Brightwater School
106 Ellis Street, Brightwater · Nelson, Marlborough & West Coast
See all schools in Brightwater →
Composite score
Established
Below median
Rank #1,431 of scored NZ schools
In summary
Brightwater School's November 2024 ERO review found most students achieving within or beyond expected curriculum levels in reading, writing and mathematics, with equitable progress across all groups of learners. Students demonstrate strong sense of belonging supported by inclusive school practices, and leadership is evidence-based with strong relational trust across the school community. The school has a composite score of 84.
Best suited for
Students in Brightwater looking for a state-funded setting with an established ERO profile.
Is Brightwater School a good school?
Brightwater School scores 64/100 on the SchoolsNearMe composite — a weighted average of 5 axes (academic, outcomes, retention, wellbeing, trajectory). Below median nationally. The full breakdown is below; every input links to its source.
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 29.3/1k · suspensions 0.0/1k · exclusions 0.0/1k · below band median (n=518) · why? ▼ hide
-20.9% roll over 5yr (2020→2025) · bottom quartile of band (n=515) · why? ▼ hide
84/100 from ERO review 2024-11 · top quartile of band (n=520) · 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): 84/100.
Latest ERO review
2024-11-20 · Shelley Booysen, ERO
- Board has attested to meeting regulatory and legislative requirements as of March 2024
- All six compliance areas confirmed: Board Administration, Curriculum, Health/Safety/Welfare, Personnel Management, Finance, and Assets
"The next School Board assurance that it is meeting regulatory and legislative requirements will be reported, along with the Te Ara Huarau | School Evaluation Report, within three years."
Composite score across reviews
3 ERO reviews on file, 2014–2024. Click a point to read that review.
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
29.3
3 this year · NZ avg ~37
Suspensions · 2024
0.0
· NZ avg ~5
Exclusions · 2024
0.0
· 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
$1.98M
Per-student funding · 2022
$7,718
2018
$1.9M
2019
$2.2M
2020
$2.5M
2021
$2.1M
2022
$2.0M
Roll by year level
July 2025 roll return.
- Year 01 31
- Year 02 41
- Year 03 37
- Year 04 36
- Year 05 47
- Year 06 31
- Year 07 15
Roll by ethnicity
Share of total roll. Students who identify with multiple ethnicities are counted once.
- European/Pākehā 89.5%
- Māori 14.1%
- Asian 4.3%
- Other / MELAA 3.5%
- Pacific 2.3%
Location
106 Ellis Street, Brightwater. Nearby schools marked in grey.
Map tiles © OpenStreetMap, © CARTO
Schools nearby
Within 15km, sorted by distance. Add any to compare with Brightwater School.
Hope School
Contributing · 2.9km · 91 roll
79
+15 vs this
Ranzau School
Contributing · 4.5km · 115 roll
71
+7 vs this
Wakefield School
Full Primary · 6.6km · 258 roll
43
-21 vs this
Richmond School (Nelson)
Contributing · 7.3km · 514 roll
77
+13 vs this
Henley School (Nelson)
Contributing · 8.1km · 516 roll
71
+7 vs this
Appleby School
Full Primary · 8.1km · 132 roll
75
+11 vs this
Frequently asked
Is Brightwater School a good school?
Brightwater School scores 64/100 on the SchoolsNearMe composite — a weighted average of 5 axes (academic, outcomes, retention, wellbeing, trajectory). Below median nationally. The full breakdown is below; every input links to its source.
What does the latest ERO review say?
ERO's 2024-11 review identified 2 key findings. Board has attested to meeting regulatory and legislative requirements as of March 2024
How do I enrol my child at Brightwater School?
Contact the school directly on 03-5423666, email office@brightwater.school.nz, or visit www.brightwater.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?
Brightwater School is a state school. There is no tuition fee for domestic students; voluntary donations may be requested.
What is the roll size?
Brightwater School has 256 students, with an EQI of 439 (mid-range socio-economic context).
When was the school last reviewed by ERO?
The Education Review Office last reviewed Brightwater School in 2024-11, signed by Shelley Booysen. 4 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
- schoolsdata.co.nz
- crimestats.co.nz