St Mark's School

What St Mark's School does

St Mark's School is an independent Anglican co-educational school located opposite the Basin Reserve in Wellington, New Zealand, operating continuously since its founding in 1917. It serves approximately 180-220 students across Preschool (ages 2-5) through Year 8, delivered by a teaching and administrative staff of 38. The core academic offering is the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme (PYP), authorised across the full age range and validated in a 2021 IB evaluation that yielded 24 commendations and a "World Leader in PYP delivery" designation. Specialist subjects span Drama, Music, Physical Education, Visual Arts, Spanish, Religious Education, and Science & Technology, supported by an unusually deep co-curricular programme (orchestras, choirs, jazz band, sports, performing arts, and academic clubs).

The school's product portfolio is organised into three distinct revenue streams: recurring domestic tuition, higher-rate international student tuition with a four-week minimum and Mandarin-language prospectus, and the Arrowsmith cognitive remediation programme licensed from Arrowsmith School (Canada) for students with learning difficulties. One-time application (NZD $100) and enrollment (NZD $450) fees, a 25% entrance scholarship available from Preschool through Year 8, community education grants for fee assistance, and ancillary SMART after-school and Holiday Programmes complete the commercial model. Go-to-market is sales-led and high-touch: Principal-led school tours, Open Days, Experience Mornings, and a formal application-interview-offer-enrollment pipeline managed by a dedicated Enrolment & Engagement Manager. Reporting and parent communication run on the SeeSaw digital portfolio, with assessment, fee billing (quarterly, with 10% late penalty and 3% early-payment discount), and calendar/alert functions delivered through the school app.

Name

St Mark's School

Legal name

St Mark's School

Website

https://st-marks.school.nz

Company type

Private

Founded year

1917

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

St Mark's School is an independent Anglican co-educational school in Wellington, New Zealand, delivering International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme education from Preschool through Year 8 to domestic and international families, supplemented by the Arrowsmith cognitive programme and specialist arts, music, and sports curricula.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Private Primary Education

NAICS

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

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Child Day Care Services (8351)

akta.pro primary industry

Preschool Programs within Private K–12 Schools (EDACABAM)

akta.pro secondary industries

Faith-Based Preschools (EDACABAF), Center-Based Toddler Care (18–36 months) (EDACAGAB)

Keywords

• Private primary education
• International Baccalaureate PYP
• Anglican co-educational school
• Arrowsmith cognitive programme
• International student education

Headquarters

HQ city

Wellington

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

Revenue model

1. Domestic Tuition Fees: Recurring tuition fees charged to New Zealand citizens and residents for Preschool through Year 8 education. Fees are charged four times per year (December, March, June, September) with payment due by the 20th of the month following invoice date.
2. International Student Tuition: Higher tuition fees for international students with a minimum 4-week enrolment period requirement. Medical insurance must be arranged and paid in advance by parents.
3. Arrowsmith Programme Fees: Specialized cognitive programme fees for students requiring learning support, charged on the same quarterly schedule as regular tuition.
4. Application and Enrollment Fees: One-time non-refundable application fee of NZD$100 and enrollment fee of NZD$450 upon acceptance.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

St Mark's School delivers Preschool through Year 8 co-educational instruction anchored in the authorised International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme (PYP), supplemented by specialist subjects and a licensed Arrowsmith cognitive training programme. Educational services are sold directly to domestic New Zealand families and international students via subscription tuition, with one-time application and enrollment fees.

Product overview

St Mark's School is an Independent Anglican co-educational school offering a unified educational programme from Preschool (age 2-5) through Year 8. The core academic offering is the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme (PYP), supplemented by specialist subjects including Drama, Music, Physical Education and Sports, Visual Arts, Spanish, Religious Education, and Science & Technology. Additional programmes include the Arrowsmith cognitive learning programme, an International Student Programme, and extensive co-curricular activities spanning music ensembles (choirs, bands, orchestra), sports teams, performing arts clubs, and academic clubs. The school also provides financial support through entrance scholarships and community education grants, and operates holiday programmes. Assessment is communicated via SeeSaw digital portfolio platform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• SMART Programme: Holiday and after-school programmes offered by St Mark's School for students

Products and services

• IB Primary Years Programme (PYP) Authorised International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme for Preschool to Year 8 students, focusing on inquiry-based learning through transdisciplinary themes. Delivered at St Mark's School, Wellington.
• Preschool Programme Early childhood education for children aged 2 to 5 with transition-to-school support. Available year-round with eligibility for 20 hours of Government ECE funding.
• Primary School (Lower and Upper Primary) Primary education from Year 0 (Reception) to Year 8 with specialist subjects and IB PYP curriculum integration, delivered at St Mark's School.
• Arrowsmith Programme Cognitive learning programme targeting 16 specific areas of the brain to help students who struggle with reading, writing, mathematics, comprehension, memory, and attention. Individualised programmes range from three to five years. Licensed from Arrowsmith School (Canada).
• International Student Programme Education programme for international students with dedicated support, English language assistance, and cultural integration services. Minimum 4-week enrollment with adherence to the Code of Practice for the Welfare of International Students. Prospectus available in Mandarin.
• Entrance Scholarships Scholarship programme acknowledging students who embody St Mark's values. Standard scholarship provides 25% discount on school fees for a minimum of three years, available from Preschool through Year 8.
• Community Education Grants Grants for children who would not otherwise be able to attend St Mark's, offering fee assistance based on eligibility criteria.
• SMART and Holiday Programmes School holiday programmes open to all children, including activities, games, and crafts. Also offers SMART after-school activities.

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• International Baccalaureate OrganizationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSt Mark's is an authorized IB World School offering the Primary Years Programme (PYP) from Preschool to Year 8. The school underwent evaluation in 2021 receiving 24 commendations and was named a World Leader in PYP delivery.
• Independent Schools of New Zealand (ISNZ)minorOthersMember of Independent Schools of New Zealand, the national organization representing independent schools in New Zealand.
• Arrowsmith School (Canada)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLicensed provider of the Arrowsmith Programme, a cognitive training program based on neuroplasticity principles targeting specific areas of the brain to help students with learning difficulties.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Scots College: Wellington-based independent co-educational school spanning primary through secondary; one of St Mark's most direct local competitors for fee-paying families seeking premium, values-based education in the same city.
• Wellesley College: Wellington boys' independent school (Years 1-8) with similar Anglican/traditional heritage and small-class ethos; a like-for-like peer for primary-aged Wellington families.
• Chilton Saint James School: Wellington independent school offering primary and secondary education with a small-class, character-led philosophy; directly competes for the same premium Wellington family segment.
• Arrowsmith School: Toronto-based school that originated the Arrowsmith cognitive training programme and licences it to St Mark's; the originating provider of St Mark's flagship specialist offering.
• Samuel Marsden Collegiate School: Wellington independent Presbyterian school offering Preschool through Year 13, also emphasizing a values-based and broad curriculum; directly comparable in size, scope, and local premium positioning.

Regional players

• St Andrew's College (Christchurch): Large Christchurch independent co-educational school with Presbyterian foundation and broad specialist/co-curricular programme; comparable in ethos, scale, and IB-adjacent positioning but in a different city.
• Pinehurst School: Auckland-based private school offering IB programmes from primary through secondary; comparable in inquiry-based IB curriculum and premium positioning but operating in a different region.
• King's College (Auckland): Large Auckland independent Anglican school with full primary and secondary pathways; comparable in Anglican character, broad specialist curriculum, and premium positioning, though significantly larger.
• Christ's College (Christchurch): Christchurch Anglican independent school with similar Anglican heritage and long operating history; comparable in tradition-led, character-focused education but in a different region.

Broad incumbents

• ACG Schools (Academic Colleges Group): New Zealand-wide network of private schools (including primary campuses) offering IB and Cambridge pathways; a multi-campus incumbent whose scale and brand compete for the same premium NZ primary market.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/St-Marks-Church-School-402070239843604
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/st-marks-school-wlg
• Instagraminstagram.com/stmarkschurchschool

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles18 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 St Mark's School