Dunstan High School
State co-ed secondary (years 9 to 13) school
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Dunstan High School is a state secondary school located in Alexandra, in the Central Otago district in the South Island of New Zealand.
| Dunstan High School | |
|---|---|
| |
| Location | |
 | |
| Coordinates | 45.2454°S 169.3864°E |
| Information | |
| Type | State co-ed secondary (years 9 to 13) |
| Motto | Seek Wisdom As Gold |
| Established | 1962 |
| Ministry of Education Institution no. | 372 |
| Principal | Andrew King[1] |
| Enrollment | 582[2] (October 2025) |
| Socio-economic decile | 8P[3] |
| Website | dunstan.school.nz |
Dunstan High School also runs the Tititea Outdoor Education Centre,[4] which is located in the old homestead in the East Matukituki Valley on the outskirts of the Mount Aspiring National Park.
In 2009, the school installed an $800,000 clean-burning heating system, replacing a coal-fuelled system,[5] and constructed a new $2.3 million gymnasium.[6]
Enrolment
As of October 2025, Dunstan High School has roll of 582 students, of which 118 (20.3%) identify as Māori.[2]
As of 2026, Dunstan High School has an Equity Index of 445,[7] placing it amongst schools whose students have below average socioeconomic barriers to achievement (roughly equivalent to decile 7 under the former socio-economic decile system).[8]
Notable alumni
- James Te Huna – first New Zealander to enter the Ultimate Fighting Championships (2010)
- Murray Pierce – All Black rugby player
- Ken Rutherford – New Zealand cricket captain; represented the First XI as a player coach
- Elizabeth van Welie – Olympic swimmer (Sydney 2000) and Commonwealth Games silver medalist in the 200m butterfly (Manchester 2002)
- Bevan Wilson – All Black rugby player
- Finn Butcher – New Zealand Canoe Slalom Athlete (2021 Extreme slalom vice world champion). Inaugural Olympic champion in kayak cross in 2024.[9]
Principals
| Name | Term | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | James Beath | 1962–1968 |
| 2 | Gary Jeffery | 1969–1976 |
| 3 | Graham Robinson | 1977–1985 |
| 4 | Rory Gollop | 1986–1987 |
| 5 | Dave Richardson | 1988–1999 |
| 6 | Dave Smyth | 1999–2010 |
| 7 | Brent Russell | 2010–2017 |
| 8 | Reece Goldsmith | 2017–2024 |
| 9 | Andrew King | 2024–present |