· updated monthly
The five schools Auckland parents researched most this year, chosen from the 11 international schools in the city. Ranked by how many families opened each school’s profile and spent time reading it between September 2025 and August 2026, then the full picture on curricula, class sizes and fees.
The 2026 ranking
Ranked purely by parent interest — the number of families who opened each school’s profile and spent time reading it between September 2025 and August 2026.
Takapuna Grammar School is a co-educational state school on Auckland's North Shore, New Zealand, serving Years 9-13. Notably, it was the first state school in New Zealand to be approved to offer the IB qualification, alongside NCEA. The school motto is "Per Angusta Ad Augusta" (Through endeavour to greatness). Extensive extracurricular opportunities include sport, music, performing arts, co-curricular clubs, and service organizations. The school maintains a Houses system and offers learning support, special education, and e-learning options.
Rangitoto College is New Zealand's largest secondary school on a 23-hectare campus in Mairangi Bay, Auckland. It serves students aged 13 to 18 and offers a dual-pathway curriculum: the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme and NCEA, with Year 11 Diploma replacing NCEA Level 1 in 2024. The IB cohort consistently performs above the global average, including a 95% pass rate, multiple Top IB Scholar results, and 26% of students attaining the Bilingual Diploma across seven language pairings. The school provides university pathways through University Approved Subjects and study support. Facilities include a library with over 20,000 titles and around 80 librarians, the Millennium Institute with a 50-metre pool and on-site medical services, a Performing Arts venue, and an Auditorium seating 700. Sports facilities feature an Olympic-standard hockey turf and multiple gymnasia. A broad co-curricular program spans robotics, Esports, performing arts, sport, service, and leadership, augmented by AUT Millennium partnership access globally.
Kristin School is an independent, co-educational day school in New Zealand serving students from 0 to 18. As an International Baccalaureate World School, Kristin delivers a full IB continuum (PYP, MYP, DP) alongside NCEA options, with senior learners able to choose between the IB Diploma Programme and NCEA. The campus spans 50 acres of park-like grounds and houses modern learning facilities designed to support intellectual, physical and emotional development. Key spaces include the Science and Technology Centre with 16 teaching spaces and labs, the Library and Information Centre, the Canon Creative Studio for media production, and purpose-built performing arts venues such as the Dove Theatre and a 1,000-seat auditorium. Sports facilities are extensive, including a competition hockey turf, multiple pitches, two gymnasia and indoor sport spaces. Enriching programs emphasize leadership, service, experiential learning and international exchanges through initiatives like the Dovetail Exchange Programme and GAIL partnerships across global partner networks.
ACG Parnell College is a four-campus Cambridge International school in Auckland, New Zealand, offering Early Learning through Year 13. The Cambridge Pathway encompasses Cambridge Primary, Cambridge Secondary, IGCSE, and A Levels, with AS Levels in Year 12 and A Levels in Year 13. The school serves ages 0 to 18 across four campuses: Early Learning, Primary, Middle School, and Senior, with the Senior Campus in Newmarket. Facilities include technology-enabled classrooms, science laboratories, well-stocked libraries, and specialist spaces for drama, music, and visual arts. A broad sports program uses multi-sport facilities and supports football, basketball and netball in regional competitions. The Senior Campus provides 24 teaching spaces, physics, chemistry and biology labs, a music room, and a large theatre. Extracurriculars extend to 90+ clubs, including STEM and science contests, debating, MUN, arts ensembles and cultural clubs. The college emphasizes a journey from infancy to university preparation with leadership and service opportunities.
Saint Kentigern College sits on 100 acres overlooking Tamaki Estuary in Pakuranga, Auckland. It serves day and boarding students aged 11 to 18 and offers both International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme and a NZQA/NCEA pathway in Years 12–13. In Year 11, students complete NCEA Level 1. The IB Diploma has six subjects (three HL, three SL), one language, and core elements: Extended Essay, Theory of Knowledge and Creativity, Activity and Service. The Senior School provides a broad range of subjects across Arts, Commerce, Humanities, Languages, Applied Mathematics, Sciences and Technology. The campus includes the Jack Paine Centre for arts and design, dedicated science and commerce spaces, and Music Centre with choral and instrumental programs plus a dance studio. Sports facilities include a Sports Centre, outdoor fields, a synthetic turf, a swimming pool and on-site rowing programme. The college began in 1953 and welcomed girls in 1996, adopting a parallel education model.
What’s on offer
The mix of programmes and teaching languages across all 11 schools. Many offer more than one curriculum, so totals run higher than the school count.
Number of schools teaching each curriculum.
Number of schools teaching in each language.
Size & classes
School size and class size shape day-to-day experience as much as curriculum does.
Schools grouped by total enrolment.
Average school size is 1,715 students · based on the 11 schools that report enrolment.
Schools grouped by typical class size.
Average class size is 20.5 students · based on the 10 schools that report it.
What it costs
Fees shown are one year for a 12-year-old (or the closest age available), excluding one-time enrolment costs.
Across the 10 schools that publish a price for a 12-year-old. All figures in NZD.
How many schools sit in each annual-fee range.
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