Which are the best high schools in Wellington? – Here, I present to you the best high schools in Wellington and their fees for this year.
Whatever the school, what does the best education look like, and how will you know when you see it? There are several elements, all of which have a bearing on the quality and value of education: curriculum, teaching, assessment, schedule, environment, and culture.
The quality of education is in how these elements work together. A great curriculum is not enough if the assessment system values only part of it. A wonderful environment is not enough if the quality of teaching is poor. What makes a school great is having the balance and the dynamics right.
How rich is the curriculum? Do the teachers personalize their approach to each child? How much discretion and creativity does the school allow its teachers? Does the school relate well with parents and the community at large?
Based on ratings by parents, students, and all others on different schools rating sites, we have been able to determine the best high school across Wellington for the year.
1. Scots College

Scots College is a co-educational Presbyterian college in Wellington. The school used to be a boys-only school but started transitioning into a co-educational college in 2020.
Currently, the school has both males and females attending and it is performing academically well. This school has also been ranked among the Top 10 Best Schools in New Zealand.
Scots College offers the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP) which is an alternative to the National Certification of Educational Achievement (NCEA).
Apart from the amazing courses the school offer, there are also amazing sporting activities that children can partake in. There state of art professional facilities to support all activities so the safety of your child is guaranteed.
Since the school used to be for only boys, there are more boys than girls in the school currently. You can send your child to Scotts College by filing an application through the school website.
You can also locate the school at 1 Monorgan Road, Strathmore Park, Wellington 6022, New Zealand.
2. Queen Margaret College

Queen Margaret College is an independent girls-only high school in the heart of Wellington. The school takes care of young girls from Year 1 to 13 and it also has a co-educational Preschool that prepares the children for higher education.
This school is also one of the best when it comes to academic performance. QMC is an IB World School offering International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme.
The school also offers vital after-school and holiday programmes to help the students learn and have fun at the same time.
Queen Margaret College has a variety of extracurricular activities for the girls to participate in. Some of them are outdoor sporting activities that can help them learn and have fun as well. There are also professional facilities and equipment to help in every sport.
Queen Margaret College accepts both local and international students. There are also boarding facilities to help students who wish to stay.
You can get more information about the school on the school’s website.
3. Wellington High School

Wellington High School is a co-educational school in Wellington. The school is one of the few schools in New Zealand that does not have a school uniform.
While most people rate this school as the best high school in Wellington, some are also pointing out the flaws. This doesn’t mean the school is not good. It is one of the best high schools in Wellington currently and for that matter, it is the third-best high school in Wellington.
The school offers the National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA). There are also other nice courses available for everybody at the Community Education Centre.
Apart from classroom learning, there are many extracurricular activities and sports that will help students to learn while having fun.
Wellington High School accepts both local and international applicants and all applicants can apply via the school website.
4. Wellington East Girls’ College

Wellington East Girls’ College is one of the best state schools in Wellington currently. The school sits on top of Mount Victoria.
Wellington East Girls’ College is a girls-only school that takes care of girls from Year 9 to Year 13 enrolling both local and international students. The school also offers the National Certification of Educational Achievement (NCEA) curriculum.
The school has other extracurricular activities in addition to the classroom studies that will help the students to learn while having fun. Some of the activities include a variety of sporting activities and music lessons.
One fun part is that the school links Overseas Trips to some of the extracurricular activities which will make your child get an overseas traveling experience. These and many other fun things are what the college gives students.
If you want to enroll your daughter, you can simply visit the school website to do that. You can also locate the school campus at Austin Street, Mount Victoria, Wellington, New Zealand.
5. Samuel Marsden Collegiate

Samuel Marsden Collegiate is a girls-only school that has a co-educational Preschool attached. The school offers quality education to girls in Year 0 to 13.
Samuel Marsden Collegiate has been one of the best schools in New Zealand for a while now. Ranking consistently in the National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA) examinations, the school is one of the best in Wellington when ranking by academic performance.
Apart from the NCEA, the school also offers Cambridge A-Level exams in a few subjects. There are also lots of extracurricular activities available to give the girls the opportunity to learn outside the classroom.
The school provides quality education to both New Zealand and international applicants. If you wish to enroll your daughter, you can simply visit the school’s website to do that.
6. St Mary’s College

St Mary’s College is one of the oldest high schools in Wellington. The school is a state-integrated girls-only high school offering quality education to girls from Year 9 to 13.
With Catholic decency, the school impacts high Christian values in the life of these young girls so when they leave the school, they stand out in society.
The school offers the Nation Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA) programme. There are other courses available including a Defensive driving course.
There is also an awesome programme known as “BYOD (Bring Your Own Device)” which allows students to bring their own digital devices to school for learning. The programme has made it possible for students to study without boundaries.
There are specifications as to which devices are acceptable because not all devices can be useful for digital learning. You can check out the device specifications using this link.
The school accepts both local and international students. You can also get more information from St Mary’s College website.
7. Hutt Valley High School

Hutt Valley High School is a state co-educational college located in the Lower Hutt suburb of Wellington. According to the records, this school is one of the largest high schools in the Wellington Metropolis.
The school accepts both local and international students from years 9 to 13. Hutt Valley High School offers the National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA) curriculum. There are also scholarship examination opportunities for needy but brilliant students.
There are available facilities to help students study in all the learning fields. The Facilities include libraries, science lab, Information Technology lab, etc.
Hutt Valley High School also has extracurricular activities that allow students to study outside of the classroom while having fun. There is a variety of sporting activities and facilities available to guarantee the safety of the students’ participation.
You can get more information from the school’s website.
8. Onslow College

Onslow College is is another state co-educational college in the North-western part of Wellington. The school accepts both local and international students taking care of them through Years 9 to 13.
Onslow is one of those schools that does not have a prescribed uniform but still keeps the disciplinary codes in check. The school centers its moral teachings on independence, self-discipline, and grooming the children into socially responsible people after leaving the school.
Onslow College offers the National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA) curriculum, providing Six Vocational Pathways to help easy access to jobs after education.
When it comes to sports, Onslow college is one of the best in Wellington. There is a variety of sporting activities and other extracurricular activities available.
You can locate Onslow College at Burma Road, Johnsonville, Wellington, New Zealand. You should also visit the Onslow College website for more information.
9. Wellington College

Wellington College is a state boys-only high school in Wellington. The school has a history of being one of the oldest boys-only schools in New Zealand.
Academically, Wellington College is one of the best, setting a straight record for receiving the most scholarships for three consecutive years.
The College does not only focus on academics. Wellington College is also known for its success in sporting activities. The school has always been successful in interschool sporting competitions. There are lots of sporting activities available for the boys to have a favorite.
Wellington College accepts both local and international applicants offering the National Certificate of Educational Achievement curriculum. Wellington College is definitely one of the best high schools in Wellington.
You can locate Wellington College at 15 Dufferin Street, Mt Victoria, Wellington 6021, New Zealand. You should also check the school website for more information.
10. Sacred Heart College

Sacred Heart College is a Lower Hutt state-run girls-only Catholic high school. The school is the first girls-only high school to be opened in the Hutt Valley.
Sacred Heart College impacts high Christian values in the life of the young ladies making them stand out in society.
The school accepts both local and international applicants taking care of them through Years 9 to 13. Sacred Heart College offers the NCEA curriculum, adding other scholarship courses for brilliant students.
There are also extracurricular activities to help the students to study outside the classroom while having fun. The school has all the facilities to support all sporting activities so the safety of your daughter is guaranteed.
You can locate the school at 65 Laings Road, Lower Hutt, New Zealand. You should also check the school website for more information.
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Summary
In short, this is the list of the best high schools in Wellington currently. The list is curated based on ratings from many different high school rating websites.
From time to time based on how people rate the schools, there will be changes in the order of the list.
This list is not based on academic, facilities, or reputation rankings. The list is fully based on what the people are saying about the schools.