Last updated November 2026
Hokowhitu School is a state, co-educational primary school for Years 1 to 6 at 227 Albert Street, Palmerston North. It opened in 1924 and had 385 students on its roll at 1 September 2026.
Its home zone includes parts of Fitzherbert, Hokowhitu, Terrace End and Palmerston North Central; the zone map below shows the full boundary.
The school’s site describes inquiry learning built on its STRIVE values, play-based learning for new entrants, te reo Māori and tikanga in the curriculum, a kapa haka group, and specialist ESOL teaching for students from non-English-speaking backgrounds. It runs summer and winter team sports, enrols international students, and has aPlus before school, after school and holiday care based at the school.
At a glance
- Principal
- Reece Hawkins
- Address
- 227 Albert Street, Palmerston North
- Phone
- 06 357 9667
Home zone
Parts of these suburbs: Fitzherbert Palmerston North, Hokowhitu, Terrace End Palmerston North and Palmerston North Central: 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 385 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 Report from April 2025. ERO found that success and progress are rising, with most learners meeting or exceeding the expected curriculum level in maths and a large majority in reading and writing, and results becoming more equitable across groups. Nearly all priority learners made progress in reading and maths during the evaluation.
The school is approaching the government’s regular attendance target, with attendance improving and chronic absence falling. ERO also noted high quality teaching, structured literacy that is well established with structured maths being brought in, collaborative leadership and staff, an inclusive environment where the school’s values are well embedded, effective trustees, and well-established support for its many English language learners and the one international student enrolled at the time.
The agreed next steps are to write an attendance plan that keeps improvement on track towards the government target, set achievement targets in writing for groups of learners working towards curriculum expectations, use current research to improve writing programmes, and review how ESOL withdrawal sessions affect students’ time in their regular class programme.
Read the ERO reports for Hokowhitu School
Enrolling
Students who live in the home zone have the right to enrol, and in-zone families provide proof of address. Out-of-zone places are offered under the school’s enrolment scheme in priority order, starting with siblings of current students, by ballot when there are more applicants than places. The school publishes its out-of-zone places and ballot dates on its enrolment page each year.
New entrants start in groups under the school’s cohort entry policy, with start dates set by when a child turns five. Families can book a visit and a meeting with the principal through the office, and the enrolment form is linked from the enrolment page.
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 Hokowhitu
Hokowhitu School is in Hokowhitu. Our suburb guide covers what it is like to live there, with parks, places and local businesses.
Read our Hokowhitu guide →Questions parents ask
Is Hokowhitu School zoned?
It has a home zone covering parts of Fitzherbert Palmerston North, Hokowhitu, Terrace End Palmerston North and Palmerston North Central.
What years does it teach?
Years 1 to 6.
How many students go there?
385 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?
426. 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, 24 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).