Top 10 public high schools in Durban with the best matric pass rates
The top 10 public high schools in Durban consistently achieve matric pass rates above 95%. Institutions such as Danville Park Girls, Durban Girls, Sibusisiwe Comprehensive Technical, and Durban High School send most of their students to leading South African universities.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
- Key takeaways
- What are the top 10 public high schools in Durban?
- 10. Durban North College High School – 95.16%
- 9. Northwood School – 97.5%
- 8. Queensburgh Girls' High School – 98.26%
- 7. Westville Boys' High School – 98.5%
- 6. Durban High School – 98.6%
- 5. Northlands Girls' High School – 99.4%
- 4. Sibusisiwe Comprehensive Technical High School – 100%
- 3. Westville Girls' High School – 100%
- 2. Durban Girls' High School – 100%
- 1. Danville Park Girls' High School – 100%
- Honourable mentions: the unsung heroes of eThekwini
- Conclusion
Key takeaways
- Danville Park Girls' High School achieved a 100% matric pass rate in 2025, and 96.9% of its students earned a bachelor's degree pass.
- Westville Girls, Durban Girls, and Danville Park Girls have achieved a perfect 100% matric pass rate for over 30 consecutive years.
- High-performing high schools in Durban contributed to KwaZulu-Natal's overall 90.6% matric pass rate in the 2025 NSC exams.
What are the top 10 public high schools in Durban?
Many of the best schools in South Africa are located in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal. The province had the highest matric pass rate in 2025 of 90.6% compared to the national pass rate of 88%. These are the top ten best schools in Durban, ranked based on their 2025 matric and bachelor's pass rates:
Rank | Public high school | Matric pass rate (2025) | Bachelor's pass rate |
1 | Danville Park Girls' High | 100% | 96.9% |
2 | Durban Girls' High School | 100% | 96% |
3 | Westville Girls' High | 100% | 93.84% |
4 | Sibusisiwe Comprehensive Technical | 100% | 88.4% |
5 | Northlands Girls' High | 99.4% | 87.3% |
6 | Durban High School | 98.6% | 81% |
7 | Westville Boys' High | 98.5% | 85.11% |
8 | Queensburgh Girls' High | 98.26% | 85.54% |
9 | Northwood School | 97.5% | 77.4% |
10 | Durban North College | 95.16% | 82.26% |
10. Durban North College High School – 95.16%
- Location: 26 Prospect Hall Rd, Prospect Hall, Durban North, 4051
- Bachelor's pass rate: 82.26%
- Website: durbannorthcollege.co.za
Durban North College is a co-educational public school catering to learners from Grade 1 to 12. Lessons are conducted in both Afrikaans and English. The school's philosophy focuses on "The Perfect Balance" between academics, sports, and culture.
Source: Instagram
9. Northwood School – 97.5%
- Location: 140 Adelaide Tambo Drive, Durban North, 4051
- Bachelor's pass rate: 77.4%
- Website: northwoodschool.co.za
Northwood School is a leading all-boys public high school in Durban North. It is known for its technology education at the state-of-the-art Victor Daitz Centre of Innovation dedicated to robotics, coding, and drone technology. The school has also invested in sports, including cricket, hockey, aquatics, and rugby.
8. Queensburgh Girls' High School – 98.26%
- Location: 97 Maid Road, Malvern, Durban, 4093
- Bachelor's pass rate: 85.54%
- Website: qghs.co.za
Queensburgh Girls' High is known for its commitment to the holistic empowerment of young women through high-quality academics and leadership development. One of its notable alumni is Mandisa Mfeka, South Africa's first female fighter pilot.
Source: Facebook
7. Westville Boys' High School – 98.5%
- Location: 26 Wandsbeck Road, Westville, 3629
- Bachelor's pass rate: 85.11%
- Website: wbhs.co.za
Westville Boys' High, nicknamed Home of the Griffin, is known for its all-round excellence in academics and sports. The school has produced notable alumni like Errol Stewart, Waylon Murray, and Chad Ho.
6. Durban High School – 98.6%
- Location: 255 St Thomas Rd, Musgrave, Durban, 4001
- Bachelor's pass rate: 81%
- Website: durbanhighschool.co.za
DHS is a high-performing all-boys public school founded in 1866. The institution is home to the Victor Daitz Maths and Science Centre, Seabrooke's Theatre, and Chris Seabrooke Music Centre. Durban High is also famous for producing top professional athletes, mainly in rugby and cricket.
Source: Facebook
5. Northlands Girls' High School – 99.4%
- Location: 16 Cadogan Drive, Durban North, Durban, 4051
- Bachelor's pass rate: 87.3%
- Website: nghs.co.za
Northlands Girls' High is an Allan Gray Orbis 'Circle of Excellence' School famous for producing high-achieving female students. The institution emphasises the holistic growth of its learners with first-class facilities for sports, music, art, and culture.
4. Sibusisiwe Comprehensive Technical High School – 100%
- Location: Madundube, Adams Mission, South Africa
- Bachelor's pass rate: 88.4%
- Website: sibusisiwecomptech.co.za
Sibusisiwe Comp Tech has maintained a 100% NSC pass rate in Durban since 2023. The school offers a blend of traditional academics and specialised vocational subjects, which prepares students for engineering and technology degrees. It is a primary feeder for the Durban University of Technology.
Source: Facebook
3. Westville Girls' High School – 100%
- Location: 24 Westville Rd, Dawncliffe, Westville, 3629, Durban
- Bachelor's pass rate: 93.84%
- Website: wghs.co.za
Westville Girls' High is one of the best public high schools in KwaZulu-Natal. It has a long history of academic excellence with an unbroken streak of 100% matric pass rate since 1991. In the 2025 NSC exams, 198 learners out of 211 received bachelor's passes, while 13 earned diploma passes.
2. Durban Girls' High School – 100%
- Location: 495 Lena Ahrens Rd, Glenwood, Berea, 4001
- Bachelor's pass rate: 96%
- Website: dghs.co.za
Durban Girls' High has achieved an incredible 100% pass rate for 30 consecutive years. The prestigious public school was established in 1882 and offers students holistic learning in academics, sports, and culture. Most of their students secure entry at leading South African universities.
Source: Facebook
1. Danville Park Girls' High School – 100%
- Location: 21 Middlebrook Avenue, Virginia, Durban North, 4051
- Bachelor's pass rate: 96.9%
- Website: danville.co.za
Danville Park Girls has one of the highest matric pass rates in Durban, achieving a perfect 100% for 31 consecutive years. The premier female institution is known for its world-class facilities that often rival top-tier private schools in the region.
Honourable mentions: the unsung heroes of eThekwini
While the schools listed above frequently dominate the headlines, a true ranking of Durban's educational powerhouses is incomplete without mentioning the public schools in the broader eThekwini district. These institutions consistently achieve pass rates in the high 90s, with several regularly hitting the 100% mark:
- Menzi High School (Umlazi): A legendary township public school that has celebrated a 100% pass rate for over a decade, famous for producing top-tier mathematics and physical science achievers.
- Velabahleke High School (Umlazi): Known for its strict discipline and academic rigour, this public school routinely achieves pass rates well into the high 90s and frequently produces some of the province's top 10 individual learners.
- Ndukwenhle High School (Umlazi): Another Umlazi powerhouse that has repeatedly achieved a flawless 100% matric pass rate, proving that world-class education exists outside the traditional suburban nodes.
- Mowat Park High School (Montclair): This all-girls public school in South Durban is a consistent high-achiever, regularly securing pass rates of around 98% and sending a massive bulk of its students to university.
- Lugobe High School (Umbumbulu): An incredible public school that defied the odds in the 2025 NSC exams, producing learners who ranked in the absolute Top 10 for the entire eThekwini district.
Source: Instagram
Conclusion
The top 10 public high schools in Durban are a powerhouse of public education in KwaZulu-Natal. The city has a competitive academic landscape that gives parents multiple strong options for their children's secondary education.
DISCLAIMER: This article is not sponsored by any third party. It is intended for general informational purposes only and does not address individual circumstances. It is not a substitute for professional advice or help and should not be relied on to make decisions of any kind. Any action you take upon the information presented in this article is strictly at your own risk and responsibility!
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