Best primary schools in Waimakariri District (2026)
Contributing, full primary, intermediate and composite schools offering Years 1–8. Ranked by the Success Index (NZ) from official New Zealand data; 24 schools in Waimakariri District, Canterbury. Rank positions shown on each profile are within New Zealand and Canterbury.
- 177Ōhoka SchoolKaiapoi · State Full PrimaryEquity Index (EQI) 406 · 224 students
- 270St Joseph's School (Rangiora)Rangiora · State integrated Full PrimaryEquity Index (EQI) 420 · 187 students
- 367Rangiora New Life SchoolSouthbrook · State integrated CompositeEquity Index (EQI) 434 · 469 students
- 467Fernside SchoolFernside · State Full PrimaryEquity Index (EQI) 412 · 271 students
- 565Pegasus Bay SchoolPegasus · State Full PrimaryEquity Index (EQI) 422 · 429 students
- 665Cust SchoolCust · State Full PrimaryEquity Index (EQI) 412 · 138 students
- 765Te Koromiko Swannanoa SchoolRangiora · State Full PrimaryEquity Index (EQI) 419 · 311 students
- 863Woodend SchoolWoodend · State Full PrimaryEquity Index (EQI) 453 · 612 students
- 962St Patrick's School (Kaiapoi)Kaiapoi · State integrated Full PrimaryEquity Index (EQI) 440 · 204 students
- 1061North Loburn SchoolLoburn North · State Full PrimaryEquity Index (EQI) 420 · 80 students
- 1161Te Matauru PrimaryRangiora · State Full PrimaryEquity Index (EQI) 445 · 252 students
- 1261Te Waitai Sefton SchoolSefton · State Full PrimaryEquity Index (EQI) 434 · 131 students
- 1359Clarkville Te Kura ki WaimātaoClarkville · State Full PrimaryEquity Index (EQI) 429 · 208 students
- 1459Loburn School Te Kura AromaukaLoburn · State Full PrimaryEquity Index (EQI) 430 · 182 students
- 1556Tūtira Ashgrove SchoolSouthbrook · State Full PrimaryEquity Index (EQI) 442 · 441 students
- 1655West Eyreton SchoolWest Eyreton · State Full PrimaryEquity Index (EQI) 438 · 187 students
- 1755View Hill SchoolOxford · State Full PrimaryEquity Index (EQI) 439 · 69 students
- 1854Oxford Area SchoolOxford · State CompositeEquity Index (EQI) 465 · 496 students
- 1952Ashley Rakahuri SchoolAshley · State Full PrimaryEquity Index (EQI) 444 · 192 students
- 2048Kaiapoi North SchoolKaiapoi · State Full PrimaryEquity Index (EQI) 461 · 514 students
- 2146Kaiapoi Borough SchoolKaiapoi · State Full PrimaryEquity Index (EQI) 490 · 377 students
- 2245Rangiora Borough SchoolRangiora · State Full PrimaryEquity Index (EQI) 463 · 331 students
- 2339Southbrook SchoolRangiora · State Full PrimaryEquity Index (EQI) 474 · 259 students
- 2437Te Kura o TuahiwiKaiapoi · State Full PrimaryEquity Index (EQI) 498 · 192 students
| # | School | Sector | Success Index (NZ) | Equity Index (EQI) | Students |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ōhoka School Kaiapoi · Full Primary · Years 1–8 | State | 76.5 Top 25% | 406 | 224 |
| 2 | St Joseph's School (Rangiora) Rangiora · Full Primary · Years 1–8 | State integrated | 70.1 Top 25% | 420 | 187 |
| 3 | Rangiora New Life School Southbrook · Composite · Years 1–13 | State integrated | 67.3 Top 25% | 434 | 469 |
| 4 | Fernside School Fernside · Full Primary · Years 1–8 | State | 66.7 Top 25% | 412 | 271 |
| 5 | Pegasus Bay School Pegasus · Full Primary · Years 1–8 | State | 65.3 Top 50% | 422 | 429 |
| 6 | Cust School Cust · Full Primary · Years 1–8 | State | 65.2 Top 50% | 412 | 138 |
| 7 | Te Koromiko Swannanoa School Rangiora · Full Primary · Years 1–8 | State | 64.6 Top 50% | 419 | 311 |
| 8 | Woodend School Woodend · Full Primary · Years 1–8 | State | 63.1 Top 50% | 453 | 612 |
| 9 | St Patrick's School (Kaiapoi) Kaiapoi · Full Primary · Years 1–8 | State integrated | 61.7 Top 50% | 440 | 204 |
| 10 | North Loburn School Loburn North · Full Primary · Years 1–8 | State | 61.1 Top 50% | 420 | 80 |
| 11 | Te Matauru Primary Rangiora · Full Primary · Years 1–8 | State | 61.1 Top 50% | 445 | 252 |
| 12 | Te Waitai Sefton School Sefton · Full Primary · Years 1–8 | State | 60.6 Top 50% | 434 | 131 |
| 13 | Clarkville Te Kura ki Waimātao Clarkville · Full Primary · Years 1–8 | State | 59.3 Top 50% | 429 | 208 |
| 14 | Loburn School Te Kura Aromauka Loburn · Full Primary · Years 1–8 | State | 58.6 Top 50% | 430 | 182 |
| 15 | Tūtira Ashgrove School Southbrook · Full Primary · Years 1–8 | State | 56.0 Top 50% | 442 | 441 |
| 16 | West Eyreton School West Eyreton · Full Primary · Years 1–8 | State | 55.0 Top 50% | 438 | 187 |
| 17 | View Hill School Oxford · Full Primary · Years 1–8 | State | 54.8 Top 50% | 439 | 69 |
| 18 | Oxford Area School Oxford · Composite · Years 1–13 | State | 54.0 Top 50% | 465 | 496 |
| 19 | Ashley Rakahuri School Ashley · Full Primary · Years 1–8 | State | 51.8 Top 50% | 444 | 192 |
| 20 | Kaiapoi North School Kaiapoi · Full Primary · Years 1–8 | State | 48.2 Lower 50% | 461 | 514 |
| 21 | Kaiapoi Borough School Kaiapoi · Full Primary · Years 1–8 | State | 45.9 Lower 50% | 490 | 377 |
| 22 | Rangiora Borough School Rangiora · Full Primary · Years 1–8 | State | 44.6 Lower 50% | 463 | 331 |
| 23 | Southbrook School Rangiora · Full Primary · Years 1–8 | State | 39.0 Lower 50% | 474 | 259 |
| 24 | Te Kura o Tuahiwi Kaiapoi · Full Primary · Years 1–8 | State | 37.2 Lower 50% | 498 | 192 |
Ōhoka School in Kaiapoi leads the 2026 list of primary schools in Waimakariri District with a Success Index (NZ) of 76.5. Of the 24 schools shown, 21 are state, 3 are state integrated.
For the full picture see the wider Canterbury primary schools rankings, every school on the Waimakariri District page, or the comparison tool to put a shortlist side by side.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the best primary school in Waimakariri District?
Ōhoka School in Kaiapoi, Canterbury ranks first among primary schools in Waimakariri District with a Success Index (NZ) of 76.5 out of 100 (Equity Index (EQI): 406).
How are primary schools in Waimakariri District ranked?
Each school's Success Index (NZ) combines 5 factors: equity index (fewer barriers is higher) (45%), roll size (10%), roll growth (5 years) (15%), school leavers with ncea level 2+ (20%), school leavers with university entrance (10%). Each factor is a percentile against schools of the same type across New Zealand. Schools with fewer than 60 students are excluded from rankings.
Are these 2026 rankings official?
No. They are computed by Success Tutoring from official New Zealand data (Ministry of Education – Schools Directory; Ministry of Education – School leaver attainment (Find a school)). The Equity Index describes the student community, not teaching quality.