Best Schools in Queenstown 2026
The best schools in Queenstown ranked on academic results (NCEA and University Entrance) and on the SchoolsNearMe value-added composite, which scores each school against its EQI peer group.
9 schools · refreshed from Education Counts 2026-07-12. Full methodology.
Top 1 schools in Queenstown by academic results
Secondary schools ranked on NCEA Level 1–3 and University Entrance achievement — the "consensus" measure most rankings use. For a fairer, intake-adjusted view, see the value-added list below.
League-table caveat: we only rank schools with at least 30 NCEA candidates, so a 100% pass rate on a handful of students doesn't out-rank a large school — small-cohort percentages are volatile year to year. Read alongside the per-axis breakdown on each school's profile.
- 186/100
The honest list: best value-added schools in Queenstown
The SchoolsNearMe composite scores every level (primary, intermediate, secondary) against its EQI peer group — so it surfaces schools that get the most out of their students, not just the ones with the most advantaged intake. How it's calculated.
- View profile →
90
/ 100 composite
Academic—Outcomes—Retention—Wellbeing—Trajectory100ERO review75 - View profile →
87
/ 100 composite
Wellbeing100Trajectory—ERO review75 - View profile →
79
/ 100 composite
Wellbeing88Trajectory71ERO review77 - View profile →
79
/ 100 composite
Wellbeing65Trajectory100ERO review78 - View profile →
73
/ 100 composite
Academic86Outcomes58Retention88Wellbeing29Trajectory97ERO review83 - View profile →
66
/ 100 composite
Wellbeing76Trajectory23ERO review84 - View profile →
55
/ 100 composite
Wellbeing47Trajectory39ERO review73 - 8St Joseph's School (Queenstown)
Queenstown · Full Primary · 139 students · EQI <420 (most advantaged)
View profile →44
/ 100 composite
Wellbeing0Trajectory58ERO review73 - View profile →
22
/ 100 composite
Wellbeing0Trajectory31ERO review35
Schools by suburb in Queenstown
Browse every school in a specific Queenstown suburb, ranked locally with ERO history and the value-added composite.
Frequently asked questions
What are the best schools in Queenstown?
On academic results (NCEA Level 1–3 and University Entrance), the top-ranked Queenstown secondary schools are Wakatipu High School. On the SchoolsNearMe value-added composite — which compares each school against its EQI peer group across all year levels — the leaders are Liger Leadership Academy, Queenstown Grammar School (Proposed), Shotover Primary School.
What are the best school suburbs in Queenstown?
Frankton have the highest concentration of top-ranked schools in Queenstown on our academic ranking. Note that several of the highest-performing schools have enrolment zones, so the suburb you live in can determine which state schools you can enrol at.
How do school zones work in Queenstown?
Many Queenstown state schools operate an enrolment zone (home zone): if your home address is inside the zone you have a legal right to enrol, while out-of-zone places are allocated by ballot. Several of the highest-performing state schools are zoned, so the address you live at — not just the suburb — can determine which schools you can enrol at. Always confirm a school's current zone with the school or the Ministry of Education before relying on it; you can check schools against a specific address with our by-address tool.
Decile or Equity Index — how are Queenstown schools rated for socio-economic need?
New Zealand replaced the decile system with the Equity Index (EQI) in 2023. A lower EQI means a more socio-economically advantaged community; a higher EQI means greater need. EQI measures the intake, not teaching quality — a higher-EQI school can outperform a lower-EQI one. The SchoolsNearMe composite controls for EQI so a school serving a more disadvantaged community isn't unfairly penalised against its peers.
What is the most prestigious school in Queenstown?
Prestige is subjective and often tied to a school's history, roll and fees rather than results. On measurable academic achievement, Wakatipu High School is among the highest-ranked schools in Queenstown. We rank on outcomes — NCEA, University Entrance, retention, post-school destinations and wellbeing — not reputation.
What is the highest-decile (most advantaged) school in Queenstown?
The decile system was replaced by the Equity Index (EQI) in 2023 — a lower EQI means a more socio-economically advantaged student community. In Queenstown, St Joseph's School (Queenstown) (Queenstown) has one of the lowest EQI figures at 393. The SchoolsNearMe composite controls for EQI so advantage alone doesn't inflate a school's score.
How these rankings work
The academic ranking orders secondary schools by NCEA Level 1–3 and University Entrance achievement. The value-added composite combines five axes — academic achievement, post-school destinations, Y9→Y13 retention, wellbeing (low stand-down rate) and roll trajectory — into a single 0–100 score, comparing each school against its EQI-band peers (12 bands covering New Zealand's socio-economic spread) so a school serving a more disadvantaged community isn't unfairly penalised.
Source data: Education Counts (NCEA, retention, destinations, discipline, funding) · Ministry of Education (roll, EQI, identity).