Best schools in Wellington (2026)
The top five of 250 schools in each category, with links to the full top 100. Rankings use the Success Index (NZ), built only from official New Zealand data.
Wellington has 250 schools educating 90,802 students in 2026: 192 state, 47 state integrated, 9 private, 2 charter.
The median Equity Index (EQI) across Wellington is 433. Ministry of Education measure of socio-economic barriers faced by students; lower means fewer barriers.
Browse every school in Wellington →
Best primary schools in Wellington
Contributing, full primary, intermediate and composite schools offering Years 1–8.
Sts Peter and Paul School (L Hutt)
Lower Hutt · State integrated full primary · Years 1–8
459 students
Maungaraki School
Maungaraki · State full primary · Years 1–8
365 students
Silverstream School
Silverstream · State contributing · Years 1–6
500 students
Newlands School
Newlands · State contributing · Years 1–6
320 students
St Theresa's School (Plimmerton)
Plimmerton · State integrated contributing · Years 1–6
209 students
Best secondary schools in Wellington
Secondary and composite schools offering Years 9–13.
Hutt International Boys' School
Trentham · State integrated secondary (year 7-15) · Years 7–13
652 students
Wellington College
Mount Victoria · State secondary (year 9-15) · Years 9–13
1,934 students
Wellington Girls' College
Thorndon · State secondary (year 9-15) · Years 9–13
1,423 students
Wellington High School and Com Ed Centre
Wellington · State secondary (year 9-15) · Years 9–13
1,652 students
St Oran's College
Boulcott · State integrated secondary (year 7-15) · Years 7–13
502 students
Best state schools in Wellington
Government schools across all year levels.
Wellington College
Mount Victoria · State secondary (year 9-15) · Years 9–13
1,934 students
Maungaraki School
Maungaraki · State full primary · Years 1–8
365 students
Silverstream School
Silverstream · State contributing · Years 1–6
500 students
Newlands School
Newlands · State contributing · Years 1–6
320 students
Boulcott School
Lower Hutt · State contributing · Years 1–6
345 students
Best state integrated schools in Wellington
State integrated (mostly church-affiliated) schools.
Hutt International Boys' School
Trentham · State integrated secondary (year 7-15) · Years 7–13
652 students
Sts Peter and Paul School (L Hutt)
Lower Hutt · State integrated full primary · Years 1–8
459 students
St Theresa's School (Plimmerton)
Plimmerton · State integrated contributing · Years 1–6
209 students
St Joseph's School (Upper Hutt)
Upper Hutt · State integrated full primary · Years 1–8
558 students
Our Lady of Kapiti School
Paraparaumu · State integrated full primary · Years 1–8
314 students
Best girls' schools in Wellington
Single-sex girls' schools.
Wellington Girls' College
Thorndon · State secondary (year 9-15) · Years 9–13
1,423 students
St Oran's College
Boulcott · State integrated secondary (year 7-15) · Years 7–13
502 students
St Matthew's Collegiate (Masterton)
Masterton · State integrated secondary (year 7-15) · Years 7–13
274 students
St Catherines College (Kilbirnie)
Kilbirnie · State integrated secondary (year 9-15) · Years 9–13
206 students
Sacred Heart College (Lower Hutt)
Lower Hutt · State integrated secondary (year 9-15) · Years 9–13
828 students
Best boys' schools in Wellington
Single-sex boys' schools.
Hutt International Boys' School
Trentham · State integrated secondary (year 7-15) · Years 7–13
652 students
Wellington College
Mount Victoria · State secondary (year 9-15) · Years 9–13
1,934 students
Rathkeale College
Opaki · State integrated secondary (year 9-15) · Years 9–13
317 students
St Patrick's College (Silverstream)
Upper Hutt · State integrated secondary (year 9-15) · Years 9–13
737 students
St Patrick's College (Kilbirnie)
Kilbirnie · State integrated secondary (year 9-15) · Years 9–13
722 students
Best secondary schools by ncea level 2 attainment in Wellington
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.
St Catherines College (Kilbirnie)
Kilbirnie · State integrated secondary (year 9-15) · Years 9–13
206 students
St Matthew's Collegiate (Masterton)
Masterton · State integrated secondary (year 7-15) · Years 7–13
274 students
Rathkeale College
Opaki · State integrated secondary (year 9-15) · Years 9–13
317 students
Hutt International Boys' School
Trentham · State integrated secondary (year 7-15) · Years 7–13
652 students
Scots College
Strathmore · Private composite · Years 1–13
1,161 students
Best secondary schools by university entrance in Wellington
Secondary schools ranked by the percentage of school leavers who attained the University Entrance award (Ministry of Education).
Hutt International Boys' School
Trentham · State integrated secondary (year 7-15) · Years 7–13
652 students
Samuel Marsden Collegiate School
Karori · Private composite · Years 1–13
396 students
St Catherines College (Kilbirnie)
Kilbirnie · State integrated secondary (year 9-15) · Years 9–13
206 students
Wellington Girls' College
Thorndon · State secondary (year 9-15) · Years 9–13
1,423 students
Scots College
Strathmore · Private composite · Years 1–13
1,161 students
Best largest schools in Wellington
Schools with the largest rolls.
Hutt Valley High School
Lower Hutt · State secondary (year 9-15) · Years 9–13
2,001 students
Wellington College
Mount Victoria · State secondary (year 9-15) · Years 9–13
1,934 students
Wellington High School and Com Ed Centre
Wellington · State secondary (year 9-15) · Years 9–13
1,652 students
Paraparaumu College
Paraparaumu · State secondary (year 9-15) · Years 9–13
1,499 students
Wellington Girls' College
Thorndon · State secondary (year 9-15) · Years 9–13
1,423 students
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Frequently asked questions
What is the best primary school in Wellington?
Sts Peter and Paul School (L Hutt) in Lower Hutt ranks first among primary schools in Wellington with a Success Index (NZ) of 88.8 out of 100 (Equity Index (EQI): 380).
How are primary schools in Wellington 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.