Murchison Area School
61 Waller Street, Murchison · Nelson, Marlborough & West Coast
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Composite score
Developing
Below median
Rank #1,924 of scored NZ schools
Active MoE intervention — limited statutory manager
A limited statutory manager has been appointed to Murchison Area School as of 2013-05-23. NZ Gazette notice
In summary
Murchison Area School serves Years 1–13 with most junior learners achieving at or above expected levels in reading, mathematics and writing, and most senior learners achieving NCEA qualifications. School leaders work strategically to improve equity and outcomes, with a localised curriculum providing meaningful learning. The school has a composite score of 82, and is currently operating under a limited statutory manager appointed by the Ministry of Education.
Best suited for
Students all year levels (Year 1-13) in Murchison looking for a state-funded setting.
Is Murchison Area School a good school?
Murchison Area 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
- Positive learner progress with increasingly equitable and excellent outcomes
- Leaders set strategic goals and targets increasing equitable outcomes across all learning areas
- Well-considered localised curriculum providing meaningful and relevant learning
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.
L1 90% · L2 90% · UE 40% · top quartile of band (n=84) · why? ▼ hide
Uni 0% · Te Pūkenga 1% · Industry 4% · bottom quartile of band (n=81) · why? ▼ hide
50% to Y13 · bottom 10% of band (n=86) · why? ▼ hide
standdowns 43.0/1k · suspensions 10.8/1k · exclusions 0.0/1k · below band median (n=404) · why? ▼ hide
+14.8% roll over 5yr (2020→2025) · top quartile of band (n=403) · why? ▼ hide
82/100 from ERO review 2024-09 · above band median (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): 82/100.
Latest ERO review
2024-09-20 · Shelley Booysen, ERO
- Most learners in Years 1 to 8 are achieving at or above expected curriculum levels in reading and mathematics, with the majority achieving at or above in writing
- A large majority of Year 11, 12 and 13 learners, including a majority of Māori learners, continue to achieve NCEA at Levels 1, 2 and 3
- School leaders work strategically and collaboratively, improving outcomes for learners with specific attention to target learners
- Teachers know their learners' needs very well, closely monitor progress and provide appropriate targeted support
- A small majority of learners are presently attending regularly, although the school is yet to meet the Ministry of Education's target for regular attendance
"School leaders work strategically and collaboratively, improving outcomes for learners."
Composite score across reviews
3 ERO reviews on file, 2015–2024. Click a point to read that review.
NCEA achievement
School leavers with NCEA at each level. National average is ~85% (Level 1).
NCEA Level 1 · 2024
90.0%
9 of 10 leavers
-10.0pt vs prior year
NCEA Level 2 · 2024
90.0%
9 of 10 leavers
-10.0pt vs prior year
University Entrance · 2024
40.0%
4 of 10 leavers
-35.0pt vs prior year
Data: Ministry of Education / Education Counts, CC-BY-4.0
Stay-on rate
Percentage of students who stay at school until at least their 17th birthday — the standard NZ proxy for Year-9-to-Year-13 retention.
50.0%
2024 cohort · 10 students
-33.3pt vs 2023
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
43.0
8 this year · NZ avg ~37
Suspensions · 2024
10.8
2 this year · NZ avg ~5
Exclusions · 2024
0.0
· NZ avg ~1.5
Vocational Pathway Awards
School leavers achieving Vocational Pathway Awards by industry sector (2024).
- Service Industries 1
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
$3.02M
Per-student funding · 2022
$16,142
2018
$1.9M
2019
$2.0M
2020
$4.1M
2021
$2.6M
2022
$3.0M
Roll by year level
July 2025 roll return.
- Year 01 19
- Year 02 14
- Year 03 18
- Year 04 19
- Year 05 11
- Year 06 21
- Year 07 15
- Year 08 12
- Year 09 15
- Year 10 18
- Year 11 13
- Year 12 15
- Year 13+ 4
Roll by ethnicity
Share of total roll. Students who identify with multiple ethnicities are counted once.
- European/Pākehā 93.0%
- Māori 11.2%
- Asian 5.3%
- Pacific 1.1%
- Other / MELAA 1.1%
Location
61 Waller Street, Murchison. Nearby schools marked in grey.
Map tiles © OpenStreetMap, © CARTO
Frequently asked
Is Murchison Area School a good school?
Murchison Area 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 2024-09 review identified 5 key findings. Most learners in Years 1 to 8 are achieving at or above expected curriculum levels in reading and mathematics, with the majority achieving at or above in writing
How do I enrol my child at Murchison Area School?
Contact the school directly on 03-5239072, email enquiries@murchison.school.nz, or visit www.murchison.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?
Murchison Area School is a state school. There is no tuition fee for domestic students; voluntary donations may be requested.
What is the roll size?
Murchison Area School has 187 students, with an EQI of 471 (mid-range socio-economic context).
When was the school last reviewed by ERO?
The Education Review Office last reviewed Murchison Area School in 2024-09, 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
- gazette.govt.nz
- schoolsdata.co.nz