Hillcrest High School

Secondary (Year 9-15) · State

Year levels: 9–13
Total roll: 1,818
Enrolment zone: Yes
Gender: Co-Educational

Every one of the 305 schools in Waikato Region with a published location. Hillcrest High School is the marked one. Source: Education Counts, Ministry of Education, CC BY 4.0

Where is it, and how do I get in touch?

Address: 141 Masters Avenue, Hillcrest, Hamilton
Territorial authority: Hamilton City
Phone: 07-8570297
Email: office@hillcrest-high.school.nz
Website: http://www.hillcrest-high.school.nz
Directions: Get directions

Other schools nearby: schools in Hamilton · schools in Waikato

Can my child go here?

This school has an enrolment scheme, so a place is not open to every address. How enrolment zones work

Loading zone map…

Zone boundaries shown here are approximate. Ministry of Education data warns these boundaries do not have high spatial precision and can place neighbouring addresses on different sides of a line. This is not a confirmation of enrolment eligibility — always confirm directly with the school. Zone geometry also does not reflect enrolment priority rules (siblings, special character categories, ballots) — it shows the mapped boundary only.

Check if your address is in zone →

Source: Ministry of Education, CC BY 3.0 NZ

What would the day look like?

The practical things this school states on its own website — the hours, the uniform, the term dates, and how children get there. These are the school’s own words, not the Ministry’s record and not ERO’s.

Quoted from this school’s own website, as we read it on 13 August 2026. A web page carries no date of its own, so that is the day we read it — not a statement that any of this is still the case. Each line quotes the words it came from.

Uniform: Not stated on the school’s website.
Where to buy the uniform: https://www.nzuniforms.com/Hillcrest High uniforms can be purchased from [NZ Uniforms.](https://www.nzuniforms.com/)
Term dates: Term 3, 2026: 20 July – 25 SeptemberTerm 3 2026 Start of Term 20 July End of Term 25 September
Term 4, 2026: 12 October – 10 DecemberTerm 4 2026 Start of Term 12 October End of Term 10 December
Term 1, 2027: 28 January – 9 AprilTerm 1 2027 Start of Term 28 January End of Term 9 April
Term 2, 2027: 27 April – 2 JulyTerm 2 2027 Start of Term 27 April End of Term 2 July
Term 3, 2027: 19 July – 24 SeptemberTerm 3 2027 Start of Term 19 July End of Term 24 September
Term 4, 2027: 11 October – 10 DecemberTerm 4 2027 Start of Term 11 October End of Term 10 December

Check it on the school’s own website →

What does the school say about itself?

Quoted, not summarised. Every school describes itself well, so this is here to be read as the school’s own case rather than as a finding — and a school that states nothing simply has no row.

International students: Accepted, as statedHillcrest High School welcomes and encourages students from overseas countries.

Check it on the school’s own website →

What is on offer beyond the classroom?

The sports, arts, clubs and groups this school names on its own website. Not a complete list of what any school offers, and not a count — a school that names more here has written more down, which is not the same as doing more.

On offer: school productionOur school production takes place every two years and is an event not to be missed.
school Shakespeare ProductionWe also have a school Shakespeare Production every second year to bring the Bard to the stage.
Waikato Secondary School Theatresports CompetitionHillcrest High School has always been a strong competitor in the Waikato Secondary School Theatresports Competition. We have junior and senior teams entered
social Theatresports clubWe also have the social Theatresports club led by senior students at school for anyone who wants to give it a go.
school symphony orchestraA range of musical options is provided including the school symphony orchestra, strings (senior and junior), chamber music, jazz band, SCAT Choir and various rock bands.
strings (senior and junior)A range of musical options is provided including the school symphony orchestra, strings (senior and junior), chamber music, jazz band, SCAT Choir and various rock bands.
chamber musicA range of musical options is provided including the school symphony orchestra, strings (senior and junior), chamber music, jazz band, SCAT Choir and various rock bands.
jazz bandA range of musical options is provided including the school symphony orchestra, strings (senior and junior), chamber music, jazz band, SCAT Choir and various rock bands.
SCAT ChoirA range of musical options is provided including the school symphony orchestra, strings (senior and junior), chamber music, jazz band, SCAT Choir and various rock bands.
various rock bandsA range of musical options is provided including the school symphony orchestra, strings (senior and junior), chamber music, jazz band, SCAT Choir and various rock bands.
School musical productionsSchool musical productions have been a highlight of the school year
Specialist tuition in a variety of instrumentsSpecialist tuition in a variety of instruments is also offered.

Check it on the school’s own website →

Who goes here?

Ethnicity breakdown of the total roll, shown as context. Not ranked, and not compared against any average.

European: 943
Māori: 280
Pacific: 93
Asian: 597
MELAA: 134
Other: 29
International: 41

Roll by year level and age

Shown as context, not ranked, not compared to any average. As at 30 June 2026, from the same annual return as the roll count above.

By year level
	Māori	Pacific	Asian	MELAA	Other	European/ Pākehā	International students	Total
Year 09	64	24	100	17	2	181	5	319
Year 10	71	30	101	22	7	242	4	392
Year 11	68	22	120	24	3	212	13	387
Year 12	47	12	120	23	2	218	12	377
Year 13+	48	17	90	15	0	163	17	301
Total	298	105	531	101	14	1016	51	1776

By age
	Māori	Pacific	Asian	MELAA	Other	European/ Pākehā	International students	Total
Age 12	0	0	1	0	0	1	0	2
Age 13	53	20	81	13	2	144	2	252
Age 14	72	32	93	17	6	238	3	377
Age 15	61	20	114	27	3	203	8	368
Age 16	60	12	106	19	3	232	11	373
Age 17	45	13	96	18	0	167	13	306
Age 18	7	7	35	7	0	24	11	82
Age 19+	0	1	5	0	0	7	3	16
Total	298	105	531	101	14	1016	51	1776

Source: Education Counts, Ministry of Education, CC BY 4.0

Academic results

Percentage with NCEA level 1 or above — 2025

88.3%

Hillcrest High School	88.3%
Waikato Region	84.2%
Secondary (Year 9-15)	88%
State: Not integrated	83.6%
New Zealand	85.2%

Trend and demographic breakdown

Female	87.9%
Male	88.7%
Māori	76.1%
Pacific	89.5%
Asian	96.7%
MELAA	Too few to report
Other	Too few to report
European/Pākehā	88.2%
Total	88.3%

Source: Education Counts, Ministry of Education, CC BY 4.0 — Table 2: Comparison NCEA level 1 data (2023-2025)

Percentage with NCEA level 2 or above — 2025

79.2%

Hillcrest High School	79.2%
Waikato Region	75.7%
Secondary (Year 9-15)	81%
State: Not integrated	75.4%
New Zealand	77.8%

Trend and demographic breakdown

Female	81.9%
Male	76.1%
Māori	64.8%
Pacific	78.9%
Asian	89%
MELAA	Too few to report
Other	Too few to report
European/Pākehā	80.8%
Total	79.2%

Source: Education Counts, Ministry of Education, CC BY 4.0 — Table 2: Comparison NCEA level 2 data (2023-2025)

Percentage with NCEA level 3 or above — 2025

56%

Hillcrest High School	56%
Waikato Region	51.3%
Secondary (Year 9-15)	61.8%
State: Not integrated	55.2%
New Zealand	59%

Trend and demographic breakdown

Female	64.3%
Male	46.5%
Māori	35.2%
Pacific	31.6%
Asian	74.7%
MELAA	Too few to report
Other	Too few to report
European/Pākehā	53.7%
Total	56%

Source: Education Counts, Ministry of Education, CC BY 4.0 — Table 2: Comparison NCEA level 3 data (2023-2025)

Percentage with VP Award — 2025

14.7%

Hillcrest High School	14.7%
Waikato Region	15.1%
Secondary (Year 9-15)	15.2%
State: Not integrated	14.4%
New Zealand	14.1%

Trend and demographic breakdown

Female	19.8%
Male	8.8%
Māori	16.9%
Pacific	10.5%
Asian	13.2%
MELAA	Too few to report
Other	Too few to report
European/Pākehā	15.8%
Total	14.7%

Source: Education Counts, Ministry of Education, CC BY 4.0 — Table 2: Comparison Vocational Pathway data (2023-2025)

Retention

Percentage staying until at least 17th birthday — 2025

85.3%

Hillcrest High School	85.3%
Waikato Region	77.4%
Secondary (Year 9-15)	83.5%
State: Not integrated	81.4%
New Zealand	83%

Trend and demographic breakdown

Female	86.3%
Male	84.3%
Māori	70.4%
Pacific	84.2%
Asian	95.6%
MELAA	Too few to report
Other	Too few to report
European/Pākehā	84.2%
Total	85.3%

Source: Education Counts, Ministry of Education, CC BY 4.0 — Table 2: Comparison trend data (2023-2025)

— 2024

not reported

Female	not reported
Male	not reported
Māori	not reported
Pacific	not reported
Asian	not reported
MELAA	not reported
Other	not reported
European/Pākehā	not reported
Total	not reported

Source: Education Counts, Ministry of Education, CC BY 4.0 — Table 1: School leavers enrolled in tertiary education one year after leaving school (2022-2024 leaver cohorts)

— 2023

not reported

Female	not reported
Male	not reported
Māori	not reported
Pacific	not reported
Asian	not reported
MELAA	not reported
Other	not reported
European/Pākehā	not reported
Total	not reported

Source: Education Counts, Ministry of Education, CC BY 4.0 — Table 2: School leavers enrolled in tertiary education two years after leaving school (2021-2023 leaver cohorts)

— 2024

not reported

Female	not reported
Male	not reported
Māori	not reported
Pacific	not reported
Asian	not reported
MELAA	not reported
Other	not reported
European/Pākehā	not reported
Total	not reported

Source: Education Counts, Ministry of Education, CC BY 4.0 — Table 1: School leavers enrolled in tertiary education one year after leaving school (2022-2024 leaver cohorts)

— 2023

not reported

Female	not reported
Male	not reported
Māori	not reported
Pacific	not reported
Asian	not reported
MELAA	not reported
Other	not reported
European/Pākehā	not reported
Total	not reported

Source: Education Counts, Ministry of Education, CC BY 4.0 — Table 2: School leavers enrolled in tertiary education two years after leaving school (2021-2023 leaver cohorts)

Student engagement

Age-standardised stand-down rate per 1,000 students — 2024

74.3%

Hillcrest High School	74.3%
Waikato Region	53.9%
Secondary (Year 9-15)	35.8%
State	40.2%
New Zealand	37.1%

Trend and demographic breakdown

Female	40.3%
Male	112.4%
Māori	153.3%
Pacific	193.4%
Asian	29.2%
Other	120.3%
European/Pākehā	69.5%
Total	74.3%

Source: Education Counts, Ministry of Education, CC BY 4.0 — Table 2: Comparison stand-down rates data (2024)

Age-standardised suspension rate per 1,000 students — 2024

0.6%

Hillcrest High School	0.6%
Waikato Region	6.6%
Secondary (Year 9-15)	4%
State	4.5%
New Zealand	4.1%

Trend and demographic breakdown

Female	0%
Male	1.3%
Māori	3.3%
Pacific	10.1%
Asian	0%
Other	0%
European/Pākehā	0%
Total	0.6%

Source: Education Counts, Ministry of Education, CC BY 4.0 — Table 2: Comparison suspension rates data (2024)

Age-standardised exclusion rate per 1,000 students — 2024

0.8%

Hillcrest High School	0.8%
Waikato Region	2.4%
Secondary (Year 9-15)	1.7%
State	1.9%
New Zealand	1.8%

Trend and demographic breakdown

Female	0%
Male	1.6%
Māori	4%
Pacific	13.1%
Asian	0%
Other	0%
European/Pākehā	0%
Total	0.8%

Source: Education Counts, Ministry of Education, CC BY 4.0 — Table 2: Comparison exclusion data (2024)

About the school

Equity Index (EQI): 451
Boarding: No
Language of instruction: All students taught in English/other setting
Urban / rural: Major urban area
Date opened: 31 January 1972

The Equity Index is used by the Ministry to allocate equity funding. It describes the socio-economic barriers a school’s students face, not how good the school is. How the Equity Index works

What did ERO find?

The Education Review Office reviews every school and publishes what it finds in full. We quote ERO’s report here, section by section, in ERO’s own words and order, and link to it. We do not summarise a report, pick a line out of one, or turn one into a score. How ERO reviews schools

Reports ERO holds: 4
Last reviewed: 3 August 2026
Latest report: School Report August 2026
Report type: Review report
Board assurance: The board attested to all areas (25 August 2022)

A board assurance statement is the board’s own account of whether it took all reasonable steps to meet its legal obligations, on the date shown. It is not ERO’s finding. ERO reports separately, in the same report, on any non-compliance it identified during that process.

The board assurance report of 25 August 2022 carries no actions-for-compliance section — the section ERO uses when it names non-compliance it identified. That is what this report contains; it is not ERO saying it found none. Other reports ERO holds for this school may say something different.

What ERO wrote in its latest report

ERO published this report as a PDF attachment rather than as text on its page, so there is nothing here for us to quote from it. The report itself is at the link below.

Read this report on ero.govt.nz →

Read the full report on ero.govt.nz →

All 4 reports ERO holds for this school

ERO reviews a school every few years — around four years between reviews is the usual cycle — so an older date here reflects where a school sits in that cycle, not how it is doing.

Source: Education Review Office, CC BY 4.0.

Roll date: 30 June 2026 (2026).