What Iona College does

Iona College is a not-for-profit Presbyterian boarding and day school for girls located at 42 Lucknow Road, Havelock North, in New Zealand's Hawke's Bay region. Founded in 1914 as the oldest Presbyterian school in New Zealand, the school operates on a 27-acre campus and serves approximately 330 students across Years 7-13, with a current mix of approximately 60% boarders and 40% day students. The institution is governed by the Iona College Council and derives the majority of its operating revenue from tuition, boarding fees, and ancillary services, with international student fees totaling NZD $62,930 per year (2026 schedule) and domestic fees reviewed annually by the Council. International students are recruited from East Asia (China, Japan, Korea), Southeast Asia (Singapore, Thailand), and Western Europe (Germany, UK), with the school being a signatory to the Education (Pastoral Care of International Students) Code of Practice 2021.

The school's core offering is an NCEA-aligned academic programme (Years 7-13) complemented by an extensive co-curricular portfolio spanning 18+ sports, performing arts, and leadership development. In 2025, Iona achieved 100% NCEA Level 1 and Level 2 pass rates, 95.6% Level 3, and 95.6% University Entrance, materially above national averages (73.5%, 73.6%, 71.5%, and 52.0% respectively). The school's flagship facility is the award-winning Blyth Performing Arts Centre, a 396-seat venue that received the 2015 New Zealand Architecture Medal. The school's technology stack is built on third-party education platforms: KAMAR for student management, ORAH for boarding operations, and SchoolBridge as the parent/student portal, with no proprietary technology or AI capabilities.

Iona operates a sales-led direct enrollment model with two channels: domestic enrollment through a Ministry of Education-approved scheme with preference categories and waiting lists, and international enrollment via prospectus materials in five languages (English, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Thai) and partnerships with Education New Zealand and SIEBA. Revenue is recurring subscription-based (annual tuition and boarding fees reviewed by the Council), with ancillary revenue from insurance, uniform, and personal expenses accounts. Adjacent revenue streams include Foundation bequests, Parents and Friends' Association fundraising, Iona Old Girls' Association alumni engagement via the Iona Connect community platform, and Blyth venue hire. The school holds no patents, has no PE/VC or public ownership, and is a registered New Zealand non-profit educational institution.

Name

Iona College

Legal name

Iona College

Website

https://iona.school.nz

Company type

Private

Founded year

1914

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Iona College is a not-for-profit Presbyterian boarding and day school for girls in Years 7-13, founded in 1914 in Havelock North, New Zealand. It serves approximately 330 students with a 60% boarder mix, including domestic and international cohorts from East Asia, Southeast Asia, and Europe, and consistently achieves top-tier NCEA academic outcomes.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Independent Girls' Secondary Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Nonsectarian Independent Boarding Schools (EDAJABAB)

Keywords

• Girls boarding school
• Secondary education services
• International student programme
• NCEA academic programme
• Pastoral care boarding

Headquarters

HQ city

Havelock North

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, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Domestic Tuition and Attendance Dues: Day students pay attendance dues and term fees reviewed annually. Fees include Special Character donation and Building Works contribution. Payment via Direct Debit preferred, with one term advance payment required.
2. International Student Tuition: International students pay annual tuition fees of NZD $29,820 plus student levy. Includes ESOL tuition. International fee schedule published for 2026 and 2027.
3. Boarding Fees: Boarders pay annual boarding fee of $21,550 covering accommodation and meals. Additional facilitation fee of $2,000 for care and welfare.
4. Ancillary Services: Travel and medical insurance ($630), personal expenses account ($6,000), and uniform costs ($2,500) charged separately.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Iona College is a boarding and day school for girls in Years 7-13 delivering NCEA-aligned secondary education, residential boarding services, international student programmes with ESOL support, and co-curricular offerings in performing arts and sport. The school sells annual tuition, boarding, and ancillary fee packages to both domestic and international families, with approximately 330 students enrolled on a 27-acre campus in Havelock North, New Zealand.

Product overview

Iona College is a boarding and day school for girls from Years 7-13, established in 1914 and located in Havelock North, Hawke's Bay, New Zealand. The institution offers a comprehensive educational programme built around its core pillars: academic excellence (with consistently high NCEA results), boarding services (serving 60% of the 330-student roll), and holistic development through sports and performing arts. Key products include Iona Connect (an online community platform for alumni, students, parents and friends), The Blyth Performing Arts Centre (an award-winning 396-seat venue), and various enrichment programmes. The college operates as a Presbyterian-integrated school with a Special Character that permeates all aspects of college life, guided by the motto 'Love, Joy, Peace'.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• The Blyth Performing Arts Centre: State-of-the-art performing arts venue named in memory of Lieutenant-Colonel Lawrence (Curly) and Ethel May Blyth, honoring Iona Old Girl Margaret Blyth. One of the finest concert chambers in New Zealand.

Products and services

• Academic Education Programme Comprehensive secondary curriculum from Years 7-13 following New Zealand's NCEA framework, delivered across intermediate (Years 7-8), junior (Years 9-10), and senior (Years 11-13) phases. Designed for girls and prep
• Boarding Services Comprehensive boarding programme for girls from Years 7-13, currently serving 60% of the 330-student roll. Includes round-the-clock pastoral care, a Tuakana-Teina buddy programme pairing senior students with younger boarders, professional catering, and weekend activities.
• International Student Programme Comprehensive international student programme welcoming students from Singapore, Korea, Japan, China, Thailand, Germany, and England. Includes ESOL tuition, cultural integration support, and pastoral care aligned with the Education (Pastoral Care of International Students) Code of Practice 2021.
• Sports Programme Extensive sporting programme including athletics, badminton, basketball, cricket, cross country, cycling, equestrian, football, golf, hockey, kayaking, netball, rowing, skiing, swimming, tennis, water polo, and more. Sport is compulsory from Year 7 to Year 12.
• Performing Arts Programme Comprehensive performing arts programme including choir, dance, debating, drama/theatre clubs, Kapa Haka, music, private music tuition, rock bands, orchestra, SGCNZ VUW Shakespeare, speech and drama, and backstage/tech opportunities.
• Iona Connect Online social and business networking hub that brings Old Girls, students, parents, and friends of Iona College together to reconnect, build a lifelong community, and raise funds for student opportunities and education.
• The Blyth Performing Arts Centre State-of-the-art performing arts venue honouring the legacy of Iona Old Girl Margaret Blyth. Features a 396-seat auditorium with a raised stage and a chamber with outstanding concert acoustics recognized as one of the finest in New Zealand.

Quantifiable outcome

• NCEA Level 1 pass rate of 100% (2025), significantly above national average of 73.5%
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Education New ZealandcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership with Education New Zealand for international student recruitment and promotion of New Zealand as a study destination. Iona College is listed as a preferred institution for international students seeking quality New Zealand education.
• SIEBA (Society for International Education)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership with SIEBA for international student recruitment and support services. SIEBA supports schools in delivering quality education to international students.
• Air New ZealandminorOthersTransportation partnership providing approximately 14 daily flights connecting Hawke's Bay to Auckland (1 hour) and Wellington (40 minutes). Facilitates international student travel to and from the school.
• Lindisfarne CollegeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative partnership for biennial musical theatre productions. Students from both schools have performed together in productions including Godspell, Les Misérables, Once On This Island, Fame, Chicago and Grease.
• ORAH (Boarding Management System)coreTechnology or IntegrationORAH is the boarding management system used by Iona College to manage boarding operations, student records, and communications with boarding families.
• KAMAR (Student Management System)coreTechnology or IntegrationKAMAR is the student management system used for assessments, data management, and keeping students and families in touch with academic progress.
• SchoolBridgecoreTechnology or IntegrationSchoolBridge is the parent and student portal providing access to school information, grades, communications, and administrative functions.
• Uni-Care (Insurance Provider)coreOthersInternational student travel and medical insurance arranged through Uni-Care, valid for 12 months covering travel from New Zealand to students' home countries.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Columba College: Independent girls' school in Dunedin covering Years 7-13 with Presbyterian heritage, sharing Iona's faith-based foundation and comparable curriculum structure.
• Craighead Diocesan School: Anglican girls' boarding and day school in Timaru offering Years 7-13, sharing Iona's faith-based special character, boarding model, and provincial NZ girls' school positioning.
• Samuel Marsden Collegiate School: Independent girls' school in Wellington covering Years 7-13 with a Presbyterian foundation and strong performing arts programs, overlapping with Iona on faith-based ethos, academic focus, and creative arts emphasis.
• Diocesan School for Girls: One of New Zealand's premier Anglican girls' boarding and day schools in Auckland, offering Years 7-13 with similar boarding emphasis, scholarship programs, and strong NCEA results — a leading competitor for international students.
• St Margaret's College: Anglican girls' boarding and day school in Christchurch with Years 7-13, comparable boarding infrastructure, special character status, and academic profile to Iona.
• Queen Margaret College: Independent girls' school in Wellington serving Years 7-13 with boarding options and a comparable integrated/special character structure, competing with Iona for Wellington-region domestic and international students.
• Nga Tawa Diocesan School: Anglican girls' boarding and day school in Marton offering Years 7-13, with similar special character foundation, boarding-centric enrollment, and international student recruitment.
• Rangi Ruru Girls' School: Independent girls' boarding and day school in Christchurch for Years 7-13, comparable in scale, boarding emphasis, and integrated girls' education value proposition to Iona.
• Woodford House: Independent girls' boarding and day school located in Havelock North, Hawke's Bay — same town, same year levels, same boarding model, making it Iona's closest geographic and structural competitor.
• St Cuthbert's College: Independent Presbyterian girls' school in Auckland with boarding facilities from Years 7-13, sharing Iona's Presbyterian heritage, boarding model, and emphasis on holistic girls' education with strong academic outcomes.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/iona-college-havelock-north

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Subsidiaries4 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 Iona College