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Schools in Nelson City, Nelson (2026)

23 schools · 8,767 students · 18 state, 3 state integrated, 2 private · median Equity Index (EQI) 454.

Nelson City, in Nelson, has 23 schools in New Zealand's 2026 data, together educating about 8,767 students. By level there are 11 contributing, 4 secondary (year 9-15), 4 intermediate, 2 full primary, 1 special school, 1 teen parent unit; by sector 18 state, 3 state integrated, 2 private.

The median Equity Index (EQI) across Nelson City's schools is 454, in line with the Nelson median. Ministry of Education measure of socio-economic barriers faced by students; lower means fewer barriers.

18 of the 23 schools qualify for the Success Index (NZ). The highest-scoring is St Joseph's School (Nelson) (71.6, top 25% of full primary schools nationally), followed by Clifton Terrace School (68.5, top 25% of contributing schools nationally), and Nelson College For Girls (66.0, top 50% of secondary (year 9-15) schools nationally). Scores are percentiles within school type, so compare a primary school with other primary schools.

The largest schools are Nayland College (1,270 students), Nelson College (1,009 students), Nelson College For Girls (956 students). 4 schools are single-sex.

Schools are spread across 4 suburbs or towns, with the most in Nelson (14), Stoke (7), Richmond (1), Tahunanui (1).

Ranked schools in Nelson City

Ordered by Success Index (NZ). Rank positions shown on each profile are within New Zealand and Nelson.

  1. 1
    72
    St Joseph's School (Nelson)Nelson · State integrated Full PrimaryEquity Index (EQI) 401 · 376 students
  2. 2
    69
    Clifton Terrace SchoolNelson · State ContributingEquity Index (EQI) 406 · 280 students
  3. 3
    66
    Nelson College For GirlsNelson · State Secondary (Year 9-15)Equity Index (EQI) 442 · 956 students
  4. 4
    65
    Garin CollegeRichmond · State integrated Secondary (Year 9-15)Equity Index (EQI) 429 · 635 students
  5. 5
    65
    Hampden Street SchoolNelson · State ContributingEquity Index (EQI) 424 · 451 students
  6. 6
    63
    Nelson Central SchoolNelson · State ContributingEquity Index (EQI) 425 · 380 students
  7. 7
    62
    Enner Glynn SchoolStoke · State ContributingEquity Index (EQI) 425 · 329 students
  8. 8
    61
    Nelson Christian AcademyStoke · State integrated Full PrimaryEquity Index (EQI) 449 · 316 students
  9. 9
    61
    Nayland CollegeStoke · State Secondary (Year 9-15)Equity Index (EQI) 462 · 1,270 students
  10. 10
    55
    Nelson CollegeNelson · State Secondary (Year 9-15)Equity Index (EQI) 441 · 1,009 students
  11. 11
    54
    Te Puna Wānanga o Te Wairepo – Victory Primary SchoolNelson · State ContributingEquity Index (EQI) 469 · 366 students
  12. 12
    50
    Nelson IntermediateNelson · State IntermediateEquity Index (EQI) 454 · 415 students
  13. 13
    49
    Tahunanui SchoolTahunanui · State ContributingEquity Index (EQI) 474 · 278 students
  14. 14
    47
    Birchwood SchoolStoke · State ContributingEquity Index (EQI) 456 · 251 students
  15. 15
    46
    Nayland Primary SchoolStoke · State ContributingEquity Index (EQI) 462 · 389 students
  16. 16
    43
    Broadgreen IntermediateStoke · State IntermediateEquity Index (EQI) 471 · 490 students
  17. 17
    35
    Stoke SchoolStoke · State ContributingEquity Index (EQI) 484 · 199 students
  18. 18
    27
    Auckland Point SchoolNelson · State ContributingEquity Index (EQI) 501 · 85 students

Compare the top 4 schools in Nelson City side by side →

Suburb or towns in Nelson City

Other places in Nelson

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Frequently asked questions

What is the best school in Nelson City?

St Joseph's School (Nelson) is the highest-ranked school in Nelson City with a Success Index (NZ) of 71.6 out of 100 (Top 25% of full primary schools in New Zealand).

How many schools are in Nelson City?

Nelson City has 23 schools (2 full primary, 11 contributing, 4 secondary (year 9-15), 4 intermediate, 1 special school, 1 teen parent unit) educating 8,767 students in 2026.

What is the typical Equity Index (EQI) in Nelson City?

The median Equity Index (EQI) across schools in Nelson City is 454. Ministry of Education measure of socio-economic barriers faced by students; lower means fewer barriers.