Nelson Central School
Nile Street, Nelson · Nelson, Marlborough & West Coast
Composite score
Established
Below median
Rank #1,389 of scored NZ schools
In summary
Nelson Central School's October 2024 ERO review found most students achieve at or above curriculum expectations in reading, writing and mathematics, with improvements continuing over time. Outcomes for Māori and Pacific students show significant improvements, though equity for Māori students in mathematics and boys in writing remain priorities. The school demonstrates collaborative leadership, culturally responsive practice, and teachers with high expectations who differentiate learning to meet student needs.
Best suited for
Students in Nelson looking for a state-funded setting with an established ERO profile.
Is Nelson Central School a good school?
Nelson Central School scores 65/100 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 25.8/1k · suspensions 0.0/1k · exclusions 0.0/1k · below band median (n=518) · why? ▼ hide
-15.3% roll over 5yr (2020→2025) · bottom quartile of band (n=515) · why? ▼ hide
79/100 from ERO review 2024-10 · near band median (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): 79/100.
Latest ERO review
2024-10-30 · Shelley Booysen, ERO
- Board has attested to meeting regulatory and legislative requirements in Board Administration
- Board has attested to meeting regulatory and legislative requirements in Curriculum
- Board has attested to meeting regulatory and legislative requirements in Management of Health, Safety and Welfare
- Board has attested to meeting regulatory and legislative requirements in Personnel Management
- Board has attested to meeting regulatory and legislative requirements in Finance
"As of April 2024, the Nelson Central School Board has attested to the following regulatory and legislative requirements:"
Composite score across reviews
2 ERO reviews on file, 2015–2024. 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
25.8
4 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
$5.30M
Per-student funding · 2022
$13,347
2018
$3.2M
2019
$4.5M
2020
$3.6M
2021
$3.7M
2022
$5.3M
Roll by year level
July 2025 roll return.
- Year 01 65
- Year 02 63
- Year 03 58
- Year 04 72
- Year 05 55
- Year 06 63
- Year 07 7
Roll by ethnicity
Share of total roll. Students who identify with multiple ethnicities are counted once.
- European/Pākehā 74.1%
- Asian 17.9%
- Māori 13.9%
- Other / MELAA 7.6%
- Pacific 3.3%
- International 1.8%
Location
Nile Street, Nelson. Nearby schools marked in grey.
Map tiles © OpenStreetMap, © CARTO
Schools nearby
Within 15km, sorted by distance. Add any to compare with Nelson Central School.
St Joseph's School (Nelson)
Full Primary · 0.2km · 363 roll
69
+4 vs this
Maitai School
Specialist School · 0.5km · 57 roll
52
-13 vs this
Nelson College For Girls
Secondary (Year 9-15) · 0.5km · 921 roll
76
+11 vs this
Nelson College For Girls Prep School
Intermediate · 0.6km · 96 roll
83
+18 vs this
Hampden Street School
Contributing · 1.3km · 449 roll
72
+7 vs this
Auckland Point School
Contributing · 1.4km · 94 roll
36
-29 vs this
Frequently asked
Is Nelson Central School a good school?
Nelson Central School scores 65/100 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 2024-10 review identified 6 key findings. Board has attested to meeting regulatory and legislative requirements in Board Administration
How do I enrol my child at Nelson Central School?
Contact the school directly on 03-5484972, email admin@nelsoncentral.school.nz, or visit www.nelsoncentral.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?
Nelson Central School is a state school. There is no tuition fee for domestic students; voluntary donations may be requested.
What is the roll size?
Nelson Central School has 397 students, with an EQI of 425 (mid-range socio-economic context).
When was the school last reviewed by ERO?
The Education Review Office last reviewed Nelson Central School in 2024-10, 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