Last updated October 2026
Nelson Park School is a state, co-educational primary school for Years 1 to 6 at 54 Kennedy Road, Napier. It opened in 1914 and had 356 students on its roll at 1 September 2026.
Its home zone includes parts of Napier South and Marewa; the zone map below shows the full boundary. The school’s website says each student joins one of four houses for their time at the school, and the houses compete in events such as cross country and house singing.
At a glance
- Principal
- Pip Simmonds
- Address
- 54 Kennedy Road, Napier
- Phone
- 06 835 6078
Home zone
Parts of these suburbs: Napier South and Marewa: check your street.
Zone boundaries are set by the school’s enrolment scheme and can change. Confirm your address with the school before you rely on it.
Who goes here
Share of the 356 students who identify with each group. Students can name more than one, so these add up to more than 100%.
MELAA: Middle Eastern, Latin American and African.
What ERO found
The Education Review Office’s latest report on the school is a School Evaluation Report from February 2025. ERO found that achievement in reading and maths has risen markedly over time, writing has also improved, and structured approaches to teaching reading and writing are now used consistently across the school.
Most learners are engaged and making steady progress, the school is inclusive, and students with additional needs are well supported. Leadership has a strong culture of inquiry, and te reo Māori and tikanga Māori are increasingly part of everyday learning. Regular attendance was approaching, but not yet at, the Ministry of Education target.
The next steps agreed with ERO are to lift and sustain regular attendance, especially for Māori learners, to make structured maths teaching consistent school-wide, to extend students already at or above expected levels, with a focus on Māori students, and to strengthen teaching for students learning English as an additional language.
Read the ERO reports for Nelson Park School
Enrolling
Students who live in the home zone have the right to enrol. Out-of-zone places are offered under the school’s enrolment scheme, by ballot when there are more applicants than places.
Families living in the zone can enrol at any time, and out-of-zone families ask the office for an application. The school invites families to visit, meet the principal and look around, and transition visits are arranged before a child starts school.
Schools nearby
Where students go next
Based on home zones around the school’s own address. Families can apply to any school, and your own address decides which zones you are in.
In Napier South
Nelson Park School is in Napier South. Our suburb guide covers what it is like to live there, with parks, places and local businesses.
Read our Napier South guide →Questions parents ask
Is Nelson Park School zoned?
It has a home zone covering parts of Napier South and Marewa.
What years does it teach?
Years 1 to 6.
How many students go there?
356 at 1 Sep 2026.
Does it ask for donations?
No. It is in the donation scheme, so it only asks for donations for school camps.
What is its Equity Index?
458. The Ministry of Education’s Equity Index estimates the socio-economic barriers a school’s students face, from 344 (fewest) to 569 (most). It is used to share out funding, not as a measure of quality.
Updated automatically when the Ministry publishes new data.
Spotted something incorrect on this page? Let us know.
Sources and data notes 1
- School facts: School details and roll: Ministry of Education school directory, 26 Oct 2026 (CC BY 4.0). Home zone: Ministry of Education enrolment zones (CC BY 4.0). NCEA results, roll history and stand-downs: Education Counts, school leavers 2023 to 2025, stand-downs 2025, rolls 2021 to 2025 (CC BY 4.0).