Waitaki Boys' High School
Waitaki Avenue, Oamaru · Otago & Southland
Composite score
Developing
Below median
Rank #1,880 of scored NZ schools
In summary
Waitaki Boys' High School's hostel received a positive ERO review in March 2023, with findings noting high-quality pastoral care, effective monitoring systems for boarder wellbeing, and significant improvements in management following staffing changes. Strengths include strong collaboration between hostel and school staff and robust formal and informal support systems for student health and wellbeing. The school has a composite score of 85.
Best suited for
Students aged 13-18 in Oamaru looking for a state-funded setting.
Is Waitaki Boys' High School a good school?
Waitaki Boys' High School scores 52/100 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.
Strengths from the latest ERO report
- High quality pastoral care and support for boarder health and wellbeing
- Effective formal and informal systems for monitoring and managing student wellbeing
- Strong communication and productive collaboration between hostel and school 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.
L1 77% · L2 69% · UE 42% · below band median (n=109) · why? ▼ hide
Uni 10% · Te Pūkenga 7% · Industry 14% · above band median (n=102) · why? ▼ hide
74% to Y13 · near band median (n=115) · why? ▼ hide
standdowns 81.1/1k · suspensions 21.0/1k · exclusions 9.6/1k · bottom quartile of band (n=468) · why? ▼ hide
+13.3% roll over 5yr (2020→2025) · above band median (n=469) · why? ▼ hide
85/100 from ERO review 2023-03 · top 10% of band (n=471) · 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): 85/100.
Latest ERO review
2023-03-21 · Kathy Lye, Southern Region | Te Tai Tini
- Hostel manager and owner have attested they meet Hostel Regulations 2005 requirements
- Significant positive developments in hostel management, operations, policies, and procedures following recent staffing changes
- Boarders receive high quality pastoral care with effective formal and informal monitoring systems
- Hostel staff working productively with school staff to support boys' learning with increasingly personalised activities
- High levels of parent satisfaction with hostel life and care based on recent surveys
"Boarders receive high quality pastoral care and support with their health and wellbeing. There are effective formal and informal systems for monitoring and managing this."
Composite score across reviews
2 ERO reviews on file, 2019–2023. Click a point to read that review.
Audited financials
Year ended 2025 · Audit opinion: n/a
Total revenue
$8.14M
Surplus / (deficit)
$90k
Net assets / equity
$1.87M
2 years of audited data on file · View full history (Pro)
NCEA achievement
School leavers with NCEA at each level. National average is ~85% (Level 1).
NCEA Level 1 · 2024
76.9%
50 of 65 leavers
+1.2pt vs prior year
NCEA Level 2 · 2024
69.2%
45 of 65 leavers
+12.4pt vs prior year
University Entrance · 2024
41.5%
27 of 65 leavers
+10.4pt 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.
73.8%
2024 cohort · 65 students
+8.9pt 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
81.1
57 this year · NZ avg ~37
Suspensions · 2024
21.0
18 this year · NZ avg ~5
Exclusions · 2024
9.6
7 this year · NZ avg ~1.5
Vocational Pathway Awards
School leavers achieving Vocational Pathway Awards by industry sector (2024).
- Manufacturing and Technology 4
- Construction and Infrastructure 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
$4.82M
Per-student funding · 2022
$11,677
2018
$4.7M
2019
$4.1M
2020
$4.3M
2021
$5.3M
2022
$4.8M
Roll by year level
July 2025 roll return.
- Year 09 100
- Year 10 99
- Year 11 103
- Year 12 77
- Year 13+ 55
Roll by ethnicity
Share of total roll. Students who identify with multiple ethnicities are counted once.
- European/Pākehā 73.6%
- Pacific 16.2%
- Māori 13.1%
- Asian 8.5%
- Other / MELAA 1.5%
- International 1.0%
Location
Waitaki Avenue, Oamaru. Nearby schools marked in grey.
Map tiles © OpenStreetMap, © CARTO
Schools nearby
Within 15km, sorted by distance. Add any to compare with Waitaki Boys' High School.
Oamaru Intermediate
Intermediate · 0.8km · 312 roll
57
+5 vs this
Pembroke School (Oamaru)
Contributing · 0.9km · 263 roll
43
-9 vs this
St Kevins College (Oamaru)
Secondary (Year 9-15) · 1.6km · 474 roll
75
+23 vs this
Waitaki Girls' High School
Secondary (Year 9-15) · 2km · 391 roll
60
+8 vs this
Te Pākihi o Maru
Contributing · 2.4km · 132 roll
58
+6 vs this
St Joseph's School (Oamaru)
Full Primary · 2.5km · 139 roll
60
+8 vs this
Frequently asked
Is Waitaki Boys' High School a good school?
Waitaki Boys' High School scores 52/100 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 2023-03 review identified 5 key findings. Hostel manager and owner have attested they meet Hostel Regulations 2005 requirements
How do I enrol my child at Waitaki Boys' High School?
Contact the school directly on 03-4370529, email admin@waitakibhs.school.nz, or visit www.waitakibhs.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?
Waitaki Boys' High School is a state school. There is no tuition fee for domestic students; voluntary donations may be requested.
What is the roll size?
Waitaki Boys' High School has 413 students, with an EQI of 477 (mid-range socio-economic context). It is a boys school-only school.
When was the school last reviewed by ERO?
The Education Review Office last reviewed Waitaki Boys' High School in 2023-03, signed by Kathy Lye. 5 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
- waitakibhs.school.nz
- schoolsdata.co.nz
- crimestats.co.nz