Best primary schools in South Taranaki District (2026)
Contributing, full primary, intermediate and composite schools offering Years 1–8. Ranked by the Success Index (NZ) from official New Zealand data; 17 schools in South Taranaki District, Taranaki. Rank positions shown on each profile are within New Zealand and Taranaki.
- 157St Joseph's School (Opunake)Opunake · State integrated Full PrimaryEquity Index (EQI) 441 · 124 students
- 255St Joseph's School (Hawera)Hāwera · State integrated Full PrimaryEquity Index (EQI) 439 · 209 students
- 349Turuturu SchoolHāwera · State ContributingEquity Index (EQI) 466 · 284 students
- 446Matapu SchoolHāwera · State Full PrimaryEquity Index (EQI) 467 · 146 students
- 546Tawhiti SchoolHāwera · State ContributingEquity Index (EQI) 473 · 278 students
- 644Kakaramea SchoolPatea · State ContributingEquity Index (EQI) 457 · 64 students
- 740Waverley Primary SchoolWaverley · State Full PrimaryEquity Index (EQI) 487 · 168 students
- 839Auroa SchoolHāwera · State Full PrimaryEquity Index (EQI) 473 · 167 students
- 929Opunake SchoolOpunake · State Full PrimaryEquity Index (EQI) 499 · 156 students
- 1028Te Kura o Nga Ruahine RangiMangatoki · State CompositeEquity Index (EQI) 531 · 64 students
- 1128Normanby SchoolNormanby · State ContributingEquity Index (EQI) 503 · 142 students
- 1227Rahotu SchoolRahotu · State Full PrimaryEquity Index (EQI) 503 · 122 students
- 1325Patea Area SchoolPatea · State CompositeEquity Index (EQI) 541 · 184 students
- 1424TKKM o Ngati RuanuiHāwera · State CompositeEquity Index (EQI) 531 · 150 students
- 1523Hāwera Primary SchoolHāwera · State ContributingEquity Index (EQI) 521 · 165 students
- 1622Eltham SchoolEltham · State Full PrimaryEquity Index (EQI) 521 · 131 students
- 1714Ramanui SchoolHāwera · State ContributingEquity Index (EQI) 556 · 62 students
| # | School | Sector | Success Index (NZ) | Equity Index (EQI) | Students |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | St Joseph's School (Opunake) Opunake · Full Primary · Years 1–8 | State integrated | 56.7 Top 50% | 441 | 124 |
| 2 | St Joseph's School (Hawera) Hāwera · Full Primary · Years 1–8 | State integrated | 54.8 Top 50% | 439 | 209 |
| 3 | Turuturu School Hāwera · Contributing · Years 1–6 | State | 48.8 Lower 50% | 466 | 284 |
| 4 | Matapu School Hāwera · Full Primary · Years 1–8 | State | 46.1 Lower 50% | 467 | 146 |
| 5 | Tawhiti School Hāwera · Contributing · Years 1–6 | State | 45.9 Lower 50% | 473 | 278 |
| 6 | Kakaramea School Patea · Contributing · Years 1–6 | State | 43.5 Lower 50% | 457 | 64 |
| 7 | Waverley Primary School Waverley · Full Primary · Years 1–8 | State | 39.6 Lower 50% | 487 | 168 |
| 8 | Auroa School Hāwera · Full Primary · Years 1–8 | State | 38.7 Lower 50% | 473 | 167 |
| 9 | Opunake School Opunake · Full Primary · Years 1–8 | State | 29.2 Lower 50% | 499 | 156 |
| 10 | Te Kura o Nga Ruahine Rangi Mangatoki · Composite · Years 1–13 | State | 28.3 Lower 50% | 531 | 64 |
| 11 | Normanby School Normanby · Contributing · Years 1–6 | State | 27.7 Lower 50% | 503 | 142 |
| 12 | Rahotu School Rahotu · Full Primary · Years 1–8 | State | 27.1 Lower 50% | 503 | 122 |
| 13 | Patea Area School Patea · Composite · Years 1–13 | State | 25.0 Lower 50% | 541 | 184 |
| 14 | TKKM o Ngati Ruanui Hāwera · Composite · Years 1–13 | State | 23.9 Lower 50% | 531 | 150 |
| 15 | Hāwera Primary School Hāwera · Contributing · Years 1–6 | State | 23.0 Lower 50% | 521 | 165 |
| 16 | Eltham School Eltham · Full Primary · Years 1–8 | State | 22.3 Lower 50% | 521 | 131 |
| 17 | Ramanui School Hāwera · Contributing · Years 1–6 | State | 13.6 Lower 50% | 556 | 62 |
St Joseph's School (Opunake) in Opunake leads the 2026 list of primary schools in South Taranaki District with a Success Index (NZ) of 56.7. Of the 17 schools shown, 15 are state, 2 are state integrated.
For the full picture see the wider Taranaki primary schools rankings, every school on the South Taranaki 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 South Taranaki District?
St Joseph's School (Opunake) in Opunake, Taranaki ranks first among primary schools in South Taranaki District with a Success Index (NZ) of 56.7 out of 100 (Equity Index (EQI): 441).
How are primary schools in South Taranaki 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.