Last updated October 2026
Manukura is a state, co-educational secondary school for Years 9 to 13 at 233 Tennent Drive, Palmerston North, Palmerston North. It opened in 2016 and had 188 students on its roll at 1 September 2026.
It has no home zone, so any student can apply. MANUKURA describes itself as a designated special character school based at Massey University, built on three commitments: academic success, high-performance sport and cultural commitment, with nutrition, conditioning, coaching and individual academic plans for each student. Its site lists basketball, netball, rugby and rugby sevens, touch and individual sports, kapa haka and Ngā Manu Kōrero, with te reo Māori offered at every year level.
At a glance
- Principal
- Ilane Durie
- Address
- 233 Tennent Drive, Palmerston North, Palmerston North
- Phone
- 06 354 9531
Home zone
No home zone: any student can apply to enrol. If more students apply than there are places, the school decides how places are offered.
NCEA results
School leavers with NCEA Level 2 or above, compared with all New Zealand school leavers.
This school New Zealand
School leavers are students who left school that year, whatever year level they left from.
Who goes here
Share of the 188 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 kura is a report from June 2024 by ERO’s Māori review services, published in te reo Māori and English. ERO found students growing in confidence and connection and comfortable in te ao Māori, in a setting shaped by the tikanga of Tahuriwakanui, Ngāti Kauwhata and Rangitāne.
Small classes, personal goals and progress plans, daily conditioning and close support from coaches, teachers and mentors help students succeed in sport and study.
ERO reported NCEA results above national levels at all three levels, University Entrance rates well above the national rate, success in kapa haka and speech competitions, and a board and leadership team with a shared, long-term commitment to the kura, whānau, hapū and iwi.
ERO’s key next step is for curriculum leaders to evaluate the Years 9 and 10 integrated studies programme to see what is working, for whom, and where it could improve. ERO also recommended the kura keep using its internal evaluation to sustain its results.
Read the ERO reports for Manukura
Enrolling
The kura has no home zone. Whānau apply to the school using its online application form, and students can apply at any year level. The site says students do not need to be Māori or to know te reo Māori before starting, and that the sporting entry level is regional representation.
The kura publishes its application and offer dates on its enrolment page each year. It does not run its own boarding hostel; whānau arrange private boarding, and the school helps with this.
Schools nearby
In Turitea Palmerston North
Manukura is in Turitea Palmerston North. Our suburb guide covers what it is like to live there, with parks, places and local businesses.
Read our Turitea Palmerston North guide →Questions parents ask
Is Manukura zoned?
No. It has no home zone, so any student can apply to enrol.
What years does it teach?
Years 9 to 13.
How many students go there?
188 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?
494. 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.
How did its school leavers do in NCEA?
In 2025, 98% of its school leavers had NCEA Level 2 or above, compared with 77.8% of all New Zealand school leavers.
School details and roll: Ministry of Education school directory, 24 Oct 2026 (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). Updated automatically when the Ministry publishes new data.
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