New ZealandCanterburyMerivaleElmwood Normal School

Elmwood Normal School

StateContributingCo-Educational
Merivale, Canterbury · Major urban area
office@elmwood.school.nz 03-3557192
Total Roll491enrolled students
Māori6.5%of roll
Pacific3.5%of roll
Asian30.8%of roll
Student Body
491
enrolled students
European/Pākehā66.2%
Māori6.5%
Pacific3.5%
Asian30.8%
GenderCo-Educational
Elmwood Normal School

Ethnicity Breakdown

Elmwood Normal School's roll is predominantly european/pakeha (66.2%). The next largest group is asian students.

491students
European/Pakeha66.2%
Maori6.5%
Pacific3.5%
Asian30.8%
European/Pakeha66.2%
Maori6.5%
Pacific3.5%
Asian30.8%
Source: Ministry of Education (2026).

Compared to National Averages

The bars below show Elmwood Normal School's ethnicity breakdown compared to the national average across all New Zealand schools. The white reference line marks the national average for each group.

European/Pakeha
+20.2pp above avg66.2%
National average: 46%
Maori
-18.5pp below avg6.5%
National average: 25%
Pacific
-6.5pp below avg3.5%
National average: 10%
Asian
+18.8pp above avg30.8%
National average: 12%
Source: Ministry of Education (2026). National averages are approximate.

Ethnicity Roll Numbers

Absolute student numbers by ethnicity, as reported by the Ministry of Education. Students can identify with more than one ethnic group, so totals may exceed the total school roll.

Ethnic GroupStudents% of Roll
European/Pakeha32566.2%
Maori326.5%
Pacific173.5%
Asian15130.8%
MELAA29
Other1
International4
Total Roll491100%
Source: Ministry of Education (2026).

Understanding Ethnicity Data

Self-identified ethnicity

Ethnicity in New Zealand school data is self-identified by students and families at enrolment. A student may identify with multiple ethnic groups, which means ethnicity percentages may sum to more than 100%.

Maori students and cultural context

New Zealand schools have a unique responsibility under Te Tiriti o Waitangi. The proportion of Maori students can reflect a school's engagement with te reo Maori, tikanga, and culturally responsive practices.

Diversity is not a quality measure

A school's ethnic composition reflects its community, not its quality. Schools with high concentrations of any group serve their students well when they respond to their community's cultural, linguistic, and educational needs.

MELAA and Other categories

MELAA stands for Middle Eastern, Latin American, and African. The 'Other' category includes students who identify with ethnicities not covered by the main groups, as well as those who did not state an ethnicity.