Last updated November 2026
Whangara School is a state, co-educational full primary school for Years 1 to 8 at 44 Pa Road, Whangara, Gisborne. It had 83 students on its roll at 1 October 2026.
Its home zone includes all of Whāngārā, and parts of Makorori Beach, Waimatā Valley and Tolaga Bay; the zone map below shows the full boundary.
At a glance
- Principal
- Lisa Maniapoto
- Address
- 44 Pa Road, Whangara, Gisborne
- Phone
- 06 862 2806
Home zone
Suburbs in the zone: all of Whāngārā.
Parts of Makorori Beach, Waimatā Valley and Tolaga Bay: 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 83 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 kura is a Ngā Kitenga Arotake Report from June 2025, published in te reo Māori and English. It was ERO’s first review of the kura since it joined Ngā Kura-ā-Iwi o Aotearoa, and it is moving from bilingual (reo rua) classes to Level 1 rumaki immersion, with an acting tumuaki in place during the review.
ERO found that students are confident in their Ngāti Konohi identity, that Paikea Ariki guides a kaupapa Māori approach to teaching, and that the curriculum is built on the stories and histories of Ngāti Konohi.
Assessment is robust, tuakana-teina relationships are strong, and the board is closely connected to whānau and iwi. The kura’s own data showed almost all students in reo rua classes at or above expectations in reading, a large majority in writing and a significant majority in mathematics, with a large majority of rumaki students at or above expectations in pānui and tuhituhi and a significant majority in pāngarau.
As the move to Ngā Kura-ā-Iwi continues, ERO said the kura community needs a shared understanding of its marau ā-kura, and that the te reo Māori strategy should keep being developed until Level 1 immersion runs across the whole kura.
With many new kaiako on staff, ERO and kura leaders agreed to build a plan with guidance from Ngā Kura-ā-Iwi to carry these steps forward.
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. Families should contact the kura to check the zone and ask about enrolment.
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 Whāngārā
Whangara School is in Whāngārā. Our suburb guide covers what it is like to live there, with parks, places and local businesses.
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Questions parents ask
Is Whangara School zoned?
It has a home zone covering all of Whāngārā and parts of Makorori Beach, Waimatā Valley and Tolaga Bay.
What years does it teach?
Years 1 to 8.
How many students go there?
83 at 1 Oct 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?
479. 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, 10 Nov 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).