School leavers with higher level qualifications

Regional differences

There was considerable variation by region in the proportion of 2007 school leavers who left school with NCEA Level 2 or above.

School leavers were most likely to leave school with NCEA Level 2 or above in Wellington City (80.9 percent), North Shore City (78.5 percent) and Queenstown-Lakes District (77.8 percent). 

Kawerau District (31.6 percent) had the lowest proportion of school leavers attaining NCEA Level 2 or above, followed by Waitomo District (37.6 percent) and Porirua City (41.6 percent). 

Proportion of school leavers who leave school with NCEA Level 2 or above, by TA, 2007
Territorial Authority Proportion (%)
Far North District 52.3
Whangarei District 61.6
Kaipara District 60.4
Rodney District 62.9
North Shore City 78.5
Waitakere City 58.3
Auckland City 75.6
Manukau City 64.8
Papakura District 55.8
Franklin District 58.8
Thames-Coromandel District 56.6
Hauraki District 58.0
Waikato District 49.8
Matamata-Piako District 52.9
Hamilton City 65.7
Waipa District 63.0
Otorohanga District s
South Waikato District 51.3
Waitomo District 37.6
Taupo District 50.5
Western Bay of Plenty District 67.5
Tauranga City 66.9
Rotorua District 57.9
Whakatane District 52.7
Kawerau District 31.6
Opotiki District 56.6
Gisborne District 54.7
Wairoa District s
Hastings District 66.4
Napier City 65.1
Central Hawke's Bay District 57.7
New Plymouth District 61.0
Stratford District 49.7
South Taranaki District 51.4
Ruapehu District 58.5
Wanganui District 67.7
Rangitikei District 68.2
Manawatu District 68.0
Palmerston North City 66.6
Tararua District 54.5
Horowhenua District 60.0
Kapiti Coast District 62.1
Porirua City 41.6
Upper Hutt City 70.3
Hutt City 65.5
Wellington City 80.9
Masterton District 68.2
Carterton District s
South Wairarapa District s
Tasman District 57.3
Nelson City 67.4
Marlborough District 64.3
Kaikoura District s
Buller District 42.6
Grey District 42.6
Westland District 52.4
Hurunui District 49.2
Waimakariri District 54.4
Christchurch City 70.7
Selwyn District 72.2
Ashburton District 62.4
Timaru District 67.8
Mackenzie District 54.8
Waimate District s
Chatham Islands n
Waitaki District 73.5
Central Otago District 71.1
Queenstown-Lakes District 77.8
Dunedin City 69.3
Clutha District 63.5
Southland District 63.5
Gore District 72.4
Invercargill City 58.1

Source: Ministry of Education. Notes:

  • Territorial Authority is determined by the Territorial Local Authority area of the school each student was located in.      
  • x = fewer than 5 school leavers with NCEA Level 2 or above.    
  • s = data not shown as there is only one school with students in Year 9 and above in the Territorial Local Authority area.
  • n = there is no school with students in Year 9 and above in the Territorial Local Authority area.