Smallest, most personal
Harbourview College
Fictional sample only — this illustrative summary shows how BoundFor presents an ERO review for Harbourview College. It is not an ERO finding about a real school.
In zone959 students
BoundForSchool Report
Prepared for Test User · 123 Sample Street, Wellington Central
Five schools, weighed for your family
Here's how Harbourview College, Kōwhai Girls' College, Te Awa College, Northbridge High and Rimu College stack up on the things that matter, with the reasoning behind every number.
5 schools
in your shortlist
You're zoned for 2 of 4 · 1 preference-based
in-zone places are guaranteed by law
14 min
fastest run — Northbridge High
The short version
What each school is best at
We don't crown one winner. The right school depends on your family. Here's where each one genuinely shines.
A balanced all-round option
Kōwhai Girls' College
Fictional sample only — this illustrative summary shows how BoundFor presents an ERO review for Kōwhai Girls' College. It is not an ERO finding about a real school.
In zone1,077 students
A balanced all-round option
Te Awa College
A solid choice across the things that matter.
Out of zone1,376 students
Best for your school run
Northbridge High
Preference-based enrolment and about 14 minutes away.
Preference-based1,069 students
A balanced all-round option
Rimu College
A solid choice across the things that matter.
Out of zone1,555 students
Make it yours
What matters most to your family?
Every family weighs these differently. Adjust the dials and watch each school's fit update. There's no single right answer.
Short commute
Daily travel time from home
Enrolment path
Zone position; other entry criteria may still apply
Available for 4 of 5 schools; used only within stages with complete data
Academic results
NCEA & UE vs national
Lower-barrier context
Socio-economic context (EQI), not school quality
Smaller school feel
School roll size, not a measure of pastoral care
Fit for your prioritiesCompared within each school stage
Secondary schools
Harbourview CollegeBest match at this stage74%
Strong on enrolment path & smaller school feel
Te Awa College51%
Based on the comparable priorities selected above
Composite schoolsOne selected school at this stage
Kōwhai Girls' College66%
Strong on enrolment path
Primary schoolsOne selected school at this stage
Northbridge High57%
Strong on short commute
Not scored here: enrolment path
Intermediate schoolsOne selected school at this stage
Rimu College37%
Based on the comparable priorities selected above
Fit uses only data shared by every school at the same stage. Missing data is left out, never scored as zero. EQI describes socio-economic context, not school quality.
Side by side
The numbers, compared
The same facts for every school, with national and regional context where the data supports a useful comparison. Best value in each row is highlighted.
| Harbourview College | Kōwhai Girls' College | Te Awa College | Northbridge High | Rimu College | NZ avg | Illustrative Wellington avg | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| School type | Co-educationalState | Co-educationalState | Co-educationalState | Boys onlyState Integrated | Girls onlyPrivate | — | — |
| Year levels | Year 9–13 | Year 1–13 | Year 9–13 | Year 1–8 | Year 7–8 | — | — |
| Roll | 959 | 1,077 | 1,376 | 1,069 | 1,555 | 980 | 1,040 |
| Enrolment | In zone | In zone | Out of zone | Preference-based | Out of zone | 68% zoned | 72% zoned |
| Morning run | 16 min3.7 km | 35 min9.8 km | 29 min7.8 km | 14 min2.9 kmBest in this row | 36 min10.6 km | — | — |
| Equity Index | 465Mid | 452Mid | 432HigherBest in this row | 514Elevated | 506Elevated | 455 | 448 |
Roll & type: Ministry of Education · Equity Index replaced deciles in 2023 (lower = fewer barriers)
Logistics · enrolment
Where do you stand on enrolment?
Getting a place is the single biggest gate in NZ schooling, and it doesn't work the same way at every school. Here's exactly where you stand at each one.
Harbourview CollegeIn zone
You're in zone
Your address falls inside the zone, so a place is guaranteed by law.
Guaranteed
Kōwhai Girls' CollegeIn zone
You're in zone
Your address falls inside the zone, so a place is guaranteed by law.
Guaranteed
Te Awa CollegeOut of zone
Out of zone
Your address is outside the zone. You can enter the out-of-zone ballot, but a place isn't guaranteed.
Ballot only
Northbridge HighPreference-based
Preference-based enrolment
Places go first to applicants who meet the school's special-character preference criteria. Where the school also uses a geographic priority, it applies within those criteria — so your address alone doesn't settle it.
Check the school's criteria
Rimu CollegeOut of zone
Out of zone
Your address is outside the zone. You can enter the out-of-zone ballot, but a place isn't guaranteed.
Ballot only
Checked against official school zone boundaries for 123 Sample Street, Wellington Central
Logistics · daily life
The school run, every day
Travel time is the cost you pay twice a day, all year. These are real driving times from your door, accounting for traffic — plus the few minutes at the gate that every school run actually costs.
Northbridge High2.9 km away
Morning: 14 min drive + 5 min drop-offAfternoon: 13 min drive + 10 min pickup
14 min drive 22 min bus 35 min walk
Harbourview College3.7 km away
Morning: 16 min drive + 5 min drop-offAfternoon: 15 min drive + 10 min pickup
16 min drive 25 min bus
Te Awa College7.8 km away
Morning: 29 min drive + 5 min drop-offAfternoon: 26 min drive + 10 min pickup
29 min drive 41 min bus
Kōwhai Girls' College9.8 km away
Morning: 35 min drive + 5 min drop-offAfternoon: 32 min drive + 10 min pickup
35 min drive 49 min bus
Rimu College10.6 km away
Morning: 36 min drive + 5 min drop-offAfternoon: 33 min drive + 10 min pickup
36 min drive 52 min bus
Illustrative commute estimates for this fictional sample
The outside view
What has the Education Review Office seen?
The official ERO verdict in plain English, the academic results in context, and what the community looks like.
AI-assisted summary of Education Review Office reports. Modified by BoundFor Limited. CC BY 4.0
AI-generated summaries can contain errors and can change over time as our analysis improves — see the note in the ERO section and our Terms of Use.
The Education Review Office (ERO) is the government's independent school evaluator. We summarise their latest review in plain English. You can read the full official report for the complete picture.
Harbourview College
Co-educational · 959 students · State
Plain-English summary
Fictional sample only — this illustrative summary shows how BoundFor presents an ERO review for Harbourview College. It is not an ERO finding about a real school.
Education Review Office · reviewed May 2025 · read ERO's full report ↗
NCEA & university entrance Declining
NCEA L1-4.8 vs NZ
80.2%
NCEA L2-3.7 vs NZ
76.3%
NCEA L3-2.8 vs NZ
72.2%
Univ. entrance+16.2 vs NZ
66.2%
Community profile
465Mid band
Close to the national average. The Equity Index summarises the socio-economic barriers a school's students face. A lower number means fewer barriers. It replaced deciles in 2023.
Kōwhai Girls' College
Co-educational · 1,077 students · State
Plain-English summary
Fictional sample only — this illustrative summary shows how BoundFor presents an ERO review for Kōwhai Girls' College. It is not an ERO finding about a real school.
Education Review Office · reviewed September 2024 · read ERO's full report ↗
NCEA & university entrance Improving
NCEA L1-1.4 vs NZ
83.6%
NCEA L2-7.6 vs NZ
72.4%
NCEA L3-1.3 vs NZ
73.7%
Univ. entrance+16.7 vs NZ
66.7%
Community profile
452Mid band
Close to the national average. The Equity Index summarises the socio-economic barriers a school's students face. A lower number means fewer barriers. It replaced deciles in 2023.
Te Awa College
Co-educational · 1,376 students · State
NCEA & university entrance Declining
NCEA L1-3 vs NZ
82%
NCEA L2-1.1 vs NZ
78.9%
NCEA L3-3.1 vs NZ
71.9%
Univ. entrance+17 vs NZ
67%
Community profile
432Higher band
Fewer socio-economic barriers than average. The Equity Index summarises the socio-economic barriers a school's students face. A lower number means fewer barriers. It replaced deciles in 2023.
Northbridge High
Boys only · 1,069 students · State Integrated
NCEA & university entrance Improving
NCEA L1-17.1 vs NZ
67.9%
NCEA L2-13.2 vs NZ
66.8%
NCEA L3-15 vs NZ
60%
Univ. entrance+5.2 vs NZ
55.2%
Community profile
514Elevated band
More socio-economic barriers than average. The Equity Index summarises the socio-economic barriers a school's students face. A lower number means fewer barriers. It replaced deciles in 2023.
Rimu College
Girls only · 1,555 students · Private
NCEA & university entrance Stable
NCEA L1-11.2 vs NZ
73.8%
NCEA L2-15.5 vs NZ
64.5%
NCEA L3-12.2 vs NZ
62.8%
Univ. entrance+8 vs NZ
58%
Community profile
506Elevated band
More socio-economic barriers than average. The Equity Index summarises the socio-economic barriers a school's students face. A lower number means fewer barriers. It replaced deciles in 2023.
Reading NCEA Level 1 results
From 2024, NZQA changed how Year 11 NCEA Level 1 is reported (from enrolment-based to participation-based), because around a third of Year 11 students are no longer entered for a full Level 1 programme. A school's Level 1 results can fall while its NCEA Level 2, Level 3 and University Entrance results stay strong — so read Level 1 figures as context, not a ranking, and look at the fuller picture. Source: NZQA.
Latest ERO report
What the latest ERO report highlights
The key findings, source labels, and questions that matter when comparing your options.
AI-assisted summary of Education Review Office reports. Modified by BoundFor Limited. CC BY 4.0
This analysis is AI-generated and may contain errors or omissions. We refresh it as our analysis improves, so this section can change over time. It is an aid to your research — not a substitute for your own judgement or the full ERO report. See our Terms of Use.
A high-performing school with strong wellbeing support
Bottom line
BoundFor summaryA fictional all-round example for demonstrating how a report can support a school visit.
What ERO viewed positively
BoundFor summary- Students achieve strongly across senior-school pathways.
- The curriculum offers a broad range of academic and creative options.
- Pastoral care is a visible part of the school experience.
Academic quality
BoundFor summaryPositive- Students achieve strongly across senior-school pathways.
- The curriculum offers a broad range of academic and creative options.
Students experience a rich and responsive curriculum that supports high achievement.
Look ahead · the wider area
Explore nearby schools
The next stage in your child's journey, and the alternatives close to home. The schools you're zoned for are flagged.
PrimaryYears 1–6
IntermediateYears 7–8
SecondaryYears 9–13
After schoolUni · trades
Secondary
Full pathway (Year 1–13)
Straight-line distance from your address · zoning checked against current enrolment schemes
Broaden the shortlist
Similar schools worth a look
Sometimes the school you want sits in a zone you can't easily buy or rent into. These schools have a community profile close to Harbourview College (EQI 465), so they're worth a look as alternatives.
Kōwhai Grammar
Very similar profile
1,320 students · State
Harbour Point CollegeComparable profile
880 students · State Integrated
Fernhill HighComparable profile
1,045 students · State
Matched on community profile (EQI), school type and area
Walk in prepared
Questions to ask on your visit
Start with your child and family, then add the school-specific questions raised by ERO. Tick what matters and take it along.
0/4 chosen
Your child & learning
How do teachers stretch students who are ahead and support those who need extra help?
How will we know how our child is progressing, and how often will teachers communicate with us?
Wellbeing & belonging
How do you prevent and respond to bullying, and who can a student go to when struggling?
How do you support students through setbacks or periods of low confidence?
Daily life & opportunities
What sports, arts, clubs, and other activities can students take part in?
How do students get a say in their learning and school life?
Enrolment, costs & logistics
What are the realistic annual costs: donations, dues, uniforms, trips?
What are the transport options, and is before- or after-school care available?
Before you decide
Things many parents don't consider
The rules, costs and fine print that catch parents out, explained in plain English with the official source on each one.
Getting a place
In-zone is only guaranteed if it's your genuine home
If your real home is inside the zone, the school has to offer your child a place. The catch is that it has to be where you genuinely live during term, and the school can ask you to prove both your address and that the child lives with you. A relative's place, or a short-term rental taken just to win a spot, doesn't count.
Ministry of Education ↗A school can ask for proof of address, and undo a place built on a false one
Out-of-zone places follow a strict priority order, then a ballot
What you can (and can't) be charged
“School fees” are almost always a voluntary donation you can decline
Attendance dues at integrated schools are the one cost you genuinely can't avoid
A school can't force you to buy a device, even if BYOD looks compulsory
Uniform rules most parents get wrong
There's no law requiring uniforms, and no strong evidence they lift results
Stationery and uniform items can be bought elsewhere, often cheaper
A state school can't send your child home over uniform without a formal process
Logistics that shape daily life
Free school-bus eligibility depends on attending your nearest eligible school
Free school lunches are tied to the school, not your family's income
Where Year 7-8 sits decides how many times your child changes schools
Labels and outcomes parents misread
The decile system is gone, so an old “decile 9” label means nothing now
Passing NCEA Level 3 is not the same as University Entrance
School terms vary at each end, with about 12 weeks of holidays a year
Your move
What to do next
A short, concrete checklist to turn this report into a decision.
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