Best schools in Canterbury (2026)
The top five of 293 schools in each category, with links to the full top 100. Rankings use the Success Index (NZ), built only from official New Zealand data.
Canterbury has 293 schools educating 106,963 students in 2026: 235 state, 46 state integrated, 10 private, 2 charter.
The median Equity Index (EQI) across Canterbury is 440. Ministry of Education measure of socio-economic barriers faced by students; lower means fewer barriers.
Browse every school in Canterbury →
Best primary schools in Canterbury
Contributing, full primary, intermediate and composite schools offering Years 1–8.
Cashmere Primary Te Pae Kererū
Cashmere · State full primary · Years 1–8
501 students
Elmwood Normal School
Merivale · State contributing · Years 1–6
564 students
Prebbleton School
Prebbleton · State full primary · Years 1–8
573 students
Te Kura o te Tauawa Halswell School
Halswell · State full primary · Years 1–8
740 students
Knights Stream School- Mingimingi Hautoa
Halswell · State full primary · Years 1–8
682 students
Best secondary schools in Canterbury
Secondary and composite schools offering Years 9–13.
Aidanfield Christian School
Aidanfield · State integrated composite · Years 1–13
477 students
Craighead Diocesan School
West End · State integrated secondary (year 7-15) · Years 7–13
410 students
Middleton Grange School
Riccarton · State integrated composite · Years 1–13
1,395 students
Christchurch Girls' High School -Te Kura o Hine Waiora
Riccarton · State secondary (year 9-15) · Years 9–13
1,308 students
Cashmere High School
Somerfield · State secondary (year 9-15) · Years 9–13
2,450 students
Best state schools in Canterbury
Government schools across all year levels.
Cashmere Primary Te Pae Kererū
Cashmere · State full primary · Years 1–8
501 students
Elmwood Normal School
Merivale · State contributing · Years 1–6
564 students
Prebbleton School
Prebbleton · State full primary · Years 1–8
573 students
Te Kura o te Tauawa Halswell School
Halswell · State full primary · Years 1–8
740 students
Knights Stream School- Mingimingi Hautoa
Halswell · State full primary · Years 1–8
682 students
Best state integrated schools in Canterbury
State integrated (mostly church-affiliated) schools.
Our Lady of Victories
Sockburn · State integrated full primary · Years 1–8
263 students
Aidanfield Christian School
Aidanfield · State integrated composite · Years 1–13
477 students
Craighead Diocesan School
West End · State integrated secondary (year 7-15) · Years 7–13
410 students
Middleton Grange School
Riccarton · State integrated composite · Years 1–13
1,395 students
Rolleston Christian School
Rolleston · State integrated full primary · Years 1–8
291 students
Best girls' schools in Canterbury
Single-sex girls' schools.
Craighead Diocesan School
West End · State integrated secondary (year 7-15) · Years 7–13
410 students
Christchurch Girls' High School -Te Kura o Hine Waiora
Riccarton · State secondary (year 9-15) · Years 9–13
1,308 students
Villa Maria College
Upper Riccarton · State integrated secondary (year 7-15) · Years 7–13
831 students
Marian College
Northcote-Christchurch · State integrated secondary (year 9-15) · Years 9–13
427 students
Avonside Girls' High School
North New Brighton · State secondary (year 9-15) · Years 9–13
1,090 students
Best boys' schools in Canterbury
Single-sex boys' schools.
St Thomas of Canterbury College
Sockburn · State integrated secondary (year 7-15) · Years 7–13
686 students
Christchurch Boys' High School
Riccarton · State secondary (year 9-15) · Years 9–13
1,403 students
St Bede's College
Papanui · State integrated secondary (year 9-15) · Years 9–13
795 students
Timaru Boys' High School
West End · State secondary (year 9-15) · Years 9–13
793 students
Shirley Boys' High School - Ngā Tama o Ōruapaeroa
Christchurch · State secondary (year 9-15) · Years 9–13
1,295 students
Best secondary schools by ncea level 2 attainment in Canterbury
Secondary schools ranked by the percentage of school leavers who left with at least NCEA Level 2 (Ministry of Education), for schools with 30 or more leavers.
Craighead Diocesan School
West End · State integrated secondary (year 7-15) · Years 7–13
410 students
St Andrew's College (Christchurch)
Bryndwr · Private composite · Years 1–13
1,650 students
Villa Maria College
Upper Riccarton · State integrated secondary (year 7-15) · Years 7–13
831 students
Rangi Ruru Girls' School
Merivale · Private secondary (year 7-15) · Years 7–13
704 students
Christ's College
Christchurch Central · Private secondary (year 9-15) · Years 9–13
707 students
Best secondary schools by university entrance in Canterbury
Secondary schools ranked by the percentage of school leavers who attained the University Entrance award (Ministry of Education).
St Andrew's College (Christchurch)
Bryndwr · Private composite · Years 1–13
1,650 students
Craighead Diocesan School
West End · State integrated secondary (year 7-15) · Years 7–13
410 students
Rangi Ruru Girls' School
Merivale · Private secondary (year 7-15) · Years 7–13
704 students
Christ's College
Christchurch Central · Private secondary (year 9-15) · Years 9–13
707 students
St Margaret's College
Merivale · Private composite · Years 1–13
866 students
Best largest schools in Canterbury
Schools with the largest rolls.
Burnside High School
Burnside · State secondary (year 9-15) · Years 9–13
2,736 students
Cashmere High School
Somerfield · State secondary (year 9-15) · Years 9–13
2,450 students
Te Puna Wai o Waipapa - Hagley College
Christchurch Central · State secondary (year 9-15) · Years 9–13
1,967 students
Rolleston College
Rolleston · State secondary (year 9-15) · Years 9–13
1,963 students
Rangiora High School
Rangiora · State secondary (year 9-15) · Years 9–13
1,675 students
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Frequently asked questions
What is the best primary school in Canterbury?
Cashmere Primary Te Pae Kererū in Cashmere ranks first among primary schools in Canterbury with a Success Index (NZ) of 91.5 out of 100 (Equity Index (EQI): 368).
How are primary schools in Canterbury 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.