At Diocesan School for Girls, we remain committed to delivering a world-class education that equips young women with the knowledge, values, and skills to thrive, regardless of the changing educational landscape. In recent months, we have seen increasing public commentary around the future of NCEA, including questions raised about its credibility, fairness, and preparedness for the future. While we acknowledge the importance of robust national debate, we remain focused on what truly matters: ensuring our students continue to succeed.
As a school, we are proud to support New Zealand’s national qualification. NCEA provides flexible, inclusive, and high-integrity pathways for students, and we believe it has served our young people well. At the same time, we remain future-focused, responsive to reform, and committed to the highest standards of teaching and learning.
Our results speak for themselves.
Academic Performance at Diocesan
Diocesan students continue to excel at all levels of NCEA, significantly outperforming national benchmarks. Merit and Excellence Endorsements are also a key measure of depth and rigour, and are well above national levels.
| Measure (2021–2024 Average) | Diocesan | National |
| NCEA Level 2 Achievement | 99% | 74% |
| Level 2 Combined Endorsement | 93% | 40% |
| NCEA Level 3 Achievement | 99% | 67% |
| Level 3 Combined Endorsement | 89% | 41% |
| University Entrance | 96% | 50% |
These results are consistent across cohorts and subject areas, reflecting the strength of our programmes, the dedication of our teachers, and the ambition of our students.
Strong Foundations: Literacy and Numeracy
Foundational skills remain a priority at Diocesan. In May 2025, students sat the newly mandated Literacy and Numeracy Common Assessment Tasks, a key requirement for achieving NCEA at any level. Our students performed exceptionally well, far exceeding national averages:
| Common Assessment Task – May 2025 | Diocesan Result | National Result |
| Literacy Reading | 92.5% | 61.2% |
| Literacy Writing | 90.8% | 55.3% |
| Numeracy | 92.1% | 57.0% |
These outcomes reflect the strong foundation that underpins all student learning at Dio and our commitment to every learner’s success.
A Future-Focused Approach
While the Minister of Education has indicated that a review of NCEA is underway, including the impact of emerging technologies such as Artificial Intelligence, Diocesan School for Girls will continue to meet these changes with confidence, agility, and leadership.
We remain focused on our core purpose: to provide a learning environment where every student is supported to succeed, regardless of market noise or systemic change. Our offering is strengthened further through our dual qualification pathway: the choice between NCEA and the globally recognised International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP). This ensures that every learner has access to a qualification that matches her strengths, aspirations, and future direction.
In Summary
Diocesan School for Girls stands firmly behind the value of NCEA as our national qualification. At the same time, we recognise that the world is changing and that education must evolve with it. Through all of this, one truth remains constant: Dio students continue to excel.
They are achieving at the highest levels, building strong foundations, and graduating ready to lead in whatever path they choose. We thank you for your ongoing support, and we look forward to continuing this journey, together.
