Top 50 primary schools in Southland (2026)
Contributing, full primary, intermediate and composite schools offering Years 1–8. Ranked by the Success Index (NZ) from official New Zealand data; 50 schools shown.
- 179St Theresa's School (Invercargill)Invercargill · State integrated ContributingEquity Index (EQI) 405 · 277 students
- 270Te Anau SchoolTe Anau · State ContributingEquity Index (EQI) 429 · 281 students
- 368Waihopai SchoolGladstone · State ContributingEquity Index (EQI) 428 · 354 students
- 467Otatara SchoolOtatara · State ContributingEquity Index (EQI) 412 · 247 students
- 566St Thomas School (Winton)Winton · State integrated Full PrimaryEquity Index (EQI) 407 · 93 students
- 665Myross Bush SchoolMyross Bush · State ContributingEquity Index (EQI) 414 · 173 students
- 764Windsor North SchoolWindsor · State ContributingEquity Index (EQI) 422 · 326 students
- 863St John's Girls' School (Invercargill)Invercargill · State integrated Full PrimaryEquity Index (EQI) 417 · 126 students
- 963Salford SchoolHargest · State ContributingEquity Index (EQI) 422 · 250 students
- 1061Balfour SchoolBalfour · State ContributingEquity Index (EQI) 421 · 71 students
- 1159St Mary's School (Gore)Gore · State integrated ContributingEquity Index (EQI) 429 · 199 students
- 1259Makarewa SchoolMakarewa · State ContributingEquity Index (EQI) 440 · 155 students
- 1359Waikaka SchoolGore · State Full PrimaryEquity Index (EQI) 430 · 64 students
- 1458Limehills SchoolLimehills · State Full PrimaryEquity Index (EQI) 429 · 140 students
- 1558Southland Adventist Christian SchoolWaikiwi · State integrated Full PrimaryEquity Index (EQI) 439 · 129 students
- 1658Riversdale SchoolRiversdale · State Full PrimaryEquity Index (EQI) 441 · 144 students
- 1757Hauroko Valley Primary SchoolTuatapere · State Full PrimaryEquity Index (EQI) 428 · 75 students
- 1857Edendale School (Southland)Edendale · State ContributingEquity Index (EQI) 431 · 121 students
- 1957Sacred Heart School (Waikiwi)Waikiwi · State integrated ContributingEquity Index (EQI) 430 · 87 students
- 2056Woodlands Primary SchoolInvercargill · State ContributingEquity Index (EQI) 440 · 106 students
- 2156Lochiel SchoolLochiel · State Full PrimaryEquity Index (EQI) 432 · 79 students
- 2255Thornbury SchoolThornbury · State ContributingEquity Index (EQI) 438 · 69 students
- 2355Heddon Bush SchoolWinton · State Full PrimaryEquity Index (EQI) 439 · 70 students
- 2455Waianiwa SchoolWaianiwa · State Full PrimaryEquity Index (EQI) 438 · 61 students
- 2555Gore Main SchoolGore · State ContributingEquity Index (EQI) 455 · 213 students
- 2651Drummond Primary SchoolDrummond · State Full PrimaryEquity Index (EQI) 450 · 114 students
- 2751Wyndham SchoolWyndham · State ContributingEquity Index (EQI) 455 · 142 students
- 2849Rimu SchoolRimu · State Full PrimaryEquity Index (EQI) 446 · 106 students
- 2947St Joseph's School (Invercargill)Invercargill · State integrated Full PrimaryEquity Index (EQI) 465 · 153 students
- 3047Lumsden SchoolLumsden · State ContributingEquity Index (EQI) 458 · 92 students
- 3145Donovan Primary SchoolWaikiwi · State ContributingEquity Index (EQI) 464 · 378 students
- 3245Wallacetown SchoolWallacetown · State ContributingEquity Index (EQI) 461 · 77 students
- 3343Takitimu Primary SchoolNightcaps · State Full PrimaryEquity Index (EQI) 467 · 100 students
- 3443Otautau SchoolOtautau · State Full PrimaryEquity Index (EQI) 461 · 132 students
- 3542St Patrick's School (Invercargill)Georgetown · State integrated ContributingEquity Index (EQI) 468 · 282 students
- 3640Winton SchoolWinton · State Full PrimaryEquity Index (EQI) 471 · 270 students
- 3740Tisbury SchoolInvercargill · State ContributingEquity Index (EQI) 467 · 126 students
- 3840Riverton SchoolRiverton · State ContributingEquity Index (EQI) 469 · 131 students
- 3935West Gore SchoolGore · State ContributingEquity Index (EQI) 482 · 154 students
- 4034Invercargill Middle SchoolInvercargill · State ContributingEquity Index (EQI) 484 · 155 students
- 4132New River PrimaryKew · State ContributingEquity Index (EQI) 522 · 229 students
- 4232Waverley Park SchoolGlengarry · State ContributingEquity Index (EQI) 495 · 263 students
- 4330Fernworth Primary SchoolStrathern · State ContributingEquity Index (EQI) 535 · 266 students
- 4428Newfield Park SchoolNewfield · State ContributingEquity Index (EQI) 506 · 223 students
- 4525Ascot Community SchoolHawthorndale · State Full PrimaryEquity Index (EQI) 516 · 237 students
- 4625Bluff SchoolBluff · State Full PrimaryEquity Index (EQI) 511 · 115 students
- 4723East Gore SchoolGore · State ContributingEquity Index (EQI) 518 · 132 students
- 4823Te Wharekura o ArowhenuaInvercargill · State CompositeEquity Index (EQI) 536 · 192 students
- 4923Mataura SchoolMataura · State ContributingEquity Index (EQI) 514 · 60 students
- 5017Waiau Area SchoolTuatapere · State CompositeEquity Index (EQI) 525 · 133 students
| # | School | Sector | Success Index (NZ) | Equity Index (EQI) | Students |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | St Theresa's School (Invercargill) Invercargill · Contributing · Years 1–6 | State integrated | 79.0 Top 10% | 405 | 277 |
| 2 | Te Anau School Te Anau · Contributing · Years 1–6 | State | 70.2 Top 25% | 429 | 281 |
| 3 | Waihopai School Gladstone · Contributing · Years 1–6 | State | 68.1 Top 25% | 428 | 354 |
| 4 | Otatara School Otatara · Contributing · Years 1–6 | State | 66.5 Top 50% | 412 | 247 |
| 5 | St Thomas School (Winton) Winton · Full Primary · Years 1–8 | State integrated | 65.7 Top 50% | 407 | 93 |
| 6 | Myross Bush School Myross Bush · Contributing · Years 1–6 | State | 65.1 Top 50% | 414 | 173 |
| 7 | Windsor North School Windsor · Contributing · Years 1–6 | State | 63.5 Top 50% | 422 | 326 |
| 8 | St John's Girls' School (Invercargill) Invercargill · Full Primary · Years 1–8 | State integrated | 63.0 Top 50% | 417 | 126 |
| 9 | Salford School Hargest · Contributing · Years 1–6 | State | 62.8 Top 50% | 422 | 250 |
| 10 | Balfour School Balfour · Contributing · Years 1–6 | State | 60.5 Top 50% | 421 | 71 |
| 11 | St Mary's School (Gore) Gore · Contributing · Years 1–6 | State integrated | 59.2 Top 50% | 429 | 199 |
| 12 | Makarewa School Makarewa · Contributing · Years 1–6 | State | 59.1 Top 50% | 440 | 155 |
| 13 | Waikaka School Gore · Full Primary · Years 1–8 | State | 58.6 Top 50% | 430 | 64 |
| 14 | Limehills School Limehills · Full Primary · Years 1–8 | State | 58.2 Top 50% | 429 | 140 |
| 15 | Southland Adventist Christian School Waikiwi · Full Primary · Years 1–8 | State integrated | 58.2 Top 50% | 439 | 129 |
| 16 | Riversdale School Riversdale · Full Primary · Years 1–8 | State | 58.0 Top 50% | 441 | 144 |
| 17 | Hauroko Valley Primary School Tuatapere · Full Primary · Years 1–8 | State | 57.3 Top 50% | 428 | 75 |
| 18 | Edendale School (Southland) Edendale · Contributing · Years 1–6 | State | 56.9 Top 50% | 431 | 121 |
| 19 | Sacred Heart School (Waikiwi) Waikiwi · Contributing · Years 1–6 | State integrated | 56.7 Top 50% | 430 | 87 |
| 20 | Woodlands Primary School Invercargill · Contributing · Years 1–6 | State | 56.3 Top 50% | 440 | 106 |
| 21 | Lochiel School Lochiel · Full Primary · Years 1–8 | State | 55.8 Top 50% | 432 | 79 |
| 22 | Thornbury School Thornbury · Contributing · Years 1–6 | State | 55.3 Top 50% | 438 | 69 |
| 23 | Heddon Bush School Winton · Full Primary · Years 1–8 | State | 54.9 Top 50% | 439 | 70 |
| 24 | Waianiwa School Waianiwa · Full Primary · Years 1–8 | State | 54.9 Top 50% | 438 | 61 |
| 25 | Gore Main School Gore · Contributing · Years 1–6 | State | 54.7 Top 50% | 455 | 213 |
| 26 | Drummond Primary School Drummond · Full Primary · Years 1–8 | State | 51.4 Top 50% | 450 | 114 |
| 27 | Wyndham School Wyndham · Contributing · Years 1–6 | State | 51.0 Top 50% | 455 | 142 |
| 28 | Rimu School Rimu · Full Primary · Years 1–8 | State | 49.3 Lower 50% | 446 | 106 |
| 29 | St Joseph's School (Invercargill) Invercargill · Full Primary · Years 1–8 | State integrated | 47.4 Lower 50% | 465 | 153 |
| 30 | Lumsden School Lumsden · Contributing · Years 1–6 | State | 47.0 Lower 50% | 458 | 92 |
| 31 | Donovan Primary School Waikiwi · Contributing · Years 1–6 | State | 45.1 Lower 50% | 464 | 378 |
| 32 | Wallacetown School Wallacetown · Contributing · Years 1–6 | State | 45.0 Lower 50% | 461 | 77 |
| 33 | Takitimu Primary School Nightcaps · Full Primary · Years 1–8 | State | 43.4 Lower 50% | 467 | 100 |
| 34 | Otautau School Otautau · Full Primary · Years 1–8 | State | 43.3 Lower 50% | 461 | 132 |
| 35 | St Patrick's School (Invercargill) Georgetown · Contributing · Years 1–6 | State integrated | 41.7 Lower 50% | 468 | 282 |
| 36 | Winton School Winton · Full Primary · Years 1–8 | State | 40.3 Lower 50% | 471 | 270 |
| 37 | Tisbury School Invercargill · Contributing · Years 1–6 | State | 40.2 Lower 50% | 467 | 126 |
| 38 | Riverton School Riverton · Contributing · Years 1–6 | State | 39.6 Lower 50% | 469 | 131 |
| 39 | West Gore School Gore · Contributing · Years 1–6 | State | 34.8 Lower 50% | 482 | 154 |
| 40 | Invercargill Middle School Invercargill · Contributing · Years 1–6 | State | 34.2 Lower 50% | 484 | 155 |
| 41 | New River Primary Kew · Contributing · Years 1–6 | State | 31.9 Lower 50% | 522 | 229 |
| 42 | Waverley Park School Glengarry · Contributing · Years 1–6 | State | 31.5 Lower 50% | 495 | 263 |
| 43 | Fernworth Primary School Strathern · Contributing · Years 1–6 | State | 30.1 Lower 50% | 535 | 266 |
| 44 | Newfield Park School Newfield · Contributing · Years 1–6 | State | 27.8 Lower 50% | 506 | 223 |
| 45 | Ascot Community School Hawthorndale · Full Primary · Years 1–8 | State | 25.1 Lower 50% | 516 | 237 |
| 46 | Bluff School Bluff · Full Primary · Years 1–8 | State | 24.5 Lower 50% | 511 | 115 |
| 47 | East Gore School Gore · Contributing · Years 1–6 | State | 23.1 Lower 50% | 518 | 132 |
| 48 | Te Wharekura o Arowhenua Invercargill · Composite · Years 1–13 | State | 22.9 Lower 50% | 536 | 192 |
| 49 | Mataura School Mataura · Contributing · Years 1–6 | State | 22.8 Lower 50% | 514 | 60 |
| 50 | Waiau Area School Tuatapere · Composite · Years 1–13 | State | 16.7 Lower 50% | 525 | 133 |
St Theresa's School (Invercargill) in Invercargill leads the 2026 list of primary schools in Southland with a Success Index (NZ) of 79.0. Of the 50 schools shown, 42 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.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the best primary school in Southland?
St Theresa's School (Invercargill) in Invercargill ranks first among primary schools in Southland with a Success Index (NZ) of 79.0 out of 100 (Equity Index (EQI): 405).
How are primary schools in Southland 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.