Nelson College For Girls
Trafalgar Street, Nelson · Nelson, Marlborough & West Coast
Composite score
Established
Above median
Rank #674 of scored NZ schools
In summary
Nelson College For Girls has sustained high levels of achievement across the school with strong relationships and effective pastoral systems. An ERO review noted persistent differences between NCEA achievement levels for New Zealand European and Māori students, which the school is working to address. The curriculum requires modernising to better respond to students' needs, particularly regarding culture, language and identity.
Best suited for
Students aged 13-18 in Nelson looking for a state-funded setting with an established ERO profile.
Is Nelson College For Girls a good school?
Nelson College For Girls scores 76/100 on the SchoolsNearMe composite — a weighted average of 5 axes (academic, outcomes, retention, wellbeing, trajectory). Above median nationally. ERO trajectory has declined across recent review cycles. The full breakdown is below; every input links to its source.
Strengths from the latest ERO report
- Sustained, high levels of achievement across the school
- Strong, respectful relationships and a positive environment conducive to learning
- Effective pastoral systems and a strong focus on promoting wellbeing
Summary derived from ERO reports + audited financials + MoE records. Every claim links to its source — see data transparency at the bottom of this page.
Score breakdown
6 axes, each scored 0–100 on a national absolute scale. As at 2025.
L1 87% · L2 80% · UE 65% · below band median (n=81) · why? ▼ hide
Uni 49% · Te Pūkenga 19% · Industry 2% · top 10% of band (n=77) · why? ▼ hide
84% to Y13 · below band median (n=84) · why? ▼ hide
standdowns 21.1/1k · suspensions 0.0/1k · exclusions 0.0/1k · near band median (n=518) · why? ▼ hide
+7.7% roll over 5yr (2020→2025) · above band median (n=515) · why? ▼ hide
68/100 from ERO review 2020-03 · bottom 10% of band (n=520) · why? ▼ hide
⚠ Insufficient EQI-band peers (n<10) to compute per-axis percentile context. The score above is absolute; treat it as a single-school read rather than a peer comparison.
Real ERO composite (from the latest review): 68/100.
Latest ERO review
2020-03-13 · Dr Lesley Patterson, Te Tai Tini
- College has been effective in achieving equitable and excellent outcomes for most students with sustained high levels of achievement
- There is a persistent difference between overall achievement levels in NCEA of New Zealand European students and Māori students that the school is acting to improve
- Curriculum requires modernising and needs to increase its response to students' needs, with focus needed on strengthening response to culture, language and identity
- School hostel effectively complements and supports pastoral care and learning; next steps include developing self-review and evaluation and strengthening routines
- Strong, respectful relationships and positive environment conducive to learning are clearly evident with high student engagement
"On the basis of the findings of this review, ERO's overall evaluation judgement of Nelson College For Girls performance in achieving valued outcomes for its students is: Well placed."
Composite score across reviews
2 ERO reviews on file, 2016–2020. Click a point to read that review.
Trajectory across review cycles
Year-over-year change per dimension based on consecutive ERO reviews.
Governance weakened significantly between 2016 and 2020. The 2016 report praised trustees as "very aware of their stewardship role" with "a strong focus on improving student achievement," while the 2020 report noted that "The newly-elected board of trustees need to further develop their understanding of governance roles and responsibilities," indicating a gap in governance capability.
2016-05 → 2020-03 diff source
The curriculum assessment shifted from positive to concerning between 2016 and 2020. In 2016, the curriculum was praised for its "strong values and skills emphasis" and effective promotion of girls' learning. By 2020, ERO identified that the "curriculum requires modernising and needs to increase its response to students' needs, with focus needed on strengthening response to culture, language and identity."
2016-05 → 2020-03 diff source
Between 2016 and 2020, Nelson College for Girls shifted from describing lower achievement for Māori girls as "a current focus for school-wide improvement" to acknowledging "a persistent difference between overall achievement levels in NCEA of New Zealand European students and Māori students" that the school is actively working to address. While the 2016 report highlighted increasing visibility of Māori language and culture, the 2020 report indicates the curriculum still needs to strengthen its response to culture, language and identity.
2016-05 → 2020-03 diff source
Leadership was described as 'strong' in 2016 with clear positive impact on teaching and learning. By 2020, while relationships remained strong, ERO identified a specific gap: school leaders need to strengthen shared understanding of evidence-based evaluation and inquiry to measure impact of initiatives on learner outcomes.
2016-05 → 2020-03 diff source
Teaching practice improved from 'ongoing improvements being made' (2016) to 'good systems and processes to support teachers to improve their practice' with a new coaching and mentoring system (2020). However, the curriculum itself became a concern area, requiring modernisation and increased responsiveness to student needs.
2016-05 → 2020-03 diff source
Audited financials
Year ended 2024 · Audit opinion: unmodified
Total revenue
$14.81M
Surplus / (deficit)
$440k
Net assets / equity
$7.07M
2 years of audited data on file · View full history (Pro)
NCEA achievement
School leavers with NCEA at each level. National average is ~85% (Level 1).
NCEA Level 1 · 2024
87.3%
137 of 157 leavers
-0.7pt vs prior year
NCEA Level 2 · 2024
79.6%
125 of 157 leavers
-1.4pt vs prior year
University Entrance · 2024
65.0%
102 of 157 leavers
-0.5pt vs prior year
Data: Ministry of Education / Education Counts, CC-BY-4.0
Stay-on rate
Percentage of students who stay at school until at least their 17th birthday — the standard NZ proxy for Year-9-to-Year-13 retention.
84.1%
2024 cohort · 157 students
+2.4pt vs 2023
Discipline (age-standardised, per 1,000 students)
Stand-down = sent home temporarily. Suspension = formal investigation. Exclusion = removed from school. National averages shown for comparison.
Stand-downs · 2024
21.1
28 this year · NZ avg ~37
Suspensions · 2024
0.0
· NZ avg ~5
Exclusions · 2024
0.0
· NZ avg ~1.5
Vocational Pathway Awards
School leavers achieving Vocational Pathway Awards by industry sector (2024).
- Creative Industries 11
- Service Industries 10
- Social and Community Services 1
Government funding
Crown funding only (school operations + teacher salaries + property). Excludes locally-raised funds, international fees and trading income — those are in the audited financial report above.
Total Crown funding · 2022
$8.99M
Per-student funding · 2022
$9,757
2018
$7.9M
2019
$7.6M
2020
$9.0M
2021
$10.0M
2022
$9.0M
Roll by year level
July 2025 roll return.
- Year 09 207
- Year 10 187
- Year 11 208
- Year 12 191
- Year 13+ 149
Roll by ethnicity
Share of total roll. Students who identify with multiple ethnicities are counted once.
- European/Pākehā 74.2%
- Asian 18.0%
- Māori 15.5%
- Pacific 4.6%
- International 4.0%
- Other / MELAA 3.7%
Location
Trafalgar Street, Nelson. Nearby schools marked in grey.
Map tiles © OpenStreetMap, © CARTO
Schools nearby
Within 15km, sorted by distance. Add any to compare with Nelson College For Girls.
Nelson College For Girls Prep School
Intermediate · 0km · 96 roll
83
+7 vs this
St Joseph's School (Nelson)
Full Primary · 0.4km · 363 roll
69
-7 vs this
Nelson Central School
Contributing · 0.5km · 397 roll
65
-11 vs this
Hampden Street School
Contributing · 0.8km · 449 roll
72
-4 vs this
Nelson College
Secondary (Year 9-15) · 0.9km · 949 roll
60
-16 vs this
Nelson College (Prep Dept)
Intermediate · 0.9km · 96 roll
76
0 vs this
Frequently asked
Is Nelson College For Girls a good school?
Nelson College For Girls scores 76/100 on the SchoolsNearMe composite — a weighted average of 5 axes (academic, outcomes, retention, wellbeing, trajectory). Above median nationally. ERO trajectory has declined across recent review cycles. The full breakdown is below; every input links to its source.
What does the latest ERO review say?
ERO's 2020-03 review identified 6 key findings. College has been effective in achieving equitable and excellent outcomes for most students with sustained high levels of achievement
How do I enrol my child at Nelson College For Girls?
Contact the school directly on 03-5483104, email admin@ncg.school.nz, or visit www.ncg.school.nz. For state schools, check your home address against the school's enrolment zone — some schools are in-zone-only.
What are the fees?
Nelson College For Girls is a state school. There is no tuition fee for domestic students; voluntary donations may be requested.
What is the roll size?
Nelson College For Girls has 921 students, with an EQI of 442 (mid-range socio-economic context). It is a girls school-only school.
When was the school last reviewed by ERO?
The Education Review Office last reviewed Nelson College For Girls in 2020-03, signed by Dr Lesley Patterson. 2 ERO reports are on file in our archive.
Data transparency
Every fact on this page links to its source. We never publish a claim without provenance — read our methodology for the full rules.
Sourced from
- ero.govt.nz
- ncg.school.nz
- schoolsdata.co.nz
- crimestats.co.nz