Choosing a secondary school is one of the biggest decisions you’ll make for your child. And in Christchurch, it can also have a surprising amount of influence over where you choose to live. After all, finding the perfect school is one thing. Finding out you're just a few streets outside its zone is another!
Whether you choose a private or public school, both options come with their own considerations. Fortunately, Christchurch has a great mix of exceptional schools across the city, each with something different to offer. The real challenge isn't finding a good school, but finding the one where your child will thrive.
In this guide, we'll help you look beyond the rankings to find the right fit for your child and your family.
Private schools get their funding from tuition fees, which can be quite steep. The payoff is that they’re well resourced and can offer top-tier facilities. Since it is a big financial investment,
Day-to-day life can look totally different, from sports to arts and pastoral care. It’s worth comparing a few different schools to find the perfect match and ensure you get the most out of the high tuition.
Christchurch has many fantastic public secondary schools. But like all public schools in New Zealand, zoning rules apply. Local students are prioritised first. For some families, moving to a new neighbourhood that is zoned for a reputable secondary school is well worth the effort.
Whether you're exploring nearby schools or weighing up private options, our guide to Christchurch's top secondary schools will help you find the right fit.
Many parents may look at the top-ranked schools and stop there. But your child’s secondary school experience is made up of so much more. So we’ve taken everything into account, from academics and sports and school culture and support, drawing from people’s real experiences, to determine the best secondary schools in the city.
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Ranked 13th nationally in a recent Crimson Education review, it’s the highest-ranked Christchurch school on that list. It consistently achieves NCEA Level 3 pass rates exceeding 90%.
Rangi Ruru’s sterling reputation comes down to a few things: it’s known for having small class sizes, which helps create a personalised environment for learning. The school also has a focus on pastoral care and supporting girls both academically and personally.
The school has a wide range of co-curricular activities on offer, including standout equestrian, music, and rowing programmes.
It’s one of the most expensive schools in the South Island. The environment is highly driven, which is great for ambitious students but can feel pressured for those who prefer a more relaxed pace.
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Ranked 18th nationally in a recent Crimson Education review, it comes in second out of the Christchurch secondary schools.
St Andrews, known locally as “StAC”, has long held a reputation as one of the best schools in Christchurch (and New Zealand). While it was originally an all-boys school, the move to become co-educational has been viewed by many parents as a huge plus.
The school has a strong focus on academic excellence and high-level sports. In recent years, there has been more of a focus on developing the whole child by building students' confidence and providing a wide range of co-curricular options. Being a private school, it’s well resourced, and students have access to top-tier facilities.
As a private school, and one of the best in the country, StAC comes with premium private school fees. With a strong focus on academic excellence, some students might find the classroom environment quite competitive. The school is known for having a traditional approach to uniforms, with presentation being actively enforced.
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Ranked 26th nationally by Crimson Education, with top-tier academic results across NCEA.
Christ’s College is one of the oldest schools in Christchurch, and its rich history is part of what makes it so special. It’s located right in the inner-city on a beautiful campus near the Botanic Gardens.
The school offers an elite “traditional boys’ school experience”, although delivered through a modern lens. Much of this traditional focus is on character development, brotherhood, and producing confident and well-spoken young men. As a well-resourced private school, Christ’s College has excellent facilities, including world-class drama and sports facilities.
While the school isn’t as traditional as it used to be, the focus on traditions and the “old boys network” might not be for everyone. The school also offers a very structured environment, suiting some students, but not others.
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CGHS achieves some of the highest NCEA Level 3 attainment rates of any state secondary school in Canterbury, often achieving 80–85% pass rates.
The school has a focus on academic excellence (and the test scores to back it up). It was established in 1877 and has a strong history of traditions. Located right next to Hagley Park, the CGHS campus feels like an extension of the park itself. With lots of leafy areas and outdoor spaces, students have plenty of time outdoors.
The school also has a strong emphasis on co-curricular excellence with an entirely separate website dedicated to excellence in sports.
The strong focus on achievement (whether sporting or academic) might not be for everyone. CGHS is a public school, but students need to live in-zone. House prices in the catchment zones of Fendalton and lower Riccarton are some of the highest in Christchurch.
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Burnside is consistently one of the top-performing state co-ed schools in Canterbury for overall NCEA results.
Burnside earns its spot at number five, not for academic excellence (although it does perform well) but for its love from the students, parents, and wider community. It’s locally known as the best public co-ed school in Christchurch.
Its large roll size of around 2,700 students allows it to offer an unparalleled variety of subjects. It is famous nationwide for its music and performing arts programmes, and the school has an overall focus on belonging and encouraging students to find their niche.
The school has excellent facilities including its own cultural hub, the Aurora Centre, which is also available to community groups for use after hours.
To attend Burnside, your child must live within its catchment zone. Some students might find the sheer size of the school overwhelming, although the school is proactive about this – students are sorted into divisions to ensure that pastoral care and support is evenly distributed and accessible.
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Cashmere High School consistently achieves NCEA results that sit well above the national average for state schools.
Cashmere High School offers a great mix of academic results along with a more welcoming, relaxed culture than other more traditional state schools. There’s a focus on a broad mix of subjects offered within a caring and supportive environment.
The school has a strong reputation for music, drama, and the arts, making it a great choice for creative students. Students will find a wide range of co-curricular options on offer: from orchestra, the Stage Challenge, regular plays, and singing to traditional sports, like soccer, and modern offerings, like rock climbing and futsal.
Like Burnside, it is a very large school. Cashmere’s zoning covers the hillside suburbs, which can make moving in-zone expensive. Some competitive academic families may feel that the school doesn't push students as hard as Christchurch Girls’ or Boys’ High Schools, although other parents may view this as a positive.
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Frequently sits within the top 40 nationally, with excellent NCEA results and the added bonus of offering the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma.
St Margaret's is known for its modern approach to girls' education, with a huge emphasis on creating future female leaders. Though the school does produce excellent NCEA results and offers IB, it’s not what parents talk about most. Many are drawn to the school’s focus on developing the whole child.
The school offers small class sizes,with tutor time each day to check in with students about their academic, co-curricular and general wellbeing. Plus, there’s a bespoke Year 11 curriculum that sets girls up for success in Years 12 and 13. The option to take the IB Diploma is also a massive drawcard for students eyeing overseas universities.
As a polished, high-achieving private school, it comes with some pretty steep fees.
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Christchurch Boys has a strong academic standing among state schools. It consistently achieves solid NCEA pass rates.
CBHS may not be a private school, but it’s located in one of the most highly regarded suburbs in the city, securing its status as an iconic Christchurch institution. The school has a focus on all-round achievement in academia, sports (especially rugby and cricket), debating, and music.
The school is situated on beautiful, expansive grounds and has excellent facilities for sports and performing arts. They have a strong partnership with Ngāi Tūāhuriri as mana whenua and a key advisor in supporting Māori students' success.
There is a strong emphasis on achievement and tradition. Rugby culture is a big part of the school, which is a major draw for some but might not be the right fit for every boy. If your child is highly alternative or non-sporty, they might find the environment a bit rigid.
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The school punches well above its weight academically, often achieving NCEA Level 3 pass rates that sit in the 80%+ range, making it highly competitive with the top state and private schools.
Marian College has long had a great reputation as a high-achieving academic school. After the Christchurch earthquakes destroyed the Shirley campus, the school opened a brand new award-winning campus in Northcote in 2021.
Parents and students speak highly of Marian because of its small roll size (around 400-500 students) and focus on pastoral care. It has a very tight-knit, supportive culture and encourages participation, service, and leadership.
As a Catholic state-integrated school, preference for enrolment is given to families with a demonstrated connection to the Catholic faith.
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While not usually featured on any elite academic ranking lists, Hagley College is a great option for students who might not fit the mould of traditional schools.
Hagley College operates more like a university, with no uniforms and a culture that treats students like adults. It is heavily praised by parents as a great fit for students who are self-directed, neurodivergent, or deeply involved in the arts and fashion.
Many parents have praised the school for providing a more hands-on and engaging style of teaching. They have a focus on innovating and fitting the programme to the needs of each student – not the other way around.
This isn’t a school for students who just want to skate by. While the environment is different, the adult-style environment requires students to be self-motivated. If your child needs strict boundaries, constant supervision, or a highly structured traditional curriculum, Hagley will not be the right fit.
Found the right school, but not quite the right address? Wise Move can help you make the move. Moving neighbourhoods in Christchurch can open up more options for your child's secondary schooling, especially when school zones come into play.
Book a professional Christchurch moving team and let them take care of everything from packing up your belongings to delivering them safely to your new home. That means one less thing to organise as you get your family settled into a new neighbourhood.
Christchurch has plenty of strong secondary schools, and no shortlist can capture every great option. If you believe your school should be included, feel free to contact us, and we'd be happy to update the list.
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