Pinehurst School

What Pinehurst School does

Pinehurst School is a not-for-profit independent co-educational school (Pinehurst School Incorporated) operating a single purpose-built campus in Albany, Auckland, serving approximately 1,100 students across Years 1-13. Founded in 1991 by Peter Davies and a group of visionaries with Sherida Penman Walters as inaugural Principal, the school delivers the Cambridge Assessment International Education curriculum end-to-end, holding Cambridge Fellowship status (2006) and New Zealand's first Cambridge Centre of Excellence designation (2022). Academic results are a primary value proposition: 21 Cambridge Outstanding Learner Awards in 2025, including 5 Top in the World and 12 Top in New Zealand, with Checkpoint scores consistently above international averages and over 90% of students achieving University Entrance in 2020. Notable alumni include professional golfer Lydia Ko.

The school's product set centres on Cambridge Primary (Years 1-6) and Cambridge College (Years 7-13) pathways, supported by an extensive extra-curricular layer of 150+ sports teams, an arts programme, integrated Duke of Edinburgh's Hillary Award, year-level camps, and a vendor-stack of after-school programmes (Art4kidz, Bricks4Kidz, chess, Spanish, drama, taekwondo, and others). Operations are underpinned by Veracross (parent portal), RollCall (real-time bus tracking across nine subsidised routes serving 200+ daily riders), and Komodo (wellbeing check-ins), with facilities including a 253-seat theatre (2023) and a split-level library (2020).

The revenue model is a subscription-based tuition engine (not publicly disclosed but inferred at NZ$20K-NZ$25K blended ARPU across the roll), diversified by an international student programme providing visa and homestay support, financial scholarships for up to 25 students annually, subsidised bus transport, itinerant music lessons at NZ$40 per 30-minute session, and freemium before/after school care (free until 4pm, low-cost thereafter via Youthtown partnership). Go-to-market is sales-led through Open Days, campus tours, entrance tests at Years 7 and 9, and a parent referral network. The school is governed by a Board of Governors drawn from the Pinehurst Society with the Pinehurst Trust providing long-term stewardship; Mike Waller was appointed Executive Principal in February 2023 with prior international leadership at JESS Dubai and senior roles in Hong Kong and Australia.

Name

Pinehurst School

Legal name

Pinehurst School Incorporated

Website

https://pinehurst.school.nz

Company type

Private

Founded year

1991

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Pinehurst School is a not-for-profit independent co-educational school in Albany, Auckland, delivering the full Cambridge International curriculum across Years 1-13 to approximately 1,100 students, and recognised as New Zealand's first Cambridge Centre of Excellence.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Independent K-13 Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111), Educational Services (611), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

International/Global Curriculum Schools (IB, Cambridge, etc.) (EDAJABAG)

Keywords

• Independent school education
• Cambridge curriculum programmes
• Primary and secondary schooling
• International student programmes
• School transport services

Headquarters

HQ city

Albany, Auckland

HQ country

New Zealand

HQ region

Oceania

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Tuition Fees: Full and partial tuition fees for Years 1-13 students. The school offers financial scholarships covering full or partial tuition for up to 25 students annually.
2. International Student Fees: Fees for international students including visa support services, homestay accommodation management, and orientation. Services provided at no additional cost beyond tuition.
3. Before & After School Care: Free Before School Care (7:30-8:15am) and After School Care (3:15-4:00pm). Low-cost care available after 4pm (4:00-5:30pm) through partnership with Youthtown. Holiday programmes run on-campus exclusively for Pinehurst students.
4. Itinerant Music Lessons: One-on-one music tuition across a range of instruments. Lessons charged at $40.00 per 30-minute session, invoiced termly by itinerant teachers.
5. Subsidised Bus Service: Subsidised bus service with nine routes across Auckland's North Shore and surrounding areas. Over 200 students travel daily. Route-specific fees apply based on bus zones.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Pinehurst School is a single-campus independent co-educational school on Auckland's North Shore delivering the Cambridge International curriculum from Year 1 through Year 13. It serves over 1,100 students with small class sizes (maximum 25), comprehensive pastoral care, and extensive co-curricular programmes in sport, arts, and outdoor education, supported by ancillary services including before and after school care, a nine-route subsidised bus service, itinerant music tuition, financial scholarships, and an international students programme.

Product overview

Pinehurst School is a single-campus independent co-educational school offering a comprehensive Cambridge International curriculum from Years 1-13. The school operates as a unified educational institution comprising the Cambridge Primary Curriculum (Years 1-6) and Cambridge College Curriculum (Years 7-13), supplemented by extensive support services including before/after school care, bus transportation, financial scholarships, and an international students programme. The school provides rich extra-curricular offerings through after school programmes (Art4kidz, Bricks4Kidz, chess, cooking, sewing, Spanish, speech & drama, taekwondo), school camps across all year levels, a sports programme with 150+ teams, and a comprehensive arts programme spanning drama, music, visual arts, and design technology. The Duke of Edinburgh's Hillary Award programme is integrated as a key component of student development.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Cambridge Primary Curriculum
• Cambridge College Curriculum
• International Students Programme
• Before and After School Care
• School Bus Service
• Itinerant Music Lessons
• Financial Scholarship Programme
• Sports Programme
• Arts Programme
• Duke of Edinburgh's Hillary Award
• After School Programmes
• School Camps

Quantifiable outcome

• 21 Cambridge Outstanding Learner Awards in 2025, with 5 Top in the World and 12 Top in New Zealand
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• YouthtowncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Youthtown to deliver After School Care services and holiday programmes on the Pinehurst campus. Youthtown runs Pinehurst-only holiday programmes on campus, providing exclusive care options for enrolled students. Before School Care is managed directly by Pinehurst staff.
• RollCallcoreTechnology or IntegrationReal-time bus tracking system provider used by Pinehurst to track bus locations, student tap-on/tap-off status, and communicate delays to parents. School has access to live dashboard showing every bus in motion and every student onboard.
• New Zealand Government - Code of Practice for Pastoral Care of International StudentscoreOthersPinehurst is a signatory to the New Zealand Government's Code of Practice for the Pastoral Care of International Students. This commits the school to providing a safe, welcoming, and supportive environment for international students, with oversight from NZQA.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Auckland Grammar School: State-funded elite boys' school with strong academic outcomes. Competes for high-achieving North Shore families but operates on a state funding model rather than tuition.
• Westlake Boys High School: Top-performing state boys' school on Auckland's North Shore. Competes for the same academically-oriented families but at zero tuition, putting pressure on Pinehurst's value proposition.

Direct peers

• Kristin School: Leading Auckland independent co-educational school on the North Shore offering both IB and Cambridge pathways. Direct competitor for the same Auckland North Shore catchment and premium-fee family segment.
• ACG (Academic Colleges Group): Major NZ private education operator running multiple schools in Auckland with Cambridge pathways. Direct competitor for international and domestic Cambridge students at premium price points.
• King's College (Auckland): Elite Auckland independent school offering Cambridge A Levels. Direct competitor for premium international and domestic families targeting Cambridge qualifications and university placement.
• St Cuthbert's College: Premier Auckland independent girls' school offering Cambridge pathways. Comparable premium positioning and academic reputation in the same Auckland market.
• Diocesan School for Girls: Top-tier Auckland independent girls' school with strong Cambridge results. Comparable on academic outcomes and premium positioning, though single-gender versus Pinehurst's co-ed model.

Regional players

• Bangkok Patana School: One of Asia's leading British international schools offering Cambridge IGCSE and A Levels. Comparable premium Cambridge positioning, especially relevant given Pinehurst deputy principal Tony Berghuis's 16-year tenure there.
• Harrow International Schools: Global network of premium British curriculum international schools (e.g., Harrow Shanghai, Harrow Hong Kong). Comparable premium positioning and curriculum; relevant since former Pinehurst principal Alex Reed moved to Harrow Shanghai.
• Jumeirah English Speaking School (JESS): Leading Dubai British international school offering Cambridge pathways. Comparable premium positioning; relevant as Executive Principal Mike Waller was previously Head of Secondary at JESS.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/pinehurst-school

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Pinehurst School