Last updated November 2026
Arahunga School is a state, co-educational specialist school at 53 Konini Street, Tawhero, Whanganui. It opened in 1971 and had 124 students on its roll at 1 September 2026.
Arahunga School has no home zone.
At a glance
- Principal
- Shirley Wisnewski
- Address
- 53 Konini Street, Tawhero, Whanganui
- Phone
- 0800-532 4973
What ERO found
The Education Review Office’s latest report on the school is a Te Ara Huarau School Profile Report from May 2024, which sets out the school’s starting point for its improvement work with ERO.
ERO described a day specialist school for students with Ongoing Resourcing Scheme funding, who learn in classes at the base school, a transition class for senior students and hubs in host schools, with therapy services alongside.
The school also runs an outreach teaching service for funded students at local schools across Whanganui, Manawatū, Horowhenua and Taranaki. ERO noted strong shared knowledge of each learner in planning, clear leadership direction, and systems that respond to the needs of learners and whānau.
The school and ERO are evaluating how well assessment informs teaching, learning and wellbeing. The priorities are building staff understanding of assessment tools, using assessment to set each student’s goals, working with whānau on how assessment shapes their child’s pathway, and making full use of the school’s digital platform to track learning and wellbeing.
Read the ERO reports for Arahunga School
Enrolling
As a specialist school, Arahunga School does not enrol by home zone. Places at specialist schools are usually arranged through the Ministry of Education, so families start by talking with the school or their local Ministry of Education learning support team.
Schools nearby
In Tawhero Whanganui
Arahunga School is in Tawhero Whanganui. Our suburb guide covers what it is like to live there, with parks, places and local businesses.
Read our Tawhero Whanganui guide →Questions parents ask
What years does it teach?
All ages.
How many students go there?
124 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?
527. 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). 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).