Largest Schools in Palmerston North City (2026)
Schools with the largest rolls. Ranked by the Success Index (NZ) from official New Zealand data; 40 schools in Palmerston North City, Manawatū-Whanganui. Rank positions shown on each profile are within New Zealand and Manawatū-Whanganui.
- Primary Schools in Palmerston North City
- Secondary Schools in Palmerston North City
- State Schools in Palmerston North City
- State Integrated Schools in Palmerston North City
- Secondary Schools by NCEA Level 2 Attainment in Palmerston North City
- Secondary Schools by University Entrance in Palmerston North City
- 167Palmerston North Boys' High SchoolPalmerston North · State Secondary (Year 9-15)Roll: 1,794
- 278Palmerston North Girls' High SchoolPalmerston North · State Secondary (Year 9-15)Roll: 1,318
- 342Freyberg High SchoolRoslyn · State Secondary (Year 9-15)Roll: 936
- 437Awatapu CollegeWest End · State Secondary (Year 9-15)Roll: 869
- 570St Peter's College (Palmerston North)Milson · State integrated Secondary (Year 7-15)Roll: 789
- 677Palmerston North IntermediatePalmerston North · State IntermediateRoll: 751
- 772College Street Normal SchoolHokowhitu · State ContributingRoll: 623
- 880Cornerstone Christian SchoolKelvin Grove · State integrated CompositeRoll: 612
- 965Whakarongo SchoolPalmerston North · State Full PrimaryRoll: 490
- 1047Central Normal SchoolPalmerston North · State ContributingRoll: 485
- 1149Ashhurst SchoolAshhurst · State Full PrimaryRoll: 456
- 1242Ross IntermediatePalmerston North · State IntermediateRoll: 444
- 1321Queen Elizabeth CollegePalmerston North · State Secondary (Year 7-15)Roll: 408
- 1427Roslyn SchoolRoslyn · State Full PrimaryRoll: 397
- 1563Hokowhitu SchoolPalmerston North · State ContributingRoll: 385
- 1663Riverdale School (P North)Awapuni · State ContributingRoll: 378
- 1754West End School (P North)Palmerston North · State ContributingRoll: 358
- 1865Winchester School (P North)Hokowhitu · State ContributingRoll: 342
- 1947Milson SchoolMilson · State ContributingRoll: 341
- 2072Russell Street SchoolPalmerston North · State ContributingRoll: 334
- 2137Monrad - Te Kura Waenga o TirohangaPalmerston North · State IntermediateRoll: 330
- 2254Parkland School (P North)Palmerston North · State ContributingRoll: 325
- 2332Cloverlea SchoolCloverlea · State ContributingRoll: 247
- 2481St Mary's School (P North)Roslyn · State integrated ContributingRoll: 222
- 2536Terrace End SchoolTerrace End · State ContributingRoll: 222
- 2642Longburn Adventist CollegeLongburn · State integrated Secondary (Year 7-15)Roll: 220
- 2720Takaro SchoolPalmerston North · State Full PrimaryRoll: 200
- 2851ManukuraPalmerston North · State Secondary (Year 9-15)Roll: 188
- 2977Aokautere SchoolAokautere · State ContributingRoll: 162
- 3068Our Lady of Lourdes School (P North)Takaro · State integrated ContributingRoll: 161
- 3118Te Kura o WairauHighbury · State ContributingRoll: 156
- 3249Kairanga SchoolPalmerston North · State Full PrimaryRoll: 155
- 3366St James' Catholic School Te Kura Katorika o Hato HeemiHokowhitu · State integrated ContributingRoll: 143
- 3435Linton Camp SchoolLinton Camp · State Full PrimaryRoll: 143
- 3568Turitea SchoolTiritea · State ContributingRoll: 134
- 3631TKKM o ManawatuKelvin Grove · State Full PrimaryRoll: 119
- 3723Awapuni School (P North)Awapuni · State ContributingRoll: 107
- 3856Palmerston North Adventist Christian SchoolPalmerston North · State integrated ContributingRoll: 103
- 3931Longburn SchoolLongburn · State Full PrimaryRoll: 87
- 4058Mana TamarikiPalmerston North CBD · State CompositeRoll: 70
| # | School | Sector | Roll | Success Index (NZ) | Equity Index (EQI) | Students |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Palmerston North Boys' High School Palmerston North · Secondary (Year 9-15) · Years 9–13 | State | 1,794 | 66.7 Top 25% | 441 | 1,794 |
| 2 | Palmerston North Girls' High School Palmerston North · Secondary (Year 9-15) · Years 9–13 | State | 1,318 | 77.7 Top 25% | 433 | 1,318 |
| 3 | Freyberg High School Roslyn · Secondary (Year 9-15) · Years 9–13 | State | 936 | 42.4 Lower 50% | 488 | 936 |
| 4 | Awatapu College West End · Secondary (Year 9-15) · Years 9–13 | State | 869 | 37.1 Lower 50% | 492 | 869 |
| 5 | St Peter's College (Palmerston North) Milson · Secondary (Year 7-15) · Years 7–13 | State integrated | 789 | 69.6 Top 25% | 436 | 789 |
| 6 | Palmerston North Intermediate Palmerston North · Intermediate · Years 7–8 | State | 751 | 76.7 Top 25% | 426 | 751 |
| 7 | College Street Normal School Hokowhitu · Contributing · Years 1–6 | State | 623 | 71.8 Top 25% | 409 | 623 |
| 8 | Cornerstone Christian School Kelvin Grove · Composite · Years 1–13 | State integrated | 612 | 79.5 Top 10% | 417 | 612 |
| 9 | Whakarongo School Palmerston North · Full Primary · Years 1–8 | State | 490 | 65.1 Top 50% | 424 | 490 |
| 10 | Central Normal School Palmerston North · Contributing · Years 1–6 | State | 485 | 46.9 Lower 50% | 491 | 485 |
| 11 | Ashhurst School Ashhurst · Full Primary · Years 1–8 | State | 456 | 48.5 Lower 50% | 459 | 456 |
| 12 | Ross Intermediate Palmerston North · Intermediate · Years 7–8 | State | 444 | 42.2 Lower 50% | 473 | 444 |
| 13 | Queen Elizabeth College Palmerston North · Secondary (Year 7-15) · Years 7–13 | State | 408 | 20.7 Lower 50% | 556 | 408 |
| 14 | Roslyn School Roslyn · Full Primary · Years 1–8 | State | 397 | 26.7 Lower 50% | 518 | 397 |
| 15 | Hokowhitu School Palmerston North · Contributing · Years 1–6 | State | 385 | 62.8 Top 50% | 426 | 385 |
| 16 | Riverdale School (P North) Awapuni · Contributing · Years 1–6 | State | 378 | 62.7 Top 50% | 426 | 378 |
| 17 | West End School (P North) Palmerston North · Contributing · Years 1–6 | State | 358 | 54.3 Top 50% | 458 | 358 |
| 18 | Winchester School (P North) Hokowhitu · Contributing · Years 1–6 | State | 342 | 64.8 Top 50% | 420 | 342 |
| 19 | Milson School Milson · Contributing · Years 1–6 | State | 341 | 46.7 Lower 50% | 486 | 341 |
| 20 | Russell Street School Palmerston North · Contributing · Years 1–6 | State | 334 | 71.6 Top 25% | 429 | 334 |
| 21 | Monrad - Te Kura Waenga o Tirohanga Palmerston North · Intermediate · Years 7–8 | State | 330 | 36.8 Lower 50% | 517 | 330 |
| 22 | Parkland School (P North) Palmerston North · Contributing · Years 1–6 | State | 325 | 53.5 Top 50% | 443 | 325 |
| 23 | Cloverlea School Cloverlea · Contributing · Years 1–6 | State | 247 | 31.7 Lower 50% | 494 | 247 |
| 24 | St Mary's School (P North) Roslyn · Contributing · Years 1–6 | State integrated | 222 | 81.4 Top 10% | 389 | 222 |
| 25 | Terrace End School Terrace End · Contributing · Years 1–6 | State | 222 | 36.3 Lower 50% | 505 | 222 |
| 26 | Longburn Adventist College Longburn · Secondary (Year 7-15) · Years 7–13 | State integrated | 220 | 42.0 Lower 50% | 474 | 220 |
| 27 | Takaro School Palmerston North · Full Primary · Years 1–8 | State | 200 | 20.1 Lower 50% | 534 | 200 |
| 28 | Manukura Palmerston North · Secondary (Year 9-15) · Years 9–13 | State | 188 | 50.9 Top 50% | 494 | 188 |
| 29 | Aokautere School Aokautere · Contributing · Years 1–6 | State | 162 | 77.4 Top 25% | 393 | 162 |
| 30 | Our Lady of Lourdes School (P North) Takaro · Contributing · Years 1–6 | State integrated | 161 | 67.9 Top 25% | 422 | 161 |
| 31 | Te Kura o Wairau Highbury · Contributing · Years 1–6 | State | 156 | 17.7 Lower 50% | 541 | 156 |
| 32 | Kairanga School Palmerston North · Full Primary · Years 1–8 | State | 155 | 48.7 Lower 50% | 449 | 155 |
| 33 | St James' Catholic School Te Kura Katorika o Hato Heemi Hokowhitu · Contributing · Years 1–6 | State integrated | 143 | 66.0 Top 50% | 410 | 143 |
| 34 | Linton Camp School Linton Camp · Full Primary · Years 1–8 | State | 143 | 34.6 Lower 50% | 482 | 143 |
| 35 | Turitea School Tiritea · Contributing · Years 1–6 | State | 134 | 67.8 Top 25% | 403 | 134 |
| 36 | TKKM o Manawatu Kelvin Grove · Full Primary · Years 1–8 | State | 119 | 30.6 Lower 50% | 506 | 119 |
| 37 | Awapuni School (P North) Awapuni · Contributing · Years 1–6 | State | 107 | 23.0 Lower 50% | 531 | 107 |
| 38 | Palmerston North Adventist Christian School Palmerston North · Contributing · Years 1–6 | State integrated | 103 | 55.7 Top 50% | 433 | 103 |
| 39 | Longburn School Longburn · Full Primary · Years 1–8 | State | 87 | 31.0 Lower 50% | 489 | 87 |
| 40 | Mana Tamariki Palmerston North CBD · Composite · Years 1–13 | State | 70 | 58.4 Top 50% | 444 | 70 |
Palmerston North Boys' High School in Palmerston North leads the 2026 list of largest schools in Palmerston North City with Roll 1,794. Of the 40 schools shown, 33 are state, 7 are state integrated.
For the full picture see the wider Manawatū-Whanganui largest schools rankings, every school on the Palmerston North City page, or the comparison tool to put a shortlist side by side.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the best largest school in Palmerston North City?
Palmerston North Boys' High School in Palmerston North, Manawatū-Whanganui ranks first among largest schools in Palmerston North City with Roll 1,794 (Equity Index (EQI): 441).
How are largest schools in Palmerston North City ranked?
Schools with the largest rolls. Only schools eligible for the Success Index (NZ) are included; the index is shown alongside for context.
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.