Four schools have responded to recent Wānaka Sun queries, reporting stable or growing rolls, in line with Upper Clutha population patterns.
The total district population is now about 18,500. Hundreds of young people attend town schools, while rural school rolls — with the exception of Hawea, where the town is undergoing large residential development — only just reach double figures.
Makarora, with a population of 390, still has the district’s smallest school, and it is the only school where the roll has remained stable with 11 pupils.
Tarras School has experienced a slight roll increase to 20 pupils in a population of about 230 residents.
Makarora Primary School principal Rachel Brown said things were going well at the school as it started 2025.
"Everyone seems to have had a fun holiday.
"Yes, we still have 11 students; one from last year has gone on to Mount Aspiring College and one has just started as a new entrant."
An important event this year would be recovering a time capsule buried by former pupils 25 years, Ms Brown said.
Tarras School principal Alice Casey said the roll was "very slowly growing" and should reach 27 by May.
The school, built in 1885, is being renovated.
Ms Casey said the changes were needed because of the school’s age and not necessarily because the population was growing that fast.
"We’re not growing that fast, not yet," she said.
The Tarras community would be seeing some new families, but not many due to the shortage of housing in the area, she said.
The two rural schools enjoy strong bonds between pupils, schools and communities
Last year they competed in an interschool Olympics.
Tarras School is a central hub where people came to use the pool and courts outside school hours.
Ms Casey said this had become more common, especially while the Tarras community tennis courts were closed for renovation.
That council’s parks and recreation manager Gordon Bailey said the community tennis courts had "deteriorated to the point where it was no longer suitable for any sport".
The court renovation project would include turning one of the town courts into a multisport artificial turf, he said.
At the other end of the population scale, the only secondary school in the Upper Clutha, Mount Aspiring College, has a roll of 1320, up from 1050 in 2021.
The school received a $41million redevelopment in 2021 to cater for a forecast future roll of 1600-1800 pupils.
College students marked the end of the first week of term one by participating in an outdoor activities house day at various reserves and beaches around Wānaka.
Presiding board of trustees member Niamh Shaw said in a newsletter last week, the college "always seems to hit the ground running".
Things it would focus on this year include property refurbishment, a safety management plan for outdoor pursuits activities and the once every three years school evaluation report by the Education Review Office.
Wānaka’s Holy Family Catholic School is starting 2025 with 186 pupils and expected to get to 211 by the end of the year, board of trustees chairwoman Rebecca McElrea said.
The school’s stand-in principal Paul Richardson, who took over from Jo McKay after her departure last year, will remain in the role until the board of trustees can find a permanent replacement.
"Paul joins us with extensive experience and a genuine passion for education, and we are excited to have him lead our school community during this transitional period.
"With the new term under way, we are thrilled to welcome our students back to school.
"We have an engaging and exciting term planned, featuring activities such as Challenge Wānaka, athletics, and swimming, which we believe will enrich our students’ experiences and foster a sense of community," Mrs McElrea said.
