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Whakatane High School

Whakatane · Bay of Plenty Region

State Secondary (Year 9-15) Report an error
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Figures on this page come from the New Zealand Ministry of Education school directory export dated 1 September 2026, with roll and ethnicity recorded at the same snapshot. Always confirm enrolment, zoning and fees directly with the school. About this directory

At a glance

About Whakatane High School

Whakatane High School is a co-educational secondary (year 9-15) school in Whakatane, within the Bay of Plenty Region, operating in the state sector, with 1,228 students on roll, and an Equity Index of 475. The school has been open since 1921.

With 1,228 students on roll, Whakatane High School is a very large school — larger than about 96% of New Zealand schools.

The school's Equity Index is 475, which is close to the national average of 463. That means the roll faces a broadly typical level of socio-economic challenge compared with schools across Aotearoa.

80.9% of students identify as European, so the school has a strongly homogeneous roll. Students of Asian descent make up 8.5%.

On the isolation index the school scores 1.13 (high isolation) — this measures how far students travel and how accessible the school is, not how good it is.

Students by ethnicity

European 752 · 80.9%
Pasifika 36 · 3.9%
Asian 79 · 8.5%
Middle Eastern / Latin American / African 15 · 1.6%
Other 15 · 1.6%
International 33 · 3.5%

Total roll recorded: 1,228 students, from the 2026 roll census. Percentages may not sum to exactly 100% because of rounding and students who decline to state an ethnicity.

Roll in context

1,228Students on rollLarger than 96% of NZ schools · national median 215.5
475Equity IndexAbove national mean of 463
0.76Diversity scoreHigher = more mixed roll (max 1.95)
1.13Isolation indexhigh isolation
344 · lowest need569 · highest need

Location

Bay of Plenty Region
Whakatane 37.9624° S · 176.9858° E
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Nearby schools

St Joseph's Catholic School (Whakatane)Whakatane · Full Primary 0.4 km Apanui SchoolWhakatane · Contributing 0.7 km Allandale SchoolWhakatane · Contributing 0.7 km Whakatane S D A SchoolWhakatane · Full Primary 0.9 km James Street SchoolWhakatane · Contributing 1.3 km Whakatane IntermediateWhakatane · Intermediate 1.4 km

School information

  • School typeSecondary (Year 9-15)
  • YearsYears 9–15
  • AuthorityState
  • GenderCo-Educational
  • SettingMedium urban area
  • Territorial authorityWhakatane District
  • Education regionBay of Plenty, Waiariki
  • Regional councilBay of Plenty 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 should not be requested, unless for a school camp
  • Opened1921
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