Crimson Education has released its annual Top 50 Schools Report which positions Hawke’s Bay school Woodford House in 9th place amongst the top 10 schools in New Zealand.
The rankings, now in their fifth year, provide a clear measure of the best 50 schools in New Zealand, based on their ability to prepare students to gain admission into the top ranked universities in the world.
Woodford House is a special character boarding and day school for girls, with a 129-year history. The school is located in Havelock North and has a current roll of 360 students. Principal Julie Peterson says she was delighted to hear the news, and felt extremely proud not only to feature in the top 10 rankings, but also to be the only school outside of the Auckland region to be included.
“As a boarding school, the majority of our students live on site, allowing us a unique opportunity to deeply know and understand each girl and mould a personalised learning pathway for her.“
“Over the past six years I have had the privilege of seeing all students receive a 100% pass rate in NCEA Levels 1, 2 and 3. I feel extremely proud of our staff and students and also our highly supportive Woodford House community.”
“Whilst a strong academic foundation is our focus, it is extremely important to ground our girls in all aspects of their lives. Rich learning extends throughout four cornerstones of school life, including the sports field, debating room, on the stage and giving service to others. This fulfils our school’s strategic vision that for each student her light will shine.”
Joint Dux recipients in 2021 – Phoebe Burns and Amy Alexander – are evidence of this well-rounded educational approach.
Burns says it was no surprise to hear that Woodford House had ranked so highly within the Crimson Education list. Like many other students, Burns says her achievements at school stemmed from a customised learning programme including extension, which offered her challenge and motivated her passion for learning.
Burns said the extension programme underpinned her high performance that, in turn, enabled her direct entry into second year Engineering Mathematics at university.
“My teachers instilled in me a passion for learning that not only helped me do well academically, but set me up to enjoy learning at the same time.”
Crimson Education offers top students the support they need to gain entry into some of the most prestigious universities in the world, including Yale, Oxford and Cambridge. Each year, it published a report detailing the secondary schools it believes prepares students best for overseas study at the very highest level.
Peterson has offered her congratulations to all schools featured in the top 50 ranking, noting that Hawke’s Bay’s Lindisfarne College, Iona College and Napier Girls’ High Schools are also included in the list.
“There’s a wealth of educational opportunities available for students and families in our region, and that is certainly something to be celebrated.”
