Macleans College
How would you rate Macleans College?
Reviews
Based on 26 reviews and 224 answers
Ratings by area
Average of 25 reviews with area ratings
- Outdoor environment3.3
- Activities2.8
- Safety2.6
- Education2.5
- Indoor environment2.4
- Communication2.3
- Staff2.2
- Food2.0
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- Student2.028 October 2026
Macleans Students
The school is very traditional, and quite strict. Unless you are very sporty or smart, it sort of feels like a pressure cooker.
- Student4.020 August 2026
Pretty solid.?
It's an okay school. I don't really get the hate because my friends in Pak and Kings had it way, way worse. You can have an enjoyable time here for sure if you're with the right group of people and keep your head down (And if you're in the right house too, some house leaders are absolutely crazy). I won't say this school is perfect. It has its ups and downs, plus some teachers here are clearly pedos, but it's certainly better than some other schools in NZ anyway. The clubs here are nice (lots...
- Student5.031 March 2026
take geogrpahy
hi im here in geography and i love this subject because we get free periods sometimes so its chill
- Student1.08 October 2025
racist school
Some teachers extremely racist
- Former Student3.016 July 2025
doodoo
why dont you let students walk on grass?
- Student4.025 May 2025
would recommend ‼️‼️??
Pretty fire school but one of my teachers low-key bullies me ???? Would be 5 but the fact that cs ( the worst AND the best subject) exists brings it down to 4 ??
- Student1.031 July 2024
this school sucks
this school focuses on kids having a vape at school instead of the welfare of the kids at their school. the punishments are so severe for the smallest problems. also Bevan Packer looks under year 10 girls skirts
- Former Student1.018 July 2024
National party propaganda re-education centre
Hargreaves is a national party meatrider who invites his 4'5 buddy Simeon Brown to groom the students. These educational geniuses in their infinite wisdom care more about kids having a schmang than rampant bullying and teaching them anything other than obedience and propaganda
- Former Student1.012 May 2024
DONT SEND UR CHILDREN HERE.
If I could give them a 0 I would. Many reasons! First; you cannot drink your water in the common rooms (health and safety?!? Hello?) Secondly; you have to buy these ridiculously eye sore school jackets and you can’t wear them inside, only your ridiculously expensive school jumper! Thirdly; the teachers are a bunch of bullies that talk gossip about the students with the students, they tell students not to be friends with other students, talking to you Maraki! You know who you are. Fourthly; the teachers give no support with bullying and don’t help students move even when the MOE is involved. I was so badly bullied and the MOE asked for a reference from Macleans (I had good grades) and they said they wouldn’t give a reference unless I had a note from a doc or psychologist claiming I had tried to commit suicide. So that was nice. Fifth; the school only cares if you’re a genius or in the first fifteen rugby team. Don’t worry, if your son is good enough to be in the 2nd fifteen, the teachers will give him no time of day! Honestly the worst school that allows elitist bullies to run it. They get off on thinking they’re a private school when they’re public. Have age old rules and regulations, you think you’re living in the 40s. School looks like a grey prison, they don’t promote creativity, they allow teachers to talk down to students. If you honestly hate your child, send them there. The only people leaving good reviews about this bottom of the barrel school are parents who don’t listen to their kids or people who haven’t been there. I’m yet to find a person who went to this school who liked it. Trust me parents; listen to the negative reviews, or it’s going to be a really difficult time for you and your children. The population of the school hasn’t dropped significantly for no reason.
- Former Student5.020 April 2024
A little elitist but overall and enjoyable experience
The school pushes excellence and has an overall good student base. The only big flaw is the school caters a lot to the top 1 percent of students and leave the rest out to dry.
- Former Student5.020 April 2024
Macleans is pretty good.
I'll do it again. (foods kinda overpriced).
- Student1.011 November 2023
only care about bright students
it was ok, infrastructure old, teachers ok, boring school.
- Former Student1.04 November 2023
Absolute hellhole
Heard its gotten much worse in the last 2 years so I’m writing this review to warn people to never go to this sh**h***. Please don’t force your kid to go to Macleans College if you think it’s going to turn them into a renowned child prodigy/scholar… This is a school for when you want to prioritise grades instead of wellbeing. Everyone is super competitive and you are constantly forced to keep up with everyone else despite having to learn a 2 year syllabus within 3 terms (it is absolutely crazy) . Not only is this mentally draining but is also psychologically and spiritually degrading, especially when kids as young as 14-15 haven’t even developed their brains. Although the website states that their curriculum is reviewed yearly, it comes down to whether your child is able to keep up with the workload/pressure and rapidfire teaching style or end up spending hundreds or even thousands in supplementary tutoring. I don’t think its worth it, for your wallet and more importantly, the mental health of your child. Though there are some great teachers left, shoutout to Mr Davidson
- Former Student1.010 August 2023
Minority will stop trying
Shallow minded people working in this school. No one genuinely cares. Bias, racist, angry.
- Former Student1.018 July 2023
Macleans College-Neglects Mental Health
School completely neglects student's mental health is only focused on the top 1 percent golden students and everyone else is just left to suffer for all they care. Complete lack of empathy from both students and staff and the management choose to ignore any issue to do with it.
- Other1.018 July 2023
Bad School would'nt recommend
Bad School,bathrooms were absolutely disgusting have seen kids vaping in it would not recommend this school at all
- Former Student1.017 July 2023
Macleans College: A School built on Bullying
The school's obsession with topping the academic and sporting leadership has led to a complete social breakdown, the behavior of students is utterly disgusting,(e.g. cyberbullying of students online, targeting of vulnerable peers with grossly inappropriate pictures shared online etc.). What makes this behavior worse is that it is not only not acted on but tolerated and even rewarded by the staff. (e.g., several students bullied a fellow peer by stealing their property, posting pictures of that student online without their consent, and refusing to take those posts down when asked by the victim. many of the participants in that incident are now in leadership positions throughout the school. At Macleans College it doesn't matter how many foul or sickening actions you commit you can still become a leader based on who your sibling was at that school or because your parents are influential in the local community or even just because you exemplify that outdated old white sporting culture stereotype that the school encourages and values. Other incidents I can recall during my time at that school include students being groped by members of the rugby team, the school management deliberately advancing and helping their preferred pro-management candidate in the school election and choosing and supporting leaders with disgusting attitudes in order to retain their outdated values. In Summary, Macleans College is the living embodiment of a sad Netflix drama in which the Teachers are examples of egotism and favoritism and the students are so self-entitled and bratty that they make the Roy kids from Succession look humble.
- Former Student1.017 July 2023
Bad School-Behavior utterly sickening
The school's obsession with topping the academic and sporting leadership has led to a complete social breakdown, the behaviour of students is utterly disgusting,(e.g. cyberbullying of students online, targeting of vulnerable peers with grossly inappropriate pictures shared online etc). What makes this behaviour worse is that it is not only not acted on but tolerated and even rewarded by the staff. (e.g., several students bullied a fellow peer by stealing their property, posting pictures of that...
- Former Student1.028 February 2023
For people who only want to prioritise education
The two years that I spent there were the worst years of my life they prioritise school work over your mental well-being. I have ADHD and dyslexia, and I was made to feel stupid and not important.
- Student1.02 February 2023
Not worth your time
As I am still at this school and in the last almost 5 years of putting as they say 100% effort into everything I do and still not meet the requirements that I worked so hard to try to meet their so called expectations the teachers are racist homophobic and misogynistic and they still treated like gods honestly can’t wait to get this year over and done with and never think about that hot mess you call a school again 100% don’t recommend coming to the school unless you want to suffer mental health issues
- Former Student3.010 January 2023
Preoccupied with topping charts less so student development
Macleans College in Howick, Auckland, New Zealand were more concerned with topping the academic and sporting leaderboards as well as teaching students how to pass exams rather than setting students up with life long practical skills needed to navigate life, their career path, and the world in general. Critical thinking was found not to be well supported nor encouraged. The school will not be entitled to claim in any part of my accomplishments nor successes as having their involvement or contribution.
- Former Student1.02 November 2022
Macleans College
This school is pretty bad if you’re a POC, teachers and students put stereotypes onto you when speaking to you. The uniform rules are idiotic mainly the no scarves & jackets inside, even if you’re cold. Most of the teachers have a stick up their arse, apart from a few who are really nice. The juniors are extremely irritating & overall this place is good for education, but shitty for being inclusive for any type of POC & the racism & homophobia that comes from students is not the go. Stay out of...
- Student1.029 March 2022
School targets students
While I was at the school I was constantly targeted by senior staff and singled out for weeks on end. The school wouldn't listen to my complaints as I wasn't a top 1% student hindered on for my culture and ethnicity . The house leaders were also really odd making inappropriate comments about me and other students.
- Former Student2.019 November 2021
Frustration
The administration side left me frustrated. I would not recommend this school unless you are ready for plenty of mental breakdowns. The Graduation was organized badly, honestly sad that was the graduation I got after all the efforts I have put in. So anti-climatic.
- Student3.014 May 2021
Macleans College
Eh, wouldn't recommend if you're not an academic or top in a a sport as they only care about that. Also the uniform rules are ridiculous. Love the view of the ocean though, takes away from the gross x-block area
- CTStudent4.06 October 2020
Macleans College
Macleans College is a very good school if you are very academic or sporty. It’s alright for the not so academic (just as myself) as we cater for many Technological courses plus Gateway (Where you can attend a MIT Course once or twice a week). Macleans has amazing views as we are just off the coast of Eastern Beach. Teachers can be good hep but that always differs