Waitaki Boys' High School

What Waitaki Boys' High School does

Waitaki Boys' High School is a single-sex state-integrated secondary school located in Oamaru, New Zealand, founded in 1883. It delivers the New Zealand Curriculum and NCEA qualifications to boys across Years 9 to 13 on a single campus at 10 Waitaki Avenue, with a current roll of approximately 448 students and roughly 55 staff. The school positions itself as the smallest boys' state school in New Zealand, marketing the combination of individual pastoral attention with an extensive academic, vocational and co-curricular offering. The school operates a Board of Trustees governance model under the New Zealand Ministry of Education and opts into the donations scheme covering curriculum costs.

The core academic offering is supplemented by several distinct sub-products. Don House is the on-campus boarding hostel serving both domestic and international students. Fraser Farm is an 18-hectare working farm on site — one of only four such facilities in New Zealand schools — running approximately 130 ewes and delivering Primary ITO courses in conjunction with Lincoln University under a 2024 partnership. The Gateway programme provides workplace learning for Years 12–13 in partnership with ARA Polytechnic. The Waitaki Academy of Sports Performance (WASP) supports elite athletic development, and He Ara Tika (PB4L) is the school's Positive Behaviour for Learning framework. The International Student Programme recruits from Japan, Thailand, Samoa and Tonga with ESOL support, pastoral care, visa assistance and Dunedin airport pickup. Operational technology is built on Google Workspace, the SchoolBridge student information and course-selection platform, the Kindo online payment system, and a Bring Your Own Device policy.

Revenue is generated through five streams: Ministry of Education per-pupil funding via the donations scheme for domestic students, international student tuition fees, boarding fees at Don House, facility hire (Hall of Memories, Social Centre, Auditorium, sports facilities, Don House dormitories during holidays), and uniform shop sales operated by the Community Association with profits returned to the school. Distribution is entirely direct-to-consumer, with no third-party reseller channel. Marketing runs through the school's website (including a Chinese-language microsite), Facebook, WeChat, an annual Open Night, downloadable prospectus PDFs, and word of mouth. International recruitment is led by the International Student Administrator with school-tour and Rector-meeting conversion steps. The Waitaki Boys' High School Foundation (established 1991) provides supplementary fundraising, recently absorbing approximately NZD 200,000 from the disbanded Old Boys' Association.

Name

Waitaki Boys' High School

Legal name

Waitaki Boys' High School

Website

https://waitakibhs.school.nz

Company type

Private

Founded year

1883

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Waitaki Boys' High School is a single-sex state secondary school (Years 9-13) in Oamaru, New Zealand, serving roughly 448 boys with NCEA academics, on-campus boarding at Don House, an 18-hectare working Fraser Farm, vocational Gateway pathways, and an international student programme.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Secondary Education

NAICS

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

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Single-Sex (Boys/Girls) Private Schools (EDAJABAK)

Keywords

• Secondary education
• Boys boarding school
• International student programme
• Ncea curriculum
• Agricultural education

Headquarters

HQ city

Oamaru

HQ country

New Zealand

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Domestic Student Funding: Government funding through Ministry of Education's donations scheme covering curriculum costs such as textbooks and workbooks
2. International Student Fees: Tuition fees charged to international students as outlined in the International Fees 2026 schedule
3. Boarding Fees: On-campus hostel accommodation fees at Don House for boarding students
4. Facility Hire: Revenue from hiring out facilities including Hall of Memories, Social Centre, Auditorium, sports facilities, and Don House dormitories during holidays
5. Uniform Shop Sales: Community Association runs the Uniform Shop with profits donated back to the school for student support

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Waitaki Boys' High School is a state-integrated single-sex secondary school for boys aged 13-18 (Years 9-13) located in Oamaru, New Zealand, delivering NCEA-accredited academic and vocational programmes alongside co-curricular sports, arts and cultural activities. The school supplements its core academic programme with on-campus boarding at Don House, an 18-hectare working farm (Fraser Farm), and an International Student Programme. It is one of the oldest schools in New Zealand (founded 1883) and the smallest boys' state school in the country.

Product overview

Waitaki Boys' High School is a single unified educational institution (a single-sex state secondary school) offering a comprehensive portfolio of programmes and services. The core product is the NCEA-accredited academic curriculum for Years 9-13, supported by vocational pathways through the Gateway Programme and ARA Polytechnic partnerships. The school provides on-campus boarding at Don House and operates an 18-hectare Fraser Farm for agricultural education. The Kindo platform enables online payments and activity registration. The Period 5 Programme delivers enrichment activities, while He Ara Tika provides the PB4L behavioural framework. An International Student Programme with ESOL support and dedicated pastoral care serves overseas students. The Waitaki Academy of Sports Performance (WASP) supports elite athletic development.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Waitaki Boys' High School Secondary Education A single-sex state secondary school (Years 9-13) located in Oamaru, New Zealand, offering NCEA-accredited academic programmes alongside vocational pathways, co-curricular activities, and on-campus boarding at Don House. The school serves approximately 420-448 students and is the smallest boys' state school in New Zealand.
• Don House Boarding The on-campus boarding hostel at Waitaki Boys' High School, accommodating boarders from Year 9 to Year 13 with dormitories, individual rooms for senior students, common rooms, a kitchen, gym, and recreational areas. The hostel also offers hire options during school holidays. Contact runs through Director of Boarding Ryan Wilson.
• Fraser Farm Agricultural Programme An 18-hectare working farm on the school campus providing hands-on agricultural education for students, including sheep farming with approximately 130 ewes and a 159% lambing rate over the last three years. All Year 9 students participate in an Agriculture rotation, and the farm delivers Primary ITO courses in conjunction with Lincoln University, offering a tertiary pathway through agriculture.
• Gateway Programme A vocational pathway programme for Year 12 and 13 students that blends school study with workplace learning, offering 20 credits at Level 2 or 3 and one-day-per-week work placements. Students complete Health & Safety units and First Aid before undertaking industry-specific placements across multiple sectors.
• International Student Programme A comprehensive programme welcoming international students for short-term or long-term study, featuring an ESOL programme, pastoral care, recreational activities, and integration with NZ students in regular classes. The programme includes assistance with visa processing, airport pick-up from Dunedin, and medical/travel insurance arrangements through Uni-Care. Tuition fees are set out in the International Fees 2026 schedule.
• Waitaki Academy of Sports Performance (WASP) A sports programme for students aspiring to achieve at elite levels, providing professional coaching and development support in conjunction with the school's comprehensive sporting offerings. The school celebrated National Rowing Champions in 2024 and runs a Sports Hall of Fame recognising alumni with national representation.
• Kindo Online School Shop and Payment Platform A user-friendly online payment and management platform enabling families to purchase school items, register for sports, and support fundraisers 24/7. Payments can be made via online eftpos, bank transfer, POLi, or credit/debit cards through a single account that works for multiple family members.
• Facility Hire Services Hire of school facilities including the Hall of Memories, Social Centre, Auditorium, gymnasium, sports fields, swimming pool, and Don House dormitories during holidays. Revenue is generated from event organisers, sports groups, and community organisations using the campus.

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

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Lincoln UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Partnership with Lincoln University to deliver agriculture programme. School is approved to deliver and assess Primary ITO courses in conjunction with Lincoln University.
• ARA PolytechniccoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with ARA polytechnic offering vocational pathways programme alongside traditional academic subjects. Provides senior students with vocational education options and workplace learning opportunities.
• Waitaki Girls' High SchoolcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerShared classes between Waitaki Boys' and Waitaki Girls' High Schools allowing broader curriculum offerings. Combined kapa haka group 'Te Au o te Waitaki'. Joint productions such as Grease and High School Musical.
• Primary ITOcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWaitaki Boys' High School approved to deliver and assess Primary ITO courses, offering practical and tertiary pathway through Agriculture programme.
• Fraser Farm CommitteeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommittee made up of farmers and industry people overseeing direction and vision of Fraser Farm. Enormous support from wider farming community for students and farm.
• Uni-CareminorOthersRecommended insurance company for international students' medical and travel insurance requirements as part of NZ Code of Practice compliance.
• Pearsons Coach LinesminorOthersSchool bus services operated by Pearsons. Contact via 03-4372968 or [email protected] for information about school transport assistance.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Otago Boys' High School: NZ state boys' secondary school in Dunedin with a similar single-sex state-integrated model, boarding facilities, and historical tradition. Most directly comparable to Waitaki in terms of governance structure, target demographic, and South Island heritage positioning.
• Whanganui Collegiate School: NZ private co-ed boarding school with international students and agricultural/rural programme focus. Comparable on boarding-led rural positioning and international recruitment.
• King's College, Auckland: Private boys' school in Auckland offering boarding and international students. Comparable on single-sex education, boarding offering, and international student programme.
• St Andrew's College, Christchurch: NZ private boys' (now co-ed in senior years) school in Christchurch with boarding, strong tradition, and academic reputation. Closely comparable to Waitaki's single-sex heritage model.
• Christ's College, Christchurch: NZ private boys' boarding school in Christchurch with a strong heritage brand and similar international student recruitment. Comparable on single-sex secondary, boarding, and character-led education positioning.
• Tauranga Boys' College: NZ state boys' secondary school offering NCEA and co-curricular programmes. Comparable as another state boys' school serving similar demographics.
• Wellington College: NZ state boys' secondary school with strong sporting tradition, extensive co-curricular offerings, and significant international student intake. Comparable on single-sex state-school model and breadth of programme.
• Auckland Grammar School: Large NZ state boys' secondary school with high academic reputation, extensive co-curricular programme, and traditional values. Comparable in single-sex state-school positioning, though at much larger scale.
• Waitaki Girls' High School: Co-located single-sex state girls' school sharing classes, productions, and kapa haka with Waitaki Boys'. Comparable in size, state-integrated model, and curriculum offerings.
• St Paul's Collegiate School, Hamilton: NZ private boys' school with boarding and strong academic/sporting reputation. Comparable on single-sex positioning, boarding, and character-based education.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/WaitakiBoysHighSchool
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/school/waitaki-boys-high-school

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 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 Waitaki Boys' High School