A private school has once again topped a list of New Zealand colleges ranked for student achievement.
ACG Parnell College beat 50 schools assessed by private tutoring company Crimson Education for giving students the best shot into top universities such as Stanford and Harvard.
Last year’s winner Kristin School dropped to third place while St Cuthbert’s College remained in second.
Meanwhile, Baradene College of the Sacred Heart moved from 16th to 8th place, achieving 50 scholarship awards and a 53% NCEA excellence rate – tied for highest in the country. All top 10 schools are in Auckland, except for Havelock North’s Woodford House.
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ACG Principal Damian Watson: “proud as punch”.
The fifth annual ranking from Crimson used 2021 data to evaluate academic performance, extracurricular opportunities and equal access for students. Those three factors contribute to students’ chances at universities including Princeton, Oxford and Cambridge, it says.
This year’s top 10 was made up of six private, two state and two state-integrated schools – the highest number of state schools in the rankings so far.
ACG’s principal Damian Watson says “top school” does have a nice ring to it, though quickly points out his is just one of myriad fine schools in NZ.
ALDEN WILLIAMS/STUFF
Year 13 Christ’s College student Adam Zhu says schools are more ‘student-centred’ in New Zealand than China.
“Our model is to put teaching and learning at the heart of all we do – that sounds like a simple focus and in a way it is. Our students are really dedicated to their subjects; they do their best and that goes a long way.”
Also contributing to ACG’s success are staff who are specialists in their subjects and passionate about sharing them with students.
“They’re excited about teaching and that’s a huge help – it’s infectious. They know their stuff, and they give their students confidence.”
With many of his students eyeing up overseas study, Watson says internationally-respected qualifications certainly help them get there and although great grades also help, every applicant will have those.
Kristin School/Supplied
Kristin School dropped two places to third in this year’s ranking. Earlier this year senior school student Asher Goddard celebrated a perfect score in the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Programme, putting him in the top 1% of students globally. Pictured with principal David Boardman.
“The best universities are looking beyond that for young people with passion for learning and the subjects they choose. If you imagine that wide-eyed excitement from a teacher in the classroom, the unis need to see it in the students… That they love that subject so much they’re going to pour their heart into it.”
Students who will contribute to the university and its wider community through things like sports leadership and service are also in demand.
Asked if private schools have an edge on those run by the state, Watson says he can only speak for ACG.
“Being an independent school gives us greater freedom to adopt an approach that works for our community – a little more leeway. Also, we can perhaps determine our culture, approach to education and some of the programmes, that helps as well.”
And, while he says it’s important to note that many state schools are achieving similar great results, he’s chuffed with ACG’s ranking.
“Like any principal I’m just as proud as punch when I hear students are doing great things when they leave us – that’s what every principal wants.”
Rangitoto College principal Patrick Gale says he’s thrilled with the public school’s placing, having jumped in the past three years from 23rd to 10th and now its current rank of sixth.
Five International Baccalaureate (IB) scores of 40+ as well as 244 NCEA scholarships and 34 outstanding scholarships saw it get there. Crimson also ranked Rangitoto first for diversity, equity and process.
”We’ve consistently tried to improve what we offer… Being a large school we’re able to offer a really broad range of options to our students – meaning they have a lot of choice in what they study.”
Co-ed colleges like Rangitoto allow young men and women to grow up together and learn from each other, he says. “It’s a true reflection of real life.”
And, while the public college is outnumbered by private schools in the top 10, Gale says we shouldn’t put too much weight in that.
“Private schools certainly have more money and do benefit from better resources and lower ratios. I don’t know if there’s any evidence to say their teachers are any better – ours are amazing.
“If you take the right approach a state school can be fantastic; NZ should be proud we have such a small percentage of students attending private schools.”
Crimson CE Jamie Beaton says private schools continue to dominate the top 10 and of the single-sex schools, three of these are girls’ schools and the remaining seven are co-educational. All the top 25 are between deciles 8-10.
New Zealand’s top 10 ranked schools. (Bracketed numbers denote the change from last year’s placings.)
ACG Parnell College (+3 )
St Cuthbert’s College (0)
Kristin School (-2)
Pinehurst School (-1)
Diocesan School For Girls (0)
Rangitoto College (+4)
St Kentigern College (-1)
Baradene College of the Sacred Heart (+8)
Woodford House (+2)
Macleans College (-3)
A full list of the 50 ranked schools can be found here.
