Best Schools in Taranaki & Manawatū 2026
The top-ranked schools in Taranaki & Manawatū on academic results and on the SchoolsNearMe value-added composite, which compares each school against its EQI peer group.
238 schools · refreshed from Education Counts 2026-07-12. Full methodology.
Top 27 schools in Taranaki & Manawatū 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.
- 195/100
- 294/100
- 393/100
- 493/100
- 589/100
- 687/100
- 786/100
- 885/100
- 983/100
- 1081/100
- 1179/100
- 1278/100
- 1376/100
- 1474/100
- 1573/100
- 1671/100
- 1769/100
- 1867/100
- 1967/100
- 2067/100
- 2166/100
- 2263/100
- 2360/100
- 2457/100
- 2551/100
- 2651/100
- 2751/100
The honest list: best value-added schools in Taranaki & Manawatū
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.
- 1Te Kura o Te Wainui-ā-Rua
Ranana · Composite · 58 students · EQI 510+ (most disadvantaged)
View profile →94
/ 100 composite
Academic—Outcomes—Retention—Wellbeing100Trajectory100ERO review71 - View profile →
93
/ 100 composite
Wellbeing100Trajectory100ERO review83 - View profile →
92
/ 100 composite
Wellbeing100Trajectory100ERO review80 - View profile →
92
/ 100 composite
Wellbeing100Trajectory100ERO review79 - View profile →
92
/ 100 composite
Wellbeing100Trajectory100ERO review80 - 6Mana Tamariki
Palmerston North CBD · Composite · 74 students · EQI 420–449
View profile →90
/ 100 composite
Academic—Outcomes—Retention100Wellbeing100Trajectory61ERO review85 - 7Taranaki Activity Centre
New Plymouth · Activity Centre · — students · EQI 510+ (most disadvantaged)
View profile →90
/ 100 composite
Wellbeing100Trajectory—ERO review82 - View profile →
89
/ 100 composite
Wellbeing100Trajectory100ERO review72 - View profile →
89
/ 100 composite
Wellbeing100Trajectory92ERO review78 - View profile →
86
/ 100 composite
Wellbeing100Trajectory100ERO review65 - View profile →
85
/ 100 composite
Wellbeing83Trajectory93ERO review82 - View profile →
85
/ 100 composite
Wellbeing100Trajectory64ERO review84
Schools by suburb in Taranaki & Manawatū
Browse every school in a specific Taranaki & Manawatū suburb, ranked locally with ERO history and the value-added composite.
Frequently asked questions
What are the best schools in Taranaki & Manawatū?
On academic results (NCEA Level 1–3 and University Entrance), the top-ranked Taranaki & Manawatū secondary schools are Francis Douglas Memorial College, Manukura, Whanganui Collegiate School, Nga Tawa Diocesan School, Sacred Heart Girls' College (N Plymouth). On the SchoolsNearMe value-added composite — which compares each school against its EQI peer group across all year levels — the leaders are Te Kura o Te Wainui-ā-Rua, Arahunga School, Hāwera Christian School.
What are the best school suburbs in Taranaki & Manawatū?
Palmerston North, Whanganui, New Plymouth, Marton, Westown have the highest concentration of top-ranked schools in Taranaki & Manawatū 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 Taranaki & Manawatū?
Many Taranaki & Manawatū 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 Taranaki & Manawatū 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 Taranaki & Manawatū?
Prestige is subjective and often tied to a school's history, roll and fees rather than results. On measurable academic achievement, Francis Douglas Memorial College is among the highest-ranked schools in Taranaki & Manawatū. We rank on outcomes — NCEA, University Entrance, retention, post-school destinations and wellbeing — not reputation.
What is the highest-decile (most advantaged) school in Taranaki & Manawatū?
The decile system was replaced by the Equity Index (EQI) in 2023 — a lower EQI means a more socio-economically advantaged student community. In Taranaki & Manawatū, St Joseph's School (New Plymouth) (New Plymouth) has one of the lowest EQI figures at 384. 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).