Last updated October 2026
Castlecliff School is a state, co-educational primary school for Years 1 to 6 at Polson Street, Castlecliff, Whanganui. It opened in 1892 and had 163 students on its roll at 1 September 2026.
It has no home zone, so any student can apply. The school’s site describes whānau classes where older students support younger ones, learning that supports progress in both English and te reo Māori with tikanga and Māori culture woven through the curriculum, and daily fitness, structured literacy and inquiry projects.
Facilities listed include a breakfast room, a school hall with a stage, a 23-metre swimming pool and a bike and scooter track.
At a glance
- Principal
- Parekura Cribb (Acting)
- Address
- Polson Street, Castlecliff, Whanganui
- Phone
- 06 344 4537
Home zone
No home zone: any student can apply to enrol. If more students apply than there are places, the school decides how places are offered.
Who goes here
Share of the 163 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.
Stand-downs and suspensions
Cases per 1,000 students in 2025, adjusted for the ages of the school’s students, compared with all New Zealand schools.
Suspensions: fewer than 5 cases in 2025, so no rate is shown.
These measure how a school responds to behaviour, and schools set their own thresholds, so they are not a measure of how students behave.
What ERO found
The Education Review Office’s latest report on the school is a Te Ara Huarau School Profile Report from July 2023. This kind of report sets out what ERO and the school will evaluate together, here how well assessment and planning identify and respond to each student’s needs, so progress can be sped up where needed.
ERO noted that te reo Māori is highly valued at the school, and pointed to leadership that sets clear, shared expectations for culturally responsive teaching, a range of approaches that support students’ social and emotional needs, and staff committed to professional learning.
Next, the school plans professional learning on effective assessment, a deeper understanding of the Learning Progression Framework, and a schoolwide approach to teaching te reo Māori, starting with a review of its current programmes.
Read the ERO reports for Castlecliff School
Enrolling
The school has no enrolment zone, and its enrolment page confirms families do not need to live in a particular area, so any student can apply. Enrolments are taken throughout the year: families contact the office, are encouraged to visit, then complete the enrolment form.
New entrants start school in groups at the beginning or middle of each term rather than on their birthday.
Schools nearby
In Castlecliff Whanganui
Castlecliff School is in Castlecliff Whanganui. Our suburb guide covers what it is like to live there, with parks, places and local businesses.
Read our Castlecliff Whanganui guide →Questions parents ask
Is Castlecliff School zoned?
No. It has no home zone, so any student can apply to enrol.
What years does it teach?
Years 1 to 6.
How many students go there?
163 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?
535. 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).