Top 33 secondary schools in Manawatū-Whanganui (2026)

Secondary and composite schools offering Years 9–13. Ranked by the Success Index (NZ) from official New Zealand data; 33 schools shown.

1
80
Cornerstone Christian SchoolKelvin Grove · State integrated CompositeEquity Index (EQI) 417 · 612 students
2
78
Palmerston North Girls' High SchoolPalmerston North · State Secondary (Year 9-15)Equity Index (EQI) 433 · 1,318 students
3
75
Nga Tawa Diocesan SchoolMarton · State integrated Secondary (Year 9-15)Equity Index (EQI) 431 · 193 students
4
70
St Peter's College (Palmerston North)Milson · State integrated Secondary (Year 7-15)Equity Index (EQI) 436 · 789 students
5
70
Whanganui Collegiate SchoolWhanganui · State integrated Secondary (Year 9-15)Equity Index (EQI) 417 · 371 students
6
67
Palmerston North Boys' High SchoolPalmerston North · State Secondary (Year 9-15)Equity Index (EQI) 441 · 1,794 students
7
58
Mana TamarikiPalmerston North CBD · State CompositeEquity Index (EQI) 444 · 70 students
8
55
Whanganui High SchoolWhanganui · State Secondary (Year 9-15)Equity Index (EQI) 482 · 1,475 students
9
52
Cullinane CollegeWhanganui · State integrated Secondary (Year 9-15)Equity Index (EQI) 497 · 492 students
10
52
Feilding High SchoolFeilding · State Secondary (Year 9-15)Equity Index (EQI) 472 · 1,650 students
11
51
ManukuraPalmerston North · State Secondary (Year 9-15)Equity Index (EQI) 494 · 188 students
12
42
Freyberg High SchoolRoslyn · State Secondary (Year 9-15)Equity Index (EQI) 488 · 936 students
13
42
Longburn Adventist CollegeLongburn · State integrated Secondary (Year 7-15)Equity Index (EQI) 474 · 220 students
14
42
Hato Paora CollegeFeilding · State integrated Secondary (Year 9-15)Equity Index (EQI) 516 · 110 students
15
40
Whanganui Girls' CollegeWhanganui East · State Secondary (Year 9-15)Equity Index (EQI) 493 · 362 students
16
39
Horowhenua CollegeLevin · State Secondary (Year 9-15)Equity Index (EQI) 495 · 893 students
17
37
Awatapu CollegeWest End · State Secondary (Year 9-15)Equity Index (EQI) 492 · 869 students
18
36
Totara College of Accelerated LearningDannevirke · State integrated CompositeEquity Index (EQI) 498 · 78 students
19
36
Tararua CollegePahiatua · State Secondary (Year 9-15)Equity Index (EQI) 510 · 379 students
20
35
Taihape Area SchoolTaihape · State CompositeEquity Index (EQI) 514 · 245 students
21
34
Dannevirke High SchoolDannevirke · State Secondary (Year 9-15)Equity Index (EQI) 501 · 400 students
22
32
Rangitīkei CollegeMarton · State Secondary (Year 9-15)Equity Index (EQI) 515 · 329 students
23
31
Ruapehu CollegeOhakune · State Secondary (Year 9-15)Equity Index (EQI) 502 · 246 students
24
26
Te Kura o KokohuiaCastlecliff · State CompositeEquity Index (EQI) 532 · 230 students
25
26
Waiopehu CollegeLevin · State Secondary (Year 9-15)Equity Index (EQI) 513 · 540 students
26
22
Te Kura Kaupapa Maori o TaumarunuiTaumarunui · State CompositeEquity Index (EQI) 531 · 94 students
27
21
Queen Elizabeth CollegePalmerston North · State Secondary (Year 7-15)Equity Index (EQI) 556 · 408 students
28
20
TKKM o Tamaki Nui A RuaDannevirke · State CompositeEquity Index (EQI) 535 · 81 students
29
20
Whare Kura Morehu ō RatanaRatana · State CompositeEquity Index (EQI) 534 · 66 students
30
19
TKKM o TupohoCastlecliff · State CompositeEquity Index (EQI) 549 · 179 students
31
17
Taumarunui High SchoolTaumarunui · State Secondary (Year 9-15)Equity Index (EQI) 528 · 295 students
32
16
Manawatū CollegeFoxton · State Secondary (Year 9-15)Equity Index (EQI) 528 · 295 students
33
9
Whanganui City CollegeWhanganui · State Secondary (Year 9-15)Equity Index (EQI) 547 · 286 students

#	School	Sector	Success Index (NZ)	Equity Index (EQI)	Students
1	Cornerstone Christian School Kelvin Grove · Composite · Years 1–13	State integrated	79.5 Top 10%	417	612
2	Palmerston North Girls' High School Palmerston North · Secondary (Year 9-15) · Years 9–13	State	77.7 Top 25%	433	1,318
3	Nga Tawa Diocesan School Marton · Secondary (Year 9-15) · Years 9–13	State integrated	74.8 Top 25%	431	193
4	St Peter's College (Palmerston North) Milson · Secondary (Year 7-15) · Years 7–13	State integrated	69.6 Top 25%	436	789
5	Whanganui Collegiate School Whanganui · Secondary (Year 9-15) · Years 9–13	State integrated	69.6 Top 25%	417	371
6	Palmerston North Boys' High School Palmerston North · Secondary (Year 9-15) · Years 9–13	State	66.7 Top 25%	441	1,794
7	Mana Tamariki Palmerston North CBD · Composite · Years 1–13	State	58.4 Top 50%	444	70
8	Whanganui High School Whanganui · Secondary (Year 9-15) · Years 9–13	State	55.1 Top 50%	482	1,475
9	Cullinane College Whanganui · Secondary (Year 9-15) · Years 9–13	State integrated	52.2 Top 50%	497	492
10	Feilding High School Feilding · Secondary (Year 9-15) · Years 9–13	State	51.6 Top 50%	472	1,650
11	Manukura Palmerston North · Secondary (Year 9-15) · Years 9–13	State	50.9 Top 50%	494	188
12	Freyberg High School Roslyn · Secondary (Year 9-15) · Years 9–13	State	42.4 Lower 50%	488	936
13	Longburn Adventist College Longburn · Secondary (Year 7-15) · Years 7–13	State integrated	42.0 Lower 50%	474	220
14	Hato Paora College Feilding · Secondary (Year 9-15) · Years 9–13	State integrated	41.7 Lower 50%	516	110
15	Whanganui Girls' College Whanganui East · Secondary (Year 9-15) · Years 9–13	State	39.8 Lower 50%	493	362
16	Horowhenua College Levin · Secondary (Year 9-15) · Years 9–13	State	38.5 Lower 50%	495	893
17	Awatapu College West End · Secondary (Year 9-15) · Years 9–13	State	37.1 Lower 50%	492	869
18	Totara College of Accelerated Learning Dannevirke · Composite · Years 1–13	State integrated	36.2 Lower 50%	498	78
19	Tararua College Pahiatua · Secondary (Year 9-15) · Years 9–13	State	35.8 Lower 50%	510	379
20	Taihape Area School Taihape · Composite · Years 1–13	State	34.6 Lower 50%	514	245
21	Dannevirke High School Dannevirke · Secondary (Year 9-15) · Years 9–13	State	34.1 Lower 50%	501	400
22	Rangitīkei College Marton · Secondary (Year 9-15) · Years 9–13	State	31.6 Lower 50%	515	329
23	Ruapehu College Ohakune · Secondary (Year 9-15) · Years 9–13	State	31.2 Lower 50%	502	246
24	Te Kura o Kokohuia Castlecliff · Composite · Years 1–13	State	25.7 Lower 50%	532	230
25	Waiopehu College Levin · Secondary (Year 9-15) · Years 9–13	State	25.5 Lower 50%	513	540
26	Te Kura Kaupapa Maori o Taumarunui Taumarunui · Composite · Years 1–13	State	22.1 Lower 50%	531	94
27	Queen Elizabeth College Palmerston North · Secondary (Year 7-15) · Years 7–13	State	20.7 Lower 50%	556	408
28	TKKM o Tamaki Nui A Rua Dannevirke · Composite · Years 1–13	State	19.8 Lower 50%	535	81
29	Whare Kura Morehu ō Ratana Ratana · Composite · Years 1–13	State	19.7 Lower 50%	534	66
30	TKKM o Tupoho Castlecliff · Composite · Years 1–13	State	18.7 Lower 50%	549	179
31	Taumarunui High School Taumarunui · Secondary (Year 9-15) · Years 9–13	State	17.3 Lower 50%	528	295
32	Manawatū College Foxton · Secondary (Year 9-15) · Years 9–13	State	16.1 Lower 50%	528	295
33	Whanganui City College Whanganui · Secondary (Year 9-15) · Years 9–13	State	9.3 Lower 50%	547	286

Cornerstone Christian School in Kelvin Grove leads the 2026 list of secondary schools in Manawatū-Whanganui with a Success Index (NZ) of 79.5. Of the 33 schools shown, 25 are state, 8 are state integrated.

Scores are percentiles within school type, so a primary school and a secondary school with the same score sit at the same point in their own distributions. 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 in:New Zealand Northland Auckland Waikato Bay of Plenty Gisborne Hawke's Bay Taranaki Wellington Tasman Nelson Marlborough West Coast Canterbury 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 secondary school in Manawatū-Whanganui?

Cornerstone Christian School in Kelvin Grove ranks first among secondary schools in Manawatū-Whanganui with a Success Index (NZ) of 79.5 out of 100 (Equity Index (EQI): 417).

How are secondary 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.