New ZealandCanterburyMerivaleSt Margaret's College

St Margaret's College

PrivateCompositeGirls School
Merivale, Canterbury · Major urban area
admin@stmargarets.school.nz 03-3792000
Total Roll878enrolled students
Māori7.3%of roll
Pacific0.5%of roll
Asian18.6%of roll
Student Body
878
enrolled students
European/Pākehā78.8%
Māori7.3%
Pacific0.5%
Asian18.6%
GenderGirls School
St Margaret's College

Ethnicity Breakdown

St Margaret's College's roll is predominantly european/pakeha (78.8%). The next largest group is asian students.

878students
European/Pakeha78.8%
Maori7.3%
Pacific0.5%
Asian18.6%
European/Pakeha78.8%
Maori7.3%
Pacific0.5%
Asian18.6%
Source: Ministry of Education (2026).

Compared to National Averages

The bars below show St Margaret's College'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
+32.8pp above avg78.8%
National average: 46%
Maori
-17.7pp below avg7.3%
National average: 25%
Pacific
-9.5pp below avg0.5%
National average: 10%
Asian
+6.6pp above avg18.6%
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/Pakeha69278.8%
Maori647.3%
Pacific40.5%
Asian16318.6%
MELAA7
Other35
International23
Total Roll878100%
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.