Best secondary schools in New Plymouth District (2026)
Secondary and composite schools offering Years 9–13. Ranked by the Success Index (NZ) from official New Zealand data; 9 schools in New Plymouth District, Taranaki. Rank positions shown on each profile are within New Zealand and Taranaki.
- Primary Schools in New Plymouth District
- State Schools in New Plymouth District
- State Integrated Schools in New Plymouth District
- Secondary Schools by NCEA Level 2 Attainment in New Plymouth District
- Secondary Schools by University Entrance in New Plymouth District
- Largest Schools in New Plymouth District
- 181Sacred Heart Girls' College (N Plymouth)Fitzroy · State integrated Secondary (Year 7-15)Equity Index (EQI) 414 · 729 students
- 272Francis Douglas Memorial CollegeWestown · State integrated Secondary (Year 7-15)Equity Index (EQI) 418 · 779 students
- 365New Plymouth Boys' High SchoolNew Plymouth · State Secondary (Year 9-15)Equity Index (EQI) 446 · 1,457 students
- 463New Plymouth Girls' High SchoolNew Plymouth · State Secondary (Year 9-15)Equity Index (EQI) 447 · 1,290 students
- 542Spotswood CollegeNew Plymouth · State Secondary (Year 9-15)Equity Index (EQI) 493 · 905 students
- 641Inglewood High SchoolInglewood · State Secondary (Year 9-15)Equity Index (EQI) 478 · 530 students
- 740Coastal Taranaki SchoolOkato · State CompositeEquity Index (EQI) 478 · 243 students
- 832Te Pi'ipi'inga Kakano Mai I RangiateaSpotswood · State CompositeEquity Index (EQI) 514 · 132 students
- 930Waitara High SchoolWaitara · State Secondary (Year 9-15)Equity Index (EQI) 524 · 423 students
| # | School | Sector | Success Index (NZ) | Equity Index (EQI) | Students |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sacred Heart Girls' College (N Plymouth) Fitzroy · Secondary (Year 7-15) · Years 7–13 | State integrated | 80.7 Top 10% | 414 | 729 |
| 2 | Francis Douglas Memorial College Westown · Secondary (Year 7-15) · Years 7–13 | State integrated | 71.9 Top 25% | 418 | 779 |
| 3 | New Plymouth Boys' High School New Plymouth · Secondary (Year 9-15) · Years 9–13 | State | 65.0 Top 50% | 446 | 1,457 |
| 4 | New Plymouth Girls' High School New Plymouth · Secondary (Year 9-15) · Years 9–13 | State | 63.3 Top 50% | 447 | 1,290 |
| 5 | Spotswood College New Plymouth · Secondary (Year 9-15) · Years 9–13 | State | 41.9 Lower 50% | 493 | 905 |
| 6 | Inglewood High School Inglewood · Secondary (Year 9-15) · Years 9–13 | State | 41.4 Lower 50% | 478 | 530 |
| 7 | Coastal Taranaki School Okato · Composite · Years 1–13 | State | 40.1 Lower 50% | 478 | 243 |
| 8 | Te Pi'ipi'inga Kakano Mai I Rangiatea Spotswood · Composite · Years 1–13 | State | 32.4 Lower 50% | 514 | 132 |
| 9 | Waitara High School Waitara · Secondary (Year 9-15) · Years 9–13 | State | 30.4 Lower 50% | 524 | 423 |
Sacred Heart Girls' College (N Plymouth) in Fitzroy leads the 2026 list of secondary schools in New Plymouth District with a Success Index (NZ) of 80.7. Of the 9 schools shown, 7 are state, 2 are state integrated.
For the full picture see the wider Taranaki secondary schools rankings, every school on the New Plymouth District page, or the comparison tool to put a shortlist side by side.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the best secondary school in New Plymouth District?
Sacred Heart Girls' College (N Plymouth) in Fitzroy, Taranaki ranks first among secondary schools in New Plymouth District with a Success Index (NZ) of 80.7 out of 100 (Equity Index (EQI): 414).
How are secondary schools in New Plymouth 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.