Last updated October 2026
Upokongaro School is a state, co-educational full primary school for Years 1 to 8 at State Highway 4, Upokongaro, Whanganui. It opened in 1870 and had 90 students on its roll at 1 September 2026.
Its home zone includes all of Kaiwhaiki and Upokongaro, and parts of Parikino, Papaiti, Brunswick and Okoia; the zone map below shows the full boundary.
The school’s site describes a free Ministry of Education bus for students in its transport zone and a paid van service for families further away, and the school is part of the Ka Ora, Ka Ako healthy school lunches programme and the Healthy Active Learning initiative. Students also play in after-school sports teams through the year.
At a glance
- Principal
- Erin Browne
- Address
- State Highway 4, Upokongaro, Whanganui
- Phone
- 06-345 6424
Home zone
Suburbs in the zone: all of Kaiwhaiki and Upokongaro.
Parts of Parikino, Papaiti, Brunswick and Okoia: 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 90 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 December 2024. ERO noted a new principal from the start of 2023 and found the school working towards fair and strong outcomes, with most learners at or above expected levels in reading and a majority in writing and maths. It described increasingly inclusive practice, clear expectations for teaching, growing partnerships with iwi, whānau and mana whenua, more te ao Māori across the curriculum, and well-paced professional learning for teachers.
ERO also raised two concerns: boys’ progress in reading and writing needs to speed up, and fewer than half of learners attend school regularly, though strategies are in place to improve this.
Next, the school plans to embed strategies to lift writing and maths and close the gap for boys in literacy, keep reviewing its attendance initiatives, continue evidence-based professional learning, and review its systems for positive behaviour, wellbeing and engagement.
Read the ERO reports for Upokongaro 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 through a yearly ballot, and further ballots can be held during the year when places come up in particular year groups.
The school publishes its ballot dates on its enrolment scheme page, and families can apply online or at the school office.
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 Upokongaro
Upokongaro School is in Upokongaro. Our suburb guide covers what it is like to live there, with parks, places and local businesses.
Read our Upokongaro guide →Questions parents ask
Is Upokongaro School zoned?
It has a home zone covering all of Kaiwhaiki and Upokongaro and parts of Parikino, Papaiti, Brunswick and Okoia.
What years does it teach?
Years 1 to 8.
How many students go there?
90 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?
524. 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).