Last updated October 2026
Makaraka School is a state, co-educational primary school for Years 1 to 6 at 137 Main Road, Makaraka, Gisborne. It opened in 1875 and had 100 students on its roll at 1 September 2026.
Its home zone includes all of Matawhero and Mākaraka, and parts of Waerengaahika, Awapuni, Makauri and Te Hāpara; the zone map below shows the full boundary.
The school’s site describes small class sizes and learning experiences in leadership, academics, ICT, culture and sport, along with a full school production. It uses an OSCAR after school care service, and a parent group, Friends of Makaraka, supports school camps and projects such as the bike track and swimming pool.
At a glance
- Principal
- Hayden Swann
- Address
- 137 Main Road, Makaraka, Gisborne
- Phone
- 06 868 4116
Home zone
Suburbs in the zone: all of Mākaraka and Matawhero.
Parts of Waerengaahika Gisborne, Awapuni, Makauri Gisborne and Te Hāpara: check your street.
Zone boundaries are set by the school’s enrolment scheme and can change. Confirm your address with the school before you rely on it.
Who goes here
Share of the 100 students who identify with each group. Students can name more than one, so these add up to more than 100%.
MELAA: Middle Eastern, Latin American and African.
What ERO found
The Education Review Office’s latest report on the school is a School Evaluation Report from November 2024. ERO found that almost all students were at or above curriculum expectations in reading and maths and most were achieving well in writing, with no significant gaps between groups of learners.
Students with extra learning needs get targeted support and progress well, students have a strong sense of belonging, and regular attendance was above the Ministry of Education target. ERO also pointed to leaders who use a wide range of evidence to set goals, a learner-focused board, and growing use of structured literacy and maths teaching.
The agreed next steps are professional learning to grow teachers’ te reo Māori so it is part of every classroom, continued monitoring of attendance to keep it high, and checking how well improvement plans and professional learning lift progress, equity and achievement for every student.
Read the ERO reports for Makaraka School
Enrolling
Students who live in the home zone have the right to enrol. Out-of-zone places are offered under the school’s enrolment scheme, by ballot when there are more applicants than places.
The school’s site says places are limited in some year levels, enrolment forms and packs are available from the school office, and families can book a tour with the principal.
Schools nearby
Where students go next
Based on home zones around the school’s own address. Families can apply to any school, and your own address decides which zones you are in.
In Mākaraka
Makaraka School is in Mākaraka. Our suburb guide covers what it is like to live there, with parks, places and local businesses.
Read our Mākaraka guide →Questions parents ask
Is Makaraka School zoned?
It has a home zone covering all of Mākaraka and Matawhero and parts of Waerengaahika Gisborne, Awapuni, Makauri Gisborne and Te Hāpara.
What years does it teach?
Years 1 to 6.
How many students go there?
100 at 1 Sep 2026.
Does it ask for donations?
No. It is in the donation scheme, so it only asks for donations for school camps.
What is its Equity Index?
444. The Ministry of Education’s Equity Index estimates the socio-economic barriers a school’s students face, from 344 (fewest) to 569 (most). It is used to share out funding, not as a measure of quality.
Updated automatically when the Ministry publishes new data.
Spotted something incorrect on this page? Let us know.
Sources and data notes 1
- School facts: School details and roll: Ministry of Education school directory, 29 Oct 2026 (CC BY 4.0). Home zone: Ministry of Education enrolment zones (CC BY 4.0). NCEA results, roll history and stand-downs: Education Counts, school leavers 2023 to 2025, stand-downs 2025, rolls 2021 to 2025 (CC BY 4.0).