Girls’ schools lead the way as school leaver exam achievement rises: Dio continues to shine
The NZ Herald has crunched the numbers — and the results are in. For the first time since 2020, secondary school achievement in New Zealand is showing signs of improvement. The NZ Herald analysed the latest University Entrance (UE) and NCEA Level 3 results for every high school in the country, creating a nationwide snapshot of achievement.
Diocesan School has topped the list for schools with more than 20 leavers, continuing to cement its reputation as one of the country’s highest-achieving schools.
Of the 348 leavers sitting exams, 98.3% attained NCEA L3, with 97.2% attaining UE.
Across the country, the 2024 results saw academic improvements for the first time since the Covid pandemic, with the exception being NCEA Level 1 which many schools no longer offer. In other good news, the number of school leavers staying at school to the age of 17 or above has also increased.
At Dio, we continue to be proud of the achievements of our students and are proud to see an all-girls school leading the way in the academic arena.
Article written by Dio School for Girls: Credit: New Zealand Herald, article 28 November 2025. How does your school rate? NCEA, UE results at every college – ranked
