Schools & Education
- Southland Boys’ High School
- Aparima College
- Ascot Community School
- Aurora College
- Bluff Community School
- Central Southland College
- Central Southland Rural Primary School
- Dipton School
- Donovan Primary School
- Dunedin College of Education (Southland)
- Edendale Primary School
- Fernworth Primary School
- Fiordland College
- Gorge Road School
- Halfmoon Bay School
- Hauroko Valley Primary School
- Heddon Bush School
- Hillside Primary School
- Invercargill Middle School
- Isla Bank School
- James Hargest College
- Limehills School
- Lumsden School
- Makarewa School
- Mararoa School
- Menzies College
- Mossburn School
- Myross Bush School
- New River Primary School
- Newfield Park School
- Northern Southland College
- Otatara School
- Otautau School
- Rimu School
- Riverton School
- Ruru Special School
- Sacred Heart School
- Salford Street School
- Southland Adventist Christian School
- Southland Girls’ High School
- Southland Institute of Technology
- St John’s Girls’ School
- St Joseph’s School
- St Patrick’s School
- St Patrick’s School
- St Teresa’s School
- St Theresa’s School
- St Thomas’s School
- Takitimu Primary School
- Te Anau School
- Te Wharekura o Arowhenua
- Tisbury School
- Tuatapere Community College
- Verdon College
- Waihopai School
- Waimahaka School
- Wallacetown School
- Waverley Park School
- Windsor North School
- Winton School
- Woodlands Full Primary School
- Wyndham School
There is an extensive range of first-class schools and educational facilities in Invercargill and the Southland District.
Southland Boys’ High School
Southland Boys’ High School is an all boys school catering for students from Years 7 -13 and is based in North Invercargill. It has around 1,000 students. Performance is a natural part of the learning landscape at Southland Boys’ and high expectations set the standard for high achievements - "A school with open doors, enthusiastic teachers, strong professional relationships and excellent facilities is a place where students have the best opportunity to achieve and exceed their learning potential."
181 Herbert Street, Invercargill. Phone 03 211 3003.
Aparima College
Aparima College is a Year 7 -13 composite school, situated in Riverton, on the scenic southern coast of New Zealand's South Island. It has served the Riverton township and the areas of Colac Bay, Orepuki, Pahia, Fairfax, Thornbury and Waimatuku since first opening in 1974. The school encourages and supports its students to reach their full potential in a positive, enthusiastic and caring environment. Its relatively small size offers real advantages to students, teachers, parents and the community.
33 Leader Street, Riverton. Phone 03 234 8900
Ascot Community School
The Ascot Community School is the only public Year 1 - 8 co-ed school in the Hawthorndale area. The school offers excellent facilities including a fully equipped science lab, a music suite and a prize-winning art department.
580 Tay Street, Invercargill. Phone 03 217 5196
Aurora College
Situated in South Invercargill, Aurora College was established in 2005 after Mount Anglem College was closed in 2004. It opened as a co-educational Years 7 to 13 school so that the adolescents and young adults of South Invercargill could access a high quality secondary education in their local environment. Aurora College’s philosophy is based upon the establishment and maintenance of strong, positive relationships between its students, staff and community.
234 Regent Street, Invercargill. Phone 03 211 6040.
Bluff Community School
Bluff Community School is a full primary co-ed school in the heart of Bluff. It’s a decile 2 school with a roll of 100 students.
Bradshaw Street, Bluff. Phone 03 212 8523.
Central Southland College
Central Southland College is a co-educational state school in Winton providing excellent teaching and learning for students aged 13 – 18 years. It offers a wide-ranging programme of academic, sporting and cultural opportunities. Founded in 1965, the school has well equipped modern classrooms including science laboratories, a technology workshop, gymnasium, library, computer rooms, a hospitality room, fitness centre, textiles room, student services centre, and art and music room.
84 Grange Street, Winton. Phone 03 236 7646.
Central Southland Rural Primary School
Central Southland Rural Primary School in Drummond is a co-ed primary school with a decile 9 rating and 88 students.
Boundary Road, Drummond, 03 236 2886
Dipton School
Dipton School is a primary school in Dipton for children from Year 1 to Year 8. It has a decile rating of 8 and a roll of approximately 75 students.
James St, Dipton. Phone 03 248 5208.
Donovan Primary School
This is a co-ed primary school for Years 1 - 6 in the Grasmere area. It’s a decile 5 school with approximately 291 students.
200 Drury Lane, Gladstone, Invercargill. 03 215 9664
Dunedin College of Education (Southland)
The Southland campus of Dunedin College of Education provides a range of teacher education programmes in Early Childhood, Primary, Primary Bilingual and Secondary.
Freephone 0800 86 83224 within NZ or +64 3 477 2289.
Edendale Primary School
This primary school caters for children from Year 1 to Year 6; has a decile rating of 7 and about 100 students. Established in 1875, Edendale Primary School celebrated its 125th Jubilee in the year 2000. It has been an integral part of the Edendale community for all those years serving as a central place for bringing people together.
24 Salford St, Edendale. Phone 03 206 6959.
Fernworth Primary School
Fernworth Primary School is a co-ed school for Years 1-6 in the Heidelberg area. It’s a decile 2 school with a current role of 411 students.
288 Pomona Street, Invercargill. Phone 03 216 9659.
Fiordland College
Fiordland College is a small high school in Te Anau that pursues educational excellence within a safe and caring environment. The school uses its excellent facilities to provide a good standard of education and offers a broad range of academic courses to all its students. Academic records are very good and a high percentage of students gain entry to the New Zealand university of their choice. Senior students are able to take a range of subjects to University Bursary level. Class sizes are small - senior classes have between 3 and 20 students, and junior school classes have between 18 and 30 students.
5 Howden St, Te Anau. Phone 03 249 7819.
Gorge Road School
This is a small decile 8 primary school catering for approximately 50 students from Year 1 to 8.
Cnr Factory Road and Southern Scenic Route. Phone 03 239 5763.
Halfmoon Bay School
Halfmoon Bay School is Stewart Island’s only primary school. It’s a small school with a roll of around 15 and has a decile 4 rating.
Ayr Street, Halfmoon Bay, Stewart Island. Phone 03 219 1179.
Hauroko Valley Primary School
Serving Tuatapere and the surrounding rural areas, Hauroko Valley Primary School is contributing state school with a decile 8 rating and a role of approximately 49 students.
956 Clifden Highway, Tuatapere. Phone 03 226 6753.
Heddon Bush School
Heddon Bush School is a small (55 students) decile 8, full primary school situated in a very supportive rural community, 15km west of Winton.
Cnr of Shaws Trees Road and Hall Road, Heddon Bush, RD3, Winton. Phone 03 236 1144.
Hillside Primary School
Hillside Primary School is a full primary school for boys and girls. It has a decile 8 rating and a role of around 30 students.
26 McCaughan Street, Winton. Phone 03 236 4090.
Invercargill Middle School
Invercargill Middle School is a co-educational, state, decile 3 primary school for children Years one to six. The school opened in 1873 and was the first school to be established in Invercargill. It is only a two-minute walk to the city centre.
31 Jed St, Invercargill. Phone 03 218 6444
Isla Bank School
Isla Bank is a very small decile 8 co-ed primary school which services the Isla Bank community and the surrounding rural areas. It has a role of around 15 students.
3 Lindsay-Calcium Road, Otautau. Phone 03 224 6171.
James Hargest College
James Hargest offers an environment that enables students to flourish in a warm positive atmosphere that encourages a confident ‘can do’ attitude to learning. It is a busy and stimulating place where students aspire to achieve academically and are supported to achieve success. The college’s two-campus situation provides students and parents with the comfort of a safe, age-related educational experience. James Hargest is based in North Invercargill and has approximately 1800 students making it one of the largest schools in New Zealand.
288 Layard Street, Invercargill. Phone 03 217 6129.
Limehills School
Limehills School is a decile 9 rural school 7 kms north of Winton. It is a Year 1-8 school with approximately 160 students. Limehills has been in the Enviroschools Programme since January 2005.
Derby Road, Winton. Phone 03 236 0772.
Lumsden School
Situated in the heart of Northern Southland, Lumsden School is a small decile 5 primary school with a role of around 82 students.
Maria Street, Lumsden. Phone 03 248 7474
Makarewa School
Makarewa is a state contributing co-educational school (decile 8) and provides education for children from new entrants to Year 6. The school role ranges between 120 to 150 students each year.
56 Flora Road East, Makarewa, Phone 03 3 2358 556.
Mararoa School
Mararoa School in Te Anau is full primary school for boys and girls. It’s a decile 8 school and has a roll of around 60 students.
State Highway 94, Te Anau. Phone 03 249 5816.
Menzies College
Menzies College is a Year 7 to 13, co-educational community school in Wyndham where 80 percent of students travel to school each day by bus. Menzies College is a community school and its links, especially with the families of its students, are a source of pride. As part of a rural school of around 400, students are known to most of the staff. This fosters a family atmosphere where students feel they are treated as individuals and where individual learning needs are targeted.
Alma Street, Wyndham. Phone 03 206 4979.
Mossburn School
Mossburn caters for students living in the town and surrounding rural community. It is a decile 8 school with approximately 65 students.
28 Surrey Street, Mossburn. Phone 03 248 6288.
Myross Bush School
Myross Bush School is a small decile 10 school 11 km north-east of Invercargill with approximately 260 students.
288 Mill Road North, Myross Bush. Phone 03 230 4817.
New River Primary School
This primary school is for boys and girls from Years 1-6. Formerly Kew, South, Clarendon, and Clifton Schools it has a role of around 250 and is a decile 2 school.
117 Elizabeth Street, Strathern, Invercargill. Phone 03 211 0035.
Newfield Park School
Newfield Park School is a decile 2 co-ed primary school with a role of around 300 students.
82 Wilfrid Street, Newfield, Invercargill. Phone 03 216 9601.
Northern Southland College
Located in Lumsden, Northern Southland College is a modern co-educational Year 7 to 13 school with excellent facilities in a spacious, country environment. The school’s size (approximately 170 students) means it can care for its students as individuals on an academic level, and on a social level, as they mature into well-balanced young adults. The school maintains sound traditional values and insists on high standards while offering a wide range of curricula, interests and opportunities to meet students’ needs.
Maria Street, Lumsden. Phone 03 248-7121.
Otatara School
Otatara school is a state co-educational primary school about 15 minutes from Invercargill’s city centre. It is a decile 10 school with a role of approximately 270 students.
Dunns Road, Invercargill. Phone 03 213 1009.
Otautau School
This is a full primary school in Otautau (Southland) for children from Year 1 to Year 8. It has a decile rating of 6 and about 200 students.
Elles Road, Otautau. Phone 03 225-8320.
Rimu School
Rimu School is a decile 7 rural primary school with a role of 120 students.
442 Rimu Road, Invercargill. Phone 03 230-4415.
Riverton School
Riverton Primary School is a decile 2 school located in a rural area of Southland. The roll includes approximately 200 students - about two-thirds are NZ European, and one-third Māori.
Leader Street, Riverton North, Riverton. Phone 03 234 8663.
Ruru Special School
Ruru Special School is a special education and resource centre offering a complete range of services for special needs students up to 21 years old.
Ruru St, Invercargill. Phone 03 215 9379.
Sacred Heart School
This school is a co-od Catholic school for children from Years 1-6. It’s a decile 9 school with a current role of 158.
435 North Road, Waikiwi, Invercargill. Phone 03 215 7317.
Salford Street School
Established in 1971, the school has three main teaching blocks, a hall, and the grounds have plenty of green open spaces and modern playgrounds. Salford is a decile 9 school with a current roll of 250 students.
Lamond Street, Invercargill. Phone 03 217 9521.
Southland Adventist Christian School
This is a very small co-ed school for Years 1-6 that follow Seven Day Adventist. It’s decile 4 with a role of 40 students.
28 Bainfield Road, Waikiwi, Invercargill. Phone 03 215 7904.
Southland Girls’ High School
Established in 1879, Southland Girls' High School has had a long and proud history of academic excellence. All girls are encouraged to achieve. Quality teaching and learning are at the core of its philosophy. Learning is personalised to each student and a high standard of achievement and personal conduct is expected. Situated in South Invercargill, Southland Girls' High School has approximately 1,180 students and is the only state Years 7 - 13 girls' school in New Zealand. The school offers boarding facilities.
328 Tweed Street, Invercargill. Phone 03 211 6030.
Southland Institute of Technology
Invercargill's major tertiary education provider, the Southern Institute of Technology (SIT), is nationally renowned for its innovative Zero Fees Scheme. Through its main Invercargill campus and smaller campuses in Christchurch and Gore, SIT offers more than 130 programmes including certificates, diplomas, degrees and post graduate study, as well as SIT2LRN Flexible Learning, vocational preparation and personal development courses. SIT has around 13,000 students, so is big enough to offer variety and a student culture, yet small enough to retain a friendly atmosphere. The real draw card is the southern hospitality and unique outdoors, from adventure and recreation opportunities through to extreme sports challenges.
Freephone 0800 4 0 3337 within NZ or +64 3 211 2699.
St John’s Girls’ School
St John’s Girls’ School is Invercargill’s only private school and also offers boarding facilities. The small, integrated year 1-8 primary school is based on Christian values and has a roll of 125.
349 Dee Street, Invercargill. Phone 03 218 7759
St Joseph’s School
St Joesph’s School is a small Catholic co-ed school for Years 1-6, situated near St Mary's Basilica.
Eye Street, Invercargill. Phone 03 218 6574.
St Patrick’s School
St Patrick's is a Roman Catholic primary school for boys and girls from New Entrants to Year 6. It’s a state-integrated decile 3 school with 241 students. The maximum roll of the school is 302 students. Originally staffed by the Nuns of the Dominican Order, today the school is staffed entirely by lay teachers.
161 Metzger St, Invercargill. Phone 03 216 8505.
St Patrick’s School
St Patrick’s School in Nightcaps is a small school with a roll of around 45 students. It is a decile 2 school.
Digger Street, Nightcaps, 03 225 7639
St Teresa’s School
With a roll of only 36, this is a small decile 3 school offering education for children from Years 1 -6.
181 Foyle St, Bluff. Phone 03 212 8567
St Theresa’s School
Saint Theresa's is a co-ed Catholic decile 8 school with 11 teachers and a roll of around 250 students from new entrants to Year 6.
161 King Street, Invercargill. Phone 03 217 6502
St Thomas’s School
Located in Winton, St Thomas’s School is a co-ed full primary school. It is a decile 8 school with around 85 students.
1 Church Street, Winton. Phone 03 236 8261.
Takitimu Primary School
Takitimu Primary School is a state co-ed primary and intermediate school in Nightcaps. It is a decile 4 school with a roll of 95 students.
19 Evan Street, Nightcaps. Phone 03 225 7725.
Te Anau School
Situated on the Milford Road, Te Anau school occupies 2.2 hectares of tree lined grounds in the centre of the town. It’s a co-ed school for children from new entrants to Year 6. It has a decile ranking of 7 and a roll of between 150 and 200 children.
181 Milford Road, Te Anau, Phone 03 249 713.
Te Wharekura o Arowhenua
The Wharekura is a composite area school providing education for children from new entrants through to Year 13 in South Invercargill. The unique school system is based on Te Aho Matua that provides a philosophical base for the teaching and learning of children and policy guidelines for parents, teachers and Boards of Trustees. Te Aho Matua also provides a basis from which curriculum planning and design can develop. The school has approximately 100 students. Te Reo Māori is the language of instruction for all levels.
734 Tweed Street, Newfield, Invercargill. Phone 03 216 7701.
Tisbury School
Tisbury School is a small decile 4 primary school on the south–east boundary of Invercargill. It has a current role of around 88 students.
3 Boundary Rd Tisbury, Invercargill. Phone 03 216 8213.
Tuatapere Community College
Tuatapere Community College is a state co-educational composite school providing education from new entrant through to Year 13 students from Tuatapere (approximately half of the 200 students) and the outlying districts. The vision of the community is to have a strong and sustainable community college providing a high quality, technology-rich education up to year 13 and beyond, with increasing emphasis on on-line, or e-learning from year 10. The college buildings are set amidst 3 hectares of landscaped grounds and playing fields.
47 Orawia Road, Tuatapere. Phone 03 226 6285.
Verdon College
Verdon College is a Catholic, co-educational school for students from Years 7–13 based in South Invercargill. The college was established in 1982 with the amalgamation of Marist and St Catherine’s Colleges, building on a century of work by the Marist Brothers and Dominican Sisters in the Invercargill area. Verdon College serves the city and environs and is known for its broad, balanced and holistic approach to delivering the New Zealand National Curriculum as well as providing extensive co-curricula opportunities.
Rockdale Road, Invercargill. Phone 03 216 9039.
Waihopai School
Waihopai School was established in Invercargill in 1879. It has a roll of 355 students from years 1-6. It backs on to the northern boundary of Queens Park and covers an area of 2.56 hectares (over half of which is playing fields).
121 Herbert Street, Gladstone, Invercargill. Phone 03 218 4228.
Waimahaka School
Waimahaka School is a small decile 7 primary school with approximately 16 students.
Mataura Island, 1141 Fortrose Road, Waimahaka. Phone 03 246 9871.
Wallacetown School
This is a small primary school on the north-western outskirts of Invercargill. It’s a decile 6 school with approximately 35 students.
34 Mauchline Street, Wallacetown. Phone 03 235-8097.
Waverley Park School
Waverley Park School caters for the needs of new entrant to year 6 students. It’s a decile 5 school with a role of 252. Waverley Park School has served the community since opening in 1954.
Eden Crescent, Waverley, Invercargill. Phone 03 217-9332.
Windsor North School
Windsor North School is a decile 8 co-ed school for children Years 1-6 in the Rosedale area and has a role of about 290 students.
91 Chelmsford Street, Invercargill. Phone 03 217 8819
Winton School
Winton School is a primary school based in Southland’s third largest community. It is a decile 7 school with a roll of around 240 students.
Eglinton Street, Winton. Phone 03 236 7238.
Woodlands Full Primary School
Catering for children from new entrants to Year 8, Woodland Full Primary School is a decile 9 school and has a roll of about 85 children.
Woodlands-Morton Mains Road, Southland. Phone 03 2313198.
Wyndham School
Wyndham Primary School is a decile 5 school, situated beside Menzies College in Wyndham. The school’s role currently stands at 114 students but varies considerably due to a fluctuating local and wider population that is generally influenced by changing share milking arrangements and local employment opportunities.
Florence Street, Wyndham. Phone 03 206 4780.

