Cambridge Middle School

What Cambridge Middle School does

Cambridge Middle School (CMS) is a New Zealand state middle school serving students in Years 7-10, located in Cambridge in the Waipa district. The school operates a continuous four-year learning pathway that is rare within the New Zealand education system, where most schools separate primary and secondary phases. CMS is government-funded for domestic students through Ministry of Education operational grants and serves a captive enrolment zone; families in-zone enroll directly, while out-of-zone and international families apply through an online portal. The school delivers the New Zealand Curriculum across values, key competencies, and learning areas, and positions itself as preparation for the NCEA senior phase. Its core academic program is supplemented by an audition-based Arts Academy (dance, music, drama), music lessons, a comprehensive sports program, a strong Kapa Haka cultural group, and student leadership development. CMS also operates an International Student Program recruiting from China, Japan, Korea, and Thailand, with both short-term and long-term placements, agent partnerships, and an annual reciprocal exchange with Makuhari Junior High School in Japan as part of a regional 50-student group.

The school's revenue model is a hybrid of public funding and fee-for-service. Domestic revenue is derived from government operational grants, while international revenue comes from tuition and homestay accommodation fees set per the CMS International Student Fees Schedule 2026. The school holds regulatory accreditations that materially enable its international segment, including NZQA's Education (Pastoral Care of International Students) Code of Practice 2021 signatory status and SIEBA membership. Operationally, CMS is a small organization with 36 reported employees, runs on a Rocketspark-hosted public website, uses Google Drive for document management, and uses Canva for newsletter and marketing materials. The technology stack is standard for a small NZ state school and contains no proprietary AI or platform infrastructure. Recent strategic activity has centered on pastoral-care enhancements (a new 2026 Attendance Management Plan), learning-support expansion (mathematics intervention programs reaching over 100 students), and the maturation of the international program. School leadership is headed by Principal Daryl Gibbs, with governance provided by the CMS School Board (most recent appointment: James Thornhill).

Name

Cambridge Middle School

Legal name

Cambridge Middle School

Website

https://cms.school.nz

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Cambridge Middle School is a New Zealand state middle school (Years 7-10) in Cambridge, Waipa, offering a rare continuous four-year learning pathway, an audition-based Arts Academy, sports, Kapa Haka, and an international student program recruiting from China, Japan, Korea, and Thailand.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Middle School Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Public Middle Schools (EDAJAAAC)

Keywords

• Middle school education
• Secondary education
• International student programs
• Performing arts education
• Curriculum education

Headquarters

HQ city

Cambridge

HQ country

New Zealand

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Domestic Student Tuition: As a public state school in New Zealand, Cambridge Middle School receives government funding for domestic students. Revenue is primarily derived from government operational grants rather than direct tuition fees from families.
2. International Student Fees: International students pay tuition and accommodation fees according to the CMS International Student Fees Schedule 2026. Both short-term and long-term international students are enrolled.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Cambridge Middle School delivers state-funded Years 7–10 education aligned with The New Zealand Curriculum from its Cambridge, Waipa campus. Its core offerings include the core academic program, an audition-based Arts Academy in dance/music/drama, music lessons, a multi-sport program, Kapa Haka, and a CMS International program for fee-paying short- and long-term students from China, Japan, Korea, and Thailand. The school's purpose is to provide a four-year continuous middle-years pathway that prepares emerging adolescents for the NCEA senior phase.

Product overview

Cambridge Middle School (CMS) is a Year 7-10 educational institution located in Cambridge, Waipa, New Zealand. The school offers a unified educational program based on The New Zealand Curriculum, with a distinctive Year 7-10 structure recognized as a separate learning pathway. The school's core offering includes a comprehensive academic curriculum, Arts Academy programs (dance, music, drama with audition-based entry), Performing Arts, Music Lessons, Sports programs, Kapa Haka, and an International Student Program. The school also provides a 2026 Attendance Management Plan for student support.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Core Academic Education Program Comprehensive Year 7–10 educational programme following The New Zealand Curriculum, recognised as a distinct Learning Pathway on page 41 of the curriculum document and providing a continuous four-year foundation for NCEA senior secondary study.
• Arts Academy Audition-based performing arts programme covering dance, music, and drama for talented students at Cambridge Middle School.
• Music Lessons at CMS Formal and informal music instruction offered to interested students at Cambridge Middle School.
• Sports Programs Comprehensive sporting activities and inter-school competitions covering hockey, football, rugby, ki o rahi, netball, futsal, and other inter-school events.
• International Student Program International student programme welcoming fee-paying students from China, Japan, Korea, and Thailand for short- and long-term study, including the annual reciprocal exchange with Makuhari Junior High School in Japan. Operates under the CMS International Student Fees Schedule 2026 with bundled tuition, homestay accommodation, and pastoral care.

Quantifiable outcome

• Lit Quiz Regional Winners 2017
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• SIEBAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCambridge Middle School is a member of SIEBA, an organization supporting international education in New Zealand. This membership provides access to resources, networks, and best practices for international student recruitment and pastoral care.
• NZQA (New Zealand Qualifications Authority)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe school is a signatory to the Education (Pastoral Care of International Students) Code of Practice 2021, administered by NZQA. This certification ensures the school meets standards for international student welfare and support.
• Makuhari Junior High School (Japan)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAnnual exchange partnership where Makuhari Junior High School students visit Cambridge Middle School, and CMS students reciprocate with exchange visits to Japan in September/October. This 13-day exchange is highly sought after and part of a broader group including students from multiple regional schools.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Te Awamutu Intermediate School: A Waikato intermediate school participating in the same Makuhari exchange programme as CMS. Comparable in curriculum delivery (NZ Curriculum, Years 7–8), public funding model, and small-town community profile.
• Berkley Middle School: Named alongside Cambridge Middle School in the annual Makuhari Junior High School exchange cohort. Comparable in scale, NZ state-school status, and middle-years positioning in the Waikato/Bay of Plenty region.
• Melville Intermediate: Hamilton intermediate in the same Makuhari exchange cohort as CMS. Direct comparable in curriculum, funding model, and middle-years cohort profile.
• Peachgrove Intermediate: Hamilton intermediate participating in the Makuhari exchange programme alongside CMS. Directly comparable as a state intermediate with overlapping extracurricular and curriculum delivery.
• Morrinsville Intermediate: Waikato intermediate identified in the same exchange group as CMS. Comparable NZ state intermediate with similar scale and rural-town community context.
• Hamilton Junior High School: A NZ state middle school in the Waikato region that explicitly participates in the same Makuhari exchange group as Cambridge Middle School. Directly comparable as a Year 7–10 (or equivalent) state intermediate serving a similar Waikato community with overlapping extracurricular offerings.
• Maeroa Intermediate: Hamilton-based intermediate named in the Makuhari exchange group with CMS. Comparable NZ state intermediate with similar middle-years focus and inter-school cultural/sporting participation.
• Matamata Intermediate: Waikato intermediate identified as part of the Makuhari exchange cohort with CMS. Comparable in being a small-town NZ state school serving the middle-years cohort.

Broad incumbents

• ACG (Academic Colleges Group) New Zealand: Largest private school network in New Zealand operating multiple campuses (e.g., ACG Parnell, ACG Strathallan) with significant international student programs. Comparable in serving international fee-paying students in NZ but broader in scale, geography, and private (rather than state) funding model.
• King's College, Auckland: Prestigious NZ private school with a sizable international student cohort and SIEBA membership. Comparable as a NZQA-accredited NZ school accepting international students but broader incumbent due to its full secondary (Y9–13) private-school positioning.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/Cambridge-Middle-School-304783593058476
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cambridge-middle-school

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Cambridge Middle School