Top 14 secondary schools in Southland (2026)
Secondary and composite schools offering Years 9–13. Ranked by the Success Index (NZ) from official New Zealand data; 14 schools shown.
- 166James Hargest CollegeInvercargill · State Secondary (Year 7-15)Equity Index (EQI) 445 · 1,887 students
- 264Southland Girls' High SchoolGeorgetown · State Secondary (Year 7-15)Equity Index (EQI) 463 · 1,076 students
- 364Fiordland CollegeTe Anau · State Secondary (Year 7-15)Equity Index (EQI) 441 · 307 students
- 460St Peter's College (Gore)Gore · State integrated Secondary (Year 7-15)Equity Index (EQI) 442 · 348 students
- 555Central Southland CollegeWinton · State Secondary (Year 9-15)Equity Index (EQI) 462 · 659 students
- 654Southland Boys' High SchoolInvercargill · State Secondary (Year 7-15)Equity Index (EQI) 464 · 1,078 students
- 753Verdon CollegeInvercargill · State integrated Secondary (Year 7-15)Equity Index (EQI) 464 · 684 students
- 844Menzies CollegeWyndham · State Secondary (Year 7-15)Equity Index (EQI) 477 · 347 students
- 937Māruawai CollegeGore · State Secondary (Year 7-15)Equity Index (EQI) 494 · 591 students
- 1035Aparima CollegeRiverton · State Secondary (Year 7-15)Equity Index (EQI) 489 · 213 students
- 1135Northern Southland CollegeLumsden · State Secondary (Year 7-15)Equity Index (EQI) 464 · 218 students
- 1223Te Wharekura o ArowhenuaInvercargill · State CompositeEquity Index (EQI) 536 · 192 students
- 1318Aurora CollegeInvercargill · State Secondary (Year 7-15)Equity Index (EQI) 545 · 579 students
- 1417Waiau Area SchoolTuatapere · State CompositeEquity Index (EQI) 525 · 133 students
| # | School | Sector | Success Index (NZ) | Equity Index (EQI) | Students |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | James Hargest College Invercargill · Secondary (Year 7-15) · Years 7–13 | State | 66.0 Top 50% | 445 | 1,887 |
| 2 | Southland Girls' High School Georgetown · Secondary (Year 7-15) · Years 7–13 | State | 64.3 Top 50% | 463 | 1,076 |
| 3 | Fiordland College Te Anau · Secondary (Year 7-15) · Years 7–13 | State | 64.2 Top 50% | 441 | 307 |
| 4 | St Peter's College (Gore) Gore · Secondary (Year 7-15) · Years 7–13 | State integrated | 60.3 Top 50% | 442 | 348 |
| 5 | Central Southland College Winton · Secondary (Year 9-15) · Years 9–13 | State | 55.2 Top 50% | 462 | 659 |
| 6 | Southland Boys' High School Invercargill · Secondary (Year 7-15) · Years 7–13 | State | 53.7 Top 50% | 464 | 1,078 |
| 7 | Verdon College Invercargill · Secondary (Year 7-15) · Years 7–13 | State integrated | 53.4 Top 50% | 464 | 684 |
| 8 | Menzies College Wyndham · Secondary (Year 7-15) · Years 7–13 | State | 43.8 Lower 50% | 477 | 347 |
| 9 | Māruawai College Gore · Secondary (Year 7-15) · Years 7–13 | State | 37.0 Lower 50% | 494 | 591 |
| 10 | Aparima College Riverton · Secondary (Year 7-15) · Years 7–13 | State | 35.3 Lower 50% | 489 | 213 |
| 11 | Northern Southland College Lumsden · Secondary (Year 7-15) · Years 7–13 | State | 34.8 Lower 50% | 464 | 218 |
| 12 | Te Wharekura o Arowhenua Invercargill · Composite · Years 1–13 | State | 22.9 Lower 50% | 536 | 192 |
| 13 | Aurora College Invercargill · Secondary (Year 7-15) · Years 7–13 | State | 18.4 Lower 50% | 545 | 579 |
| 14 | Waiau Area School Tuatapere · Composite · Years 1–13 | State | 16.7 Lower 50% | 525 | 133 |
James Hargest College in Invercargill leads the 2026 list of secondary schools in Southland with a Success Index (NZ) of 66.0. Of the 14 schools shown, 12 are state, 2 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 secondary school in Southland?
James Hargest College in Invercargill ranks first among secondary schools in Southland with a Success Index (NZ) of 66.0 out of 100 (Equity Index (EQI): 445).
How are secondary 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.