Top 45 secondary schools by ncea level 2 attainment in Canterbury (2026)

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. Ordered by the measure shown, with the Success Index (NZ) for context; 45 schools shown.

1
85
Craighead Diocesan SchoolWest End · State integrated Secondary (Year 7-15)NCEA L2: 100%
2
–
St Andrew's College (Christchurch)Bryndwr · Private CompositeNCEA L2: 99.6%
3
77
Villa Maria CollegeUpper Riccarton · State integrated Secondary (Year 7-15)NCEA L2: 98.5%
4
–
Rangi Ruru Girls' SchoolMerivale · Private Secondary (Year 7-15)NCEA L2: 98.3%
5
–
Christ's CollegeChristchurch Central · Private Secondary (Year 9-15)NCEA L2: 97.9%
6
–
St Margaret's CollegeMerivale · Private CompositeNCEA L2: 96.7%
7
77
St Thomas of Canterbury CollegeSockburn · State integrated Secondary (Year 7-15)NCEA L2: 95.9%
8
74
St Bede's CollegePapanui · State integrated Secondary (Year 9-15)NCEA L2: 94.7%
9
84
Middleton Grange SchoolRiccarton · State integrated CompositeNCEA L2: 94.5%
10
81
Christchurch Girls' High School -Te Kura o Hine WaioraRiccarton · State Secondary (Year 9-15)NCEA L2: 94.1%
11
75
Marian CollegeNorthcote-Christchurch · State integrated Secondary (Year 9-15)NCEA L2: 91.7%
12
78
Lincoln High SchoolLincoln · State Secondary (Year 9-15)NCEA L2: 90.9%
13
52
Ellesmere CollegeLeeston · State Secondary (Year 7-15)NCEA L2: 90.2%
14
67
Catholic Cathedral CollegePhillipstown · State integrated Secondary (Year 7-15)NCEA L2: 88.7%
15
80
Burnside High SchoolBurnside · State Secondary (Year 9-15)NCEA L2: 88.6%
16
64
Darfield High SchoolDarfield · State Secondary (Year 7-15)NCEA L2: 88.1%
17
67
Mount Hutt CollegeMethven · State Secondary (Year 7-15)NCEA L2: 87.9%
18
67
Rangiora New Life SchoolSouthbrook · State integrated CompositeNCEA L2: 87.8%
19
80
Cashmere High SchoolSomerfield · State Secondary (Year 9-15)NCEA L2: 87.7%
20
75
Christchurch Boys' High SchoolRiccarton · State Secondary (Year 9-15)NCEA L2: 87.2%
21
58
Roncalli CollegeTimaru · State integrated Secondary (Year 9-15)NCEA L2: 83.9%
22
65
Rolleston CollegeRolleston · State Secondary (Year 9-15)NCEA L2: 83.2%
23
54
Oxford Area SchoolOxford · State CompositeNCEA L2: 81.8%
24
58
Geraldine High SchoolGeraldine · State Secondary (Year 7-15)NCEA L2: 81%
25
55
Kaiapoi High SchoolKaiapoi · State Secondary (Year 9-15)NCEA L2: 78.4%
26
43
Waimate High SchoolWaimate · State Secondary (Year 7-15)NCEA L2: 78%
27
54
Avonside Girls' High SchoolNorth New Brighton · State Secondary (Year 9-15)NCEA L2: 77.8%
28
53
Ashburton CollegeAllenton · State Secondary (Year 9-15)NCEA L2: 77.5%
29
59
Rangiora High SchoolRangiora · State Secondary (Year 9-15)NCEA L2: 77.4%
30
47
Shirley Boys' High School - Ngā Tama o ŌruapaeroaChristchurch · State Secondary (Year 9-15)NCEA L2: 76.7%
31
54
Timaru Boys' High SchoolWest End · State Secondary (Year 9-15)NCEA L2: 75.4%
32
62
Riccarton High SchoolSockburn · State Secondary (Year 9-15)NCEA L2: 75.2%
33
49
Timaru Girls' High SchoolTimaru · State Secondary (Year 9-15)NCEA L2: 74.2%
34
48
Mackenzie CollegeFairlie · State Secondary (Year 7-15)NCEA L2: 70.6%
35
45
Papanui High SchoolPapanui · State Secondary (Year 9-15)NCEA L2: 70.1%
36
48
Amuri Area SchoolCulverden · State CompositeNCEA L2: 70%
37
54
Ao Tawhiti Unlimited DiscoveryChristchurch · State CompositeNCEA L2: 67.6%
38
50
Te Kura Tuarua o Horomaka Hillmorton High SchoolBarrington · State Secondary (Year 7-15)NCEA L2: 67.3%
39
40
Te Puna Wai o Waipapa - Hagley CollegeChristchurch Central · State Secondary (Year 9-15)NCEA L2: 66.3%
40
40
Hornby High SchoolHornby · State Secondary (Year 7-15)NCEA L2: 65.9%
41
31
Opihi CollegeTemuka · State Secondary (Year 7-15)NCEA L2: 65%
42
36
Mountainview High SchoolTimaru · State Secondary (Year 9-15)NCEA L2: 60.8%
43
35
Te Aratai CollegePhillipstown · State Secondary (Year 7-15)NCEA L2: 60.1%
44
12
Haeata Community CampusWainoni · State CompositeNCEA L2: 54.5%
45
30
Mairehau High SchoolChristchurch · State Secondary (Year 9-15)NCEA L2: 54.2%

#	School	Sector	NCEA L2	Success Index (NZ)	Equity Index (EQI)	Students
1	Craighead Diocesan School West End · Secondary (Year 7-15) · Years 7–13	State integrated	100%	84.5 Top 5%	409	410
2	St Andrew's College (Christchurch) Bryndwr · Composite · Years 1–13	Private	99.6%	– Not rated	–	1,650
3	Villa Maria College Upper Riccarton · Secondary (Year 7-15) · Years 7–13	State integrated	98.5%	77.2 Top 25%	411	831
4	Rangi Ruru Girls' School Merivale · Secondary (Year 7-15) · Years 7–13	Private	98.3%	– Not rated	–	704
5	Christ's College Christchurch Central · Secondary (Year 9-15) · Years 9–13	Private	97.9%	– Not rated	–	707
6	St Margaret's College Merivale · Composite · Years 1–13	Private	96.7%	– Not rated	–	866
7	St Thomas of Canterbury College Sockburn · Secondary (Year 7-15) · Years 7–13	State integrated	95.9%	77.3 Top 25%	430	686
8	St Bede's College Papanui · Secondary (Year 9-15) · Years 9–13	State integrated	94.7%	73.8 Top 25%	415	795
9	Middleton Grange School Riccarton · Composite · Years 1–13	State integrated	94.5%	84.4 Top 5%	404	1,395
10	Christchurch Girls' High School -Te Kura o Hine Waiora Riccarton · Secondary (Year 9-15) · Years 9–13	State	94.1%	81.0 Top 10%	419	1,308
11	Marian College Northcote-Christchurch · Secondary (Year 9-15) · Years 9–13	State integrated	91.7%	74.7 Top 25%	426	427
12	Lincoln High School Lincoln · Secondary (Year 9-15) · Years 9–13	State	90.9%	77.9 Top 25%	423	1,438
13	Ellesmere College Leeston · Secondary (Year 7-15) · Years 7–13	State	90.2%	52.3 Top 50%	462	575
14	Catholic Cathedral College Phillipstown · Secondary (Year 7-15) · Years 7–13	State integrated	88.7%	67.2 Top 25%	448	597
15	Burnside High School Burnside · Secondary (Year 9-15) · Years 9–13	State	88.6%	79.9 Top 10%	416	2,736
16	Darfield High School Darfield · Secondary (Year 7-15) · Years 7–13	State	88.1%	64.4 Top 50%	447	821
17	Mount Hutt College Methven · Secondary (Year 7-15) · Years 7–13	State	87.9%	67.3 Top 25%	438	573
18	Rangiora New Life School Southbrook · Composite · Years 1–13	State integrated	87.8%	67.3 Top 25%	434	469
19	Cashmere High School Somerfield · Secondary (Year 9-15) · Years 9–13	State	87.7%	80.0 Top 10%	413	2,450
20	Christchurch Boys' High School Riccarton · Secondary (Year 9-15) · Years 9–13	State	87.2%	75.2 Top 25%	418	1,403
21	Roncalli College Timaru · Secondary (Year 9-15) · Years 9–13	State integrated	83.9%	58.1 Top 50%	446	500
22	Rolleston College Rolleston · Secondary (Year 9-15) · Years 9–13	State	83.2%	65.0 Top 50%	449	1,963
23	Oxford Area School Oxford · Composite · Years 1–13	State	81.8%	54.0 Top 50%	465	496
24	Geraldine High School Geraldine · Secondary (Year 7-15) · Years 7–13	State	81%	57.6 Top 50%	453	598
25	Kaiapoi High School Kaiapoi · Secondary (Year 9-15) · Years 9–13	State	78.4%	55.0 Top 50%	465	1,044
26	Waimate High School Waimate · Secondary (Year 7-15) · Years 7–13	State	78%	43.3 Lower 50%	481	291
27	Avonside Girls' High School North New Brighton · Secondary (Year 9-15) · Years 9–13	State	77.8%	53.5 Top 50%	472	1,090
28	Ashburton College Allenton · Secondary (Year 9-15) · Years 9–13	State	77.5%	53.3 Top 50%	467	1,363
29	Rangiora High School Rangiora · Secondary (Year 9-15) · Years 9–13	State	77.4%	58.8 Top 50%	454	1,675
30	Shirley Boys' High School - Ngā Tama o Ōruapaeroa Christchurch · Secondary (Year 9-15) · Years 9–13	State	76.7%	46.9 Lower 50%	464	1,295
31	Timaru Boys' High School West End · Secondary (Year 9-15) · Years 9–13	State	75.4%	53.8 Top 50%	457	793
32	Riccarton High School Sockburn · Secondary (Year 9-15) · Years 9–13	State	75.2%	61.8 Top 50%	440	1,111
33	Timaru Girls' High School Timaru · Secondary (Year 9-15) · Years 9–13	State	74.2%	48.5 Top 50%	474	484
34	Mackenzie College Fairlie · Secondary (Year 7-15) · Years 7–13	State	70.6%	48.1 Top 50%	451	195
35	Papanui High School Papanui · Secondary (Year 9-15) · Years 9–13	State	70.1%	44.9 Lower 50%	461	1,416
36	Amuri Area School Culverden · Composite · Years 1–13	State	70%	48.4 Top 50%	444	355
37	Ao Tawhiti Unlimited Discovery Christchurch · Composite · Years 1–13	State	67.6%	54.2 Top 50%	442	654
38	Te Kura Tuarua o Horomaka Hillmorton High School Barrington · Secondary (Year 7-15) · Years 7–13	State	67.3%	49.7 Top 50%	467	1,415
39	Te Puna Wai o Waipapa - Hagley College Christchurch Central · Secondary (Year 9-15) · Years 9–13	State	66.3%	40.2 Lower 50%	468	1,967
40	Hornby High School Hornby · Secondary (Year 7-15) · Years 7–13	State	65.9%	39.5 Lower 50%	489	1,015
41	Opihi College Temuka · Secondary (Year 7-15) · Years 7–13	State	65%	30.5 Lower 50%	504	273
42	Mountainview High School Timaru · Secondary (Year 9-15) · Years 9–13	State	60.8%	35.6 Lower 50%	494	448
43	Te Aratai College Phillipstown · Secondary (Year 7-15) · Years 7–13	State	60.1%	34.7 Lower 50%	507	1,240
44	Haeata Community Campus Wainoni · Composite · Years 1–13	State	54.5%	12.2 Lower 50%	545	634
45	Mairehau High School Christchurch · Secondary (Year 9-15) · Years 9–13	State	54.2%	29.5 Lower 50%	510	407

Craighead Diocesan School in West End leads the 2026 list of secondary schools by ncea level 2 attainment in Canterbury with NCEA L2 100%. Of the 45 schools shown, 32 are state, 9 are state integrated, 4 are private.

Use the rankings to build a shortlist, then visit the schools and ask how they support students at your child's level.

Download this table as CSV · free to reuse with attribution to the original sources and Success Tutoring

Secondary Schools by NCEA Level 2 Attainment in:New Zealand Northland Auckland Waikato Bay of Plenty Gisborne Hawke's Bay Taranaki Manawatū-Whanganui Wellington Tasman Nelson Marlborough West Coast Otago Southland Chatham Islands

Free academic assessment

Is your child on track for NCEA?

Success Tutoring runs personalised English and Maths tutoring for Years 1–13 in New Zealand. Start with a free assessment mapped to the New Zealand Curriculum.

Personalised learning plan mapped to the Australian Curriculum
English & Maths from Kindergarten to Year 12
Flexible memberships, no lock-in contracts
Centres across NSW, VIC, QLD, WA, SA and ACT

Frequently asked questions

What is the best ncea results school in Canterbury?

Craighead Diocesan School in West End ranks first among secondary schools by ncea level 2 attainment in Canterbury with NCEA L2 100% (Equity Index (EQI): 409).

How are secondary schools by ncea level 2 attainment in Canterbury ranked?

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. Figures are the most recent published by the national authority and matched to the school directory.

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.