: 501 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

501Students on rollLarger than 81% of NZ schools · national median 215.5
509Equity IndexAbove national mean of 463
1.19Diversity scoreHigher = more mixed roll (max 1.95)
0.12Isolation indexlow isolation
344 · lowest need569 · highest need

School facts

  • School typeFull Primary
  • YearsYears 1–8
  • 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 instructionSome students taught in te reo Māori or a Pacific language
  • Cohort entryNo — individual entry
  • DonationsDonations should not be requested, unless for a school camp
  • Opened2015
  • Roll date2026 directory export
  • Statistical areaEnsors
  • WardLinwood Ward
  • General electorateBanks Peninsula
  • Māori electorate—

Te reo Māori programme

108Taught predominantly in te reo Māori22.93% of the roll
145Learning te reo in English mediumLevels 3–5 immersion recorded separately

This school reports 253 students learning te reo Māori across immersion and English-medium programmes, according to the kura language statistics.

Pacific language programme

14Pacific medium (levels 1–2)gagana Samoa | Samoa
0Pacific language in English mediumLevels 3–4

Location

Canterbury Region
Christchurch 43.5457° S · 172.6726° E
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Nearby schools

Kimihia Parents' CollegeChristchurch · Teen Parent Unit 0.1 km Te Aratai CollegeChristchurch · Secondary (Year 7-15) 0.9 km St Anne's School (Woolston)Christchurch · Full Primary 1.2 km Te Huarahi Linwood Avenue SchoolChristchurch · Contributing 1.2 km Te Kura o Ōpāwaho – Opawa SchoolChristchurch · Full Primary 1.3 km Tamariki SchoolChristchurch · Full Primary 1.3 km

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About this data

School #684 is drawn from the New Zealand Ministry of Education school directory export dated 1 September 2026, with roll and ethnicity figures recorded at the same snapshot. Equity Index, isolation index, enrolment scheme and boarding fields are as published by the Ministry. Qualification attainment statistics on this site come from Education Counts releases.

Figures are provided for information and comparison only. NewzSchools is an independent directory, is not affiliated with the Ministry of Education, and does not endorse or rank schools. Always confirm enrolment details, zone boundaries and fees directly with the school.

Corrections and updates: contact the directory.

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