18 students from NZ school land places at top world universities.
A culture in which it “is cool to be smart” is one of the reasons why a west Auckland school has more than a third of its 2025 graduates heading to overseas universities to study.
This is the firm belief of Nathan Villars, campus principal at ACG Sunderland, who says this significant number demonstrates the power of a Sunderland education in transforming strong academic results into a pathway to the world’s leading universities.
Of the 50 Sunderland students who graduated at the end of last year, 18 – more than a third – are at overseas universities, with 65% having secured places at institutions ranked within the global top 100.
“It can be hard to put a finger on why our students have this success, but I think it is because we have established a culture where it is cool to be smart, that it is okay to do your best, to try hard,” Villars says.
“It is like peer pressure but in a positive way. This attitude positions the school as a launchpad for success and opens the way for students to access meaningful international opportunities.”
Sunderland, an independent co-educational school which opened in the Auckland suburb of Henderson 19 years ago, delivers the internationally recognised Cambridge curriculum – the only school to do so in West Auckland – and offers education for students from Year 1 to Year 13.
Villars says most of the 18 students overseas are studying at universities in Australia – Monash, Sydney and Melbourne among them – and the world-leading Imperial College in London.
Another, the school’s head boy from two years ago, Mason Wang, is in the United States studying physics at the University of North Carolina.
Sunderland students from the 2025 cohort also had exceptional success in the Cambridge international exam results, with Year 13 A Level students achieving a 100% pass rate and AS Level students (Year 12) scoring an 81% pass rate.
Elsewhere, 36% of the school’s Year 11 IGCSE learners (International General Certificate of Secondary Education) achieved a pass at A-plus while the university entrance pass rate for Year 13s, and some Year 12s, reached 90%.
The school also earned two Cambridge Learner Awards – Anya Turner earning a Top in New Zealand award for Classical Studies, Francesca Loren Gray a Top in the World for Marine Science – and placed fifth out of the Top 50 New Zealand schools in the 2026 Crimson Education rankings.
“These results open doors for our students – both locally and globally,” Villars says. “But beyond the grades and awards, what matters most is that our learners can step confidently into world-class institutions and pursue futures they once only imagined.”
He says the Cambridge curriculum plays a big part in this success. “Students start in a structured, robust learning environment which lays down strong academic foundations.
“Being an international qualification, we are part of a wider global community,” he says. “Students understand this and believe in it, and I think this is why many of them look to go overseas for study.”
He says a key driver is an emphasis on high-impact, expert teaching. This shapes curriculum delivery and strengthens students’ mastery of Cambridge-specific writing and analytical skills.
“Students consistently describe a culture that fosters independence, reflective learning and personalised revision strategies – habits that translate directly into exam success.
“I’m incredibly proud of our students, and I feel they are growing in strength – and that the school itself is starting to reach its full potential.”
Villars says Sunderland plays an important role in West Auckland in that it set out almost 20 years ago to attract families that might otherwise have looked to schools elsewhere in Auckland.
“We offer a different product to anyone else here and, while West Auckland is not usually considered as a location for a private school, the area has changed markedly in the last two decades with increasing gentrification and an influx of immigrant families among those looking for the type of education we offer,” he says.
On top of the academic focus at Sunderland, more than 50 extra-curricular activities encompassing most areas of sports and cultural achievement also play a key role in a student’s education.
A full sports programme, ranging from basketball to mountain biking “and everything in between”, is provided; while music students have a number of options including orchestral, jazz and contemporary band genres. The school has in recent years excelled at chess, taking out the national championships.
Villars says its service programme – Sunderland on Service – is designed to foster a culture of giving back among students. One initiative sees students returning to school after class to work on a beautification project, carrying out tasks such as planting and weeding in the school grounds.
Each term the school also supports a charity by running programmes such as Movie Week, with students paying to watch a film and the proceeds going to the selected charity.
For more information visit: www.sunderland.acgedu.com