Last updated November 2026
St Matthew’s Primary School is a state-integrated, co-educational full primary school for Years 1 to 8 at 200 King Street South, Hastings. It opened in 1995 and had 160 students on its roll at 1 September 2026.
It has no home zone, so any student can apply. The school’s site describes it as the parish school of St Matthew’s Church, with Christian values taught as part of the curriculum, students attending parish services and a special service every fortnight led with the chaplains, and pupils from a range of faith backgrounds. It also lists a pre-entry programme with visits to the new entrant class, an after-school programme run by an outside provider that collects children at the end of the day, and an information pack for international students.
At a glance
- Principal
- Andrew Eagle
- Address
- 200 King Street South, Hastings
- Phone
- 06 876 4958
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.
Who goes here
Share of the 160 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 October 2025. ERO found that success and progress are increasing and that high quality teaching is improving results, with a small majority of students at or above the expected level in reading and writing and a large majority in maths, though results are not yet equitable across all groups.
A small majority of students attend regularly, below the government’s 80% target, and the school has a suitable plan to improve this.
Students have a strong sense of belonging, a culture of inclusion supports their cultural and religious diversity, structured literacy and maths approaches are used consistently, English language learners are well supported, and leadership is focused on improvement. ERO also found the school has sound systems to support its international students.
The school’s priorities are to lift regular attendance, make better use of evaluation to find ways of improving equity in reading, writing and maths, and help students, whānau and teachers work together more closely by setting learning goals jointly. ERO also noted one compliance gap, police vetting of every appointee before they start, which the board has since addressed.
Read the ERO reports for St Matthew’s Primary School (Hastings)
Enrolling
There is no home zone. Most places go to preference enrolments for families who meet the school’s Anglican special character criteria, decided by the parish priest or a delegate. A small share of non-preference places is offered only after all preference applicants are enrolled, with a waiting list when places are full.
The school’s enrolment policy says attendance dues set by the proprietor are compulsory. Families apply with an enrolment form and their child’s birth certificate and immunisation details.
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 Hastings City Centre
St Matthew's Primary School (Hastings) is in Hastings City Centre. Our suburb guide covers what it is like to live there, with parks, places and local businesses.
Read our Hastings City Centre guide →Questions parents ask
Is St Matthew's Primary School (Hastings) zoned?
No. It has no home zone, so any student can apply to enrol.
What years does it teach?
Years 1 to 8.
How many students go there?
160 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?
436. 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.
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Sources and data notes 1
- School facts: School details and roll: Ministry of Education school directory, 23 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).