New Zealand High Schools

If you are not sure what you want, click on our inquiries link, fill in the form and we will get back to you with our recommendation and advice. If you do have a fairly good idea about what you are looking for, browse through the school sites below after reading our summaries. In either case, if you are getting serious bout studying in New Zealand, read the About New Zealand, Why Study In New Zealand and FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) pages. The following New Zealand private English language schools are all government certified and belong to quality assurance groups. Insofar as we have been to them all and have been sending students to them for several years, we can recommend them with confidence.

Auckland

Called "last, loneliest and loveliest" by the famous Victorian novelist Rudyard Kipling as a result of his world travels, Auckland in recent years has often been chosen as one of the most desirable cites in the world in which to live. New Zealand's largest and most cosmopolitan city, and the largest Polynesian city in the world, it is situated on an isthmus between the Tasman Sea to the west and the Hauraki Gulf and Pacific Ocean to the east. With clean beaches in the city and up both coasts, and bush covered ranges and the wine country to the west, Auckland, the City of Sails, home of the America's Cup, with its mild, sub tropical climate, offers a very pleasant, stress free environment in which to study and enjoy oneself.

Tauranga

Currently New Zealand's fastest growing city, Tauranga is is the centre of the bountiful Bay of Plenty, justifiably known for its abundant agriculture (the home of the Kiwi fruit) and the climate that makes it possible. Situated on a big harbour and close to hundreds of miles of white, surfing beaches, it has the thermal areas, trout fishing of Rotorua and Lake Taupo and the ski areas of the central North Island mountains a few hours away to the south, and world renowned deep sea fishing grounds to the north. Altogether not a bad part of the world to be living in.
Otumoetai High School Situated in a suburb of sunny Tauranga, it is a coeducational school which actively seeks overseas students, have regular exchange programs with German and other European schools. It is currently in the process of a big rebuilding program.

Wellington

New Zealand's capital city and cultural centre, Wellington city is very compact with government, commercial and entertainment districts along the shore of Port Nicholson which is surrounded by hills. Although only 400,00 people, Wellington has a vibrant cultural and social life and was chosen as one of the top three most desirable postings by US State Department diplomats. One of its advantages for the more serious student is that it is not so crowded with Japanese as Auckland and Christchurch and, being so compact, is easy to get around using public transport.
Wellington High School Right in Central Wellington, WHS is a fairly large coeducational school with good facilities, especially in drama and music. It is a fairly multicultural school as it caters to Wellington's growing immigrant community. and hence experienced in dealing with students from various cultures.
Wellington College A boys only school, it is one of the country's older schools with a long line of old boys who have distinguished themselves in politics, government service and the military, in fact it is right next door to Government house, whose current tenant, The Governor General, is an old boy of the school.
Wellington Girls College Right in the centre of the city close to parliament, yet commanding great views of the harbour, it is very much an academically oriented school.
Wellington East Girls College Near Wellington College, to which it is a sister school.

Nelson

Known throughout New Zealand for its high sunshine hours, abundant local crops and excellent seafood, it is home to a large artist's community and situated between two very beautiful national parks that offer wonderful outdoor recreational opportunities.
Nelson College A boys only school, it is one of New Zealand's oldest and is well known as a boarding school.
Nelson College for Girls The sister school to Nelson college with which it shares some facilities and classes, especially at the senior level.

Marlborough

Proud of its position of having the highest sunshine hours in New Zealand, Marlborough is a very pleasant town set in a rapidly expanding grape growing and wine producing area, but still very close to the sea and mountains and all the opportunities that they offer.
Marlborough Boys College Located in the sunniest part of New Zealand justifiably known for its wines, the school has excellent facilities, especially in its video suites and technology classrooms - the food technology class runs its own restaurant!
Marlborough Girls College Sister school to Marlborough Boys College with which it shares facilities and classes at the senior level, it is in pleasant surroundings and like Marlborough Boys, is very keen on having foreign students in its student body.

Christchurch

Justifiably called "the most English city outside England", Christchurch is a gracious, green "Garden City", being as it is, dominated by its large, well designed parks and many private gardens. With a vibrant cultural life, strong civic pride and the Pacific Ocean to the east and the magnificence of the Southern Alps to the west, Christchurch offers plenty to do in a very pleasant environment.
Christchurch Boys High School A long established school with proud traditions and excellent sports facilities
Christchurch Girls High School Also a long established school, it is vary academically oriented, although it has excellent music facilities. Although in the centre of Christchurch, it has what has got to be one of the most beautiful grounds of any school in the country as the River Avon flows through it, something the school's architect, a former student, has taken very good advantage of.
Burnside High School The largest school in the South Island, it has been very well designed and is divided into four internal "schools" to give students the feeling of intimacy. It is quite a multicultural school, especially for the South Island, as it is host to many children from Christchurch's growing, largely Asian, immigrant community.
Christ's College A private boys only school in the centre of Christchurch, it is one of the oldest schools in New Zealand and is known for, among other things, its very English atmosphere in a very English city.

Timaru

A small, pleasant coastal city only about one hour's drive from Christchurch, Timaru offers a safe healthy environment in which to grow up in the high school years.
Timaru Girls High School

Oamaru

Down the coast from Timaru and only two hours drive from Dunedin, Oamaru is something of an education town, being host to three very good schools which work quite closely together for sporting, cultural and other events.
Waitaki Girls High School A school with a good atmosphere, it is very keen to be host to international students, and the principal has a weekly meeting with all overseas students to keep contact with them individually and to ensure that they are OK.
St. Kevin's College A coeducational Catholic school founded by brothers, it is now an integrated school, which means that although it is state funded ans is staffed by professional, lay teachers,, it retains its distinctive Catholic character and emphasis on christian values in its curriculum. A boarding school with separate hostels for boys and girls, it is modern, well equipped and set in very green, pleasant, park like grounds.

Dunedin

Founded by education conscious Scottish settlers, Dunedin is at the end of along harbour in which anybody can catch the salmon as they exit the Leith River in the middle of town on their way to the sea. New Zealand's oldest , Dunedin today is known as an education city and for its elegant, old Gothic style buildings. Accordingly, it is home to many good quality schools as well as the country's oldest university and therefore has a young population with students from all over the world.
Kings High School A medium sized boy's school with an excellent academic record and good, modern facilities, it has probably the best in-school ESOL program in the country. Good atmosphere.
Queens High School Next door to Kings high School for boys above, 
Otago Girls High School The oldest girls' school in the southern hemisphere and the third oldest in the world, it is nevertheless very up to date in terms of its curriculum and teaching methods, especially as regards integration of computers across the curriculum.
Otago Boys High School Another very old established school in traditional stone European style buildings, it is however, very modern in terms of its facilities and equipment, and like its sister school Otago Girls', boasts a long string of distinguished graduates.