Best schools in Manawatū-Whanganui (2026)
The top five of 197 schools in each category, with links to the full top 100. Rankings use the Success Index (NZ), built only from official New Zealand data.
Manawatū-Whanganui has 197 schools educating 41,732 students in 2026: 168 state, 24 state integrated, 5 private.
The median Equity Index (EQI) across Manawatū-Whanganui is 487. Ministry of Education measure of socio-economic barriers faced by students; lower means fewer barriers.
Browse every school in Manawatū-Whanganui →
Best primary schools in Manawatū-Whanganui
Contributing, full primary, intermediate and composite schools offering Years 1–8.
St Mary's School (P North)
Roslyn · State integrated contributing · Years 1–6
222 students
Cornerstone Christian School
Kelvin Grove · State integrated composite · Years 1–13
612 students
St Johns Hill School
Whanganui · State contributing · Years 1–6
415 students
Aokautere School
Aokautere · State contributing · Years 1–6
162 students
Palmerston North Intermediate
Palmerston North · State intermediate · Years 7–8
751 students
Best secondary schools in Manawatū-Whanganui
Secondary and composite schools offering Years 9–13.
Cornerstone Christian School
Kelvin Grove · State integrated composite · Years 1–13
612 students
Palmerston North Girls' High School
Palmerston North · State secondary (year 9-15) · Years 9–13
1,318 students
Nga Tawa Diocesan School
Marton · State integrated secondary (year 9-15) · Years 9–13
193 students
St Peter's College (Palmerston North)
Milson · State integrated secondary (year 7-15) · Years 7–13
789 students
Whanganui Collegiate School
Whanganui · State integrated secondary (year 9-15) · Years 9–13
371 students
Best state schools in Manawatū-Whanganui
Government schools across all year levels.
St Johns Hill School
Whanganui · State contributing · Years 1–6
415 students
Palmerston North Girls' High School
Palmerston North · State secondary (year 9-15) · Years 9–13
1,318 students
Aokautere School
Aokautere · State contributing · Years 1–6
162 students
Palmerston North Intermediate
Palmerston North · State intermediate · Years 7–8
751 students
College Street Normal School
Hokowhitu · State contributing · Years 1–6
623 students
Best state integrated schools in Manawatū-Whanganui
State integrated (mostly church-affiliated) schools.
St Mary's School (P North)
Roslyn · State integrated contributing · Years 1–6
222 students
Cornerstone Christian School
Kelvin Grove · State integrated composite · Years 1–13
612 students
Nga Tawa Diocesan School
Marton · State integrated secondary (year 9-15) · Years 9–13
193 students
St Peter's College (Palmerston North)
Milson · State integrated secondary (year 7-15) · Years 7–13
789 students
Whanganui Collegiate School
Whanganui · State integrated secondary (year 9-15) · Years 9–13
371 students
Best girls' schools in Manawatū-Whanganui
Single-sex girls' schools.
Palmerston North Girls' High School
Palmerston North · State secondary (year 9-15) · Years 9–13
1,318 students
Nga Tawa Diocesan School
Marton · State integrated secondary (year 9-15) · Years 9–13
193 students
Whanganui Girls' College
Whanganui East · State secondary (year 9-15) · Years 9–13
362 students
Best boys' schools in Manawatū-Whanganui
Single-sex boys' schools.
Best secondary schools by ncea level 2 attainment in Manawatū-Whanganui
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.
Manukura
Palmerston North · State secondary (year 9-15) · Years 9–13
188 students
Nga Tawa Diocesan School
Marton · State integrated secondary (year 9-15) · Years 9–13
193 students
Cornerstone Christian School
Kelvin Grove · State integrated composite · Years 1–13
612 students
Palmerston North Girls' High School
Palmerston North · State secondary (year 9-15) · Years 9–13
1,318 students
Whanganui Collegiate School
Whanganui · State integrated secondary (year 9-15) · Years 9–13
371 students
Best secondary schools by university entrance in Manawatū-Whanganui
Secondary schools ranked by the percentage of school leavers who attained the University Entrance award (Ministry of Education).
Nga Tawa Diocesan School
Marton · State integrated secondary (year 9-15) · Years 9–13
193 students
Whanganui Collegiate School
Whanganui · State integrated secondary (year 9-15) · Years 9–13
371 students
Manukura
Palmerston North · State secondary (year 9-15) · Years 9–13
188 students
Palmerston North Girls' High School
Palmerston North · State secondary (year 9-15) · Years 9–13
1,318 students
Cornerstone Christian School
Kelvin Grove · State integrated composite · Years 1–13
612 students
Best largest schools in Manawatū-Whanganui
Schools with the largest rolls.
Palmerston North Boys' High School
Palmerston North · State secondary (year 9-15) · Years 9–13
1,794 students
Feilding High School
Feilding · State secondary (year 9-15) · Years 9–13
1,650 students
Whanganui High School
Whanganui · State secondary (year 9-15) · Years 9–13
1,475 students
Palmerston North Girls' High School
Palmerston North · State secondary (year 9-15) · Years 9–13
1,318 students
Freyberg High School
Roslyn · State secondary (year 9-15) · Years 9–13
936 students
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Frequently asked questions
What is the best primary school in Manawatū-Whanganui?
St Mary's School (P North) in Roslyn ranks first among primary schools in Manawatū-Whanganui with a Success Index (NZ) of 81.4 out of 100 (Equity Index (EQI): 389).
How are primary schools in Manawatū-Whanganui 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.