Ardgowan School
Ardgowan Road, Oamaru · Otago & Southland
Composite score
Developing
Below median
Rank #2,115 of scored NZ schools
Active MoE intervention — limited statutory manager
A limited statutory manager has been appointed to Ardgowan School . NZ Gazette notice
In summary
Ardgowan School received a Te Ara Huarau review in March 2023. A new principal began in March 2022 and is leading school-wide tikanga Māori practices, with partnerships being forged with local experts and rūnaka to support Mātauranga Māori. The school demonstrates strengths in culturally aware learning, effective teaching programmes responsive to diverse learners, and positive relationships supporting wellbeing. The school is currently under limited statutory manager intervention from the Ministry of Education.
Best suited for
Students aged 5-11 in Oamaru looking for a state-funded setting.
Is Ardgowan School a good school?
Ardgowan School is currently under MoE intervention — a limited statutory manager has been appointed. The school's day-to-day teaching continues; the intervention addresses governance or operational concerns identified by the Ministry. Read the NZ Gazette notice for details.
Strengths from the latest ERO report
- A positive and culturally aware learning climate that promotes engagement, respectful relationships, and restorative practices
- Effective teaching and learning programmes that are responsive to and accelerate the progress of learners, including those with high and diverse needs
- Positive and caring relationships throughout the school, including tuakana-teina approaches, that promote wellbeing for all learners and staff
Summary derived from ERO reports + audited financials + MoE records. Every claim links to its source — see data transparency at the bottom of this page.
Score breakdown
6 axes, each scored 0–100 on a national absolute scale. As at 2025.
standdowns 67.6/1k · suspensions 27.9/1k · exclusions 27.7/1k · bottom 10% of band (n=404) · why? ▼ hide
-3.7% roll over 5yr (2020→2025) · near band median (n=403) · why? ▼ hide
83/100 from ERO review 2023-03 · top quartile of band (n=406) · why? ▼ hide
⚠ Insufficient EQI-band peers (n<10) to compute per-axis percentile context. The score above is absolute; treat it as a single-school read rather than a peer comparison.
Real ERO composite (from the latest review): 83/100.
Latest ERO review
2023-03-03 · Kathy Lye, Southern Region | Te Tai Tini
- A new principal was appointed and began in March 2022
- School leadership is leading and promoting school-wide tikanga Māori practices
- Partnerships with local experts, groups and runaka supporting Mātauranga Māori are being forged and strengthened
- Staff are strongly committed to honouring Te Tiriti o Waitangi and achieving equity for all learners
- The school has a positive and culturally aware learning climate that promotes engagement, respectful relationships, and restorative practices
"Strong professional leadership that promotes the vision and values of the school alongside ongoing improvement and innovation."
Composite score across reviews
2 ERO reviews on file, 2019–2023. Click a point to read that review.
Audited financials
Year ended 2024 · Audit opinion: unmodified
Total revenue
$1.49M
Surplus / (deficit)
+$138k
Net assets / equity
$0.59M
Discipline (age-standardised, per 1,000 students)
Stand-down = sent home temporarily. Suspension = formal investigation. Exclusion = removed from school. National averages shown for comparison.
Stand-downs · 2024
67.6
4 this year · NZ avg ~37
Suspensions · 2024
27.9
1 this year · NZ avg ~5
Exclusions · 2024
27.7
1 this year · NZ avg ~1.5
Government funding
Crown funding only (school operations + teacher salaries + property). Excludes locally-raised funds, international fees and trading income — those are in the audited financial report above.
Total Crown funding · 2022
$1.11M
Per-student funding · 2022
$8,132
2018
$1.0M
2019
$0.9M
2020
$1.1M
2021
$1.3M
2022
$1.1M
Roll by year level
July 2025 roll return.
- Year 01 25
- Year 02 20
- Year 03 17
- Year 04 18
- Year 05 18
- Year 06 17
- Year 07 9
- Year 08 7
Roll by ethnicity
Share of total roll. Students who identify with multiple ethnicities are counted once.
- European/Pākehā 94.9%
- Māori 11.7%
- Other / MELAA 5.8%
- Pacific 4.4%
- Asian 3.6%
Location
Ardgowan Road, Oamaru. Nearby schools marked in grey.
Map tiles © OpenStreetMap, © CARTO
Schools nearby
Within 15km, sorted by distance. Add any to compare with Ardgowan School.
St Kevins College (Oamaru)
Secondary (Year 9-15) · 1.3km · 474 roll
75
+31 vs this
Oamaru Intermediate
Intermediate · 2.1km · 312 roll
57
+13 vs this
Pembroke School (Oamaru)
Contributing · 2.2km · 263 roll
43
-1 vs this
Waitaki Boys' High School
Secondary (Year 9-15) · 2.7km · 413 roll
52
+8 vs this
Waitaki Girls' High School
Secondary (Year 9-15) · 3.1km · 391 roll
60
+16 vs this
Te Pākihi o Maru
Contributing · 3.4km · 132 roll
58
+14 vs this
Frequently asked
Is Ardgowan School a good school?
Ardgowan School is currently under MoE intervention — a limited statutory manager has been appointed. The school's day-to-day teaching continues; the intervention addresses governance or operational concerns identified by the Ministry. Read the NZ Gazette notice for details.
What does the latest ERO review say?
ERO's 2023-03 review identified 5 key findings. A new principal was appointed and began in March 2022
How do I enrol my child at Ardgowan School?
Contact the school directly on 03-4331366, email office@ardgowan.school.nz, or visit www.ardgowan.school.nz. For state schools, check your home address against the school's enrolment zone — some schools are in-zone-only.
What are the fees?
Ardgowan School is a state school. There is no tuition fee for domestic students; voluntary donations may be requested.
What is the roll size?
Ardgowan School has 137 students, with an EQI of 453 (mid-range socio-economic context).
When was the school last reviewed by ERO?
The Education Review Office last reviewed Ardgowan School in 2023-03, signed by Kathy Lye. 3 ERO reports are on file in our archive.
Data transparency
Every fact on this page links to its source. We never publish a claim without provenance — read our methodology for the full rules.
Sourced from
- ero.govt.nz
- web.archive.org
- gazette.govt.nz
- schoolsdata.co.nz
- crimestats.co.nz