The Top-Ranked Girls’ Sports Schools Rankings for 2025

For nearly two decades, SA School Sports has been proud to rank the Top Girls’ Sports Schools, and we are excited to bring you the 2025 edition! Girls’ school sports continue to grow in competitiveness and popularity, and these rankings provide a comprehensive view of sporting excellence across South Africa. As always, expect lively discussion — some will celebrate, others may debate — but after 19 years of curating these lists, we welcome the conversation.

Including Athletics for the First Time
This year, Athletics has been fully incorporated into the Girls Sports Rankings, using the final placings from the Curro Podium Series. For years, girls’ schools that excelled in Athletics but did not offer sports such as Netball, Hockey, or Water Polo were not fully recognized. Including Athletics ensures that all schools demonstrating exceptional performance, both on the field and on the track, are acknowledged fairly.

How We Rank
The 2025 Girls’ Sports Rankings include four sports: Netball, Hockey, Water Polo, and Athletics. Rankings are determined using:

• Strength of opposition – results are evaluated in the context of the competitive level of opponents.

• Actual results – wins, losses, and draws are accounted for.

• Margins – victories and defeats are measured to recognize dominance and resilience.

Weightings remain consistent with prior years, with Athletics maintaining its original value to balance the overall contribution of each sport fairly.

Scope & Limitations
Our rankings focus exclusively on the four sports for which SA School Sports generates performance metrics. While other girls’ sports such as Tennis or Swimming are valuable, they are not included due to inconsistent data. As a result, schools excelling solely in these other disciplines may not see that excellence reflected in their overall ranking.

A Holistic Evaluation
These rankings reward schools that perform consistently across all designated sports, rather than excelling in just one. Some schools may dominate a particular sport but rank lower overall if their performance across the other sports is less consistent. This approach provides a fair and comprehensive view of girls’ school sporting excellence.

Enjoy the Rankings!
We hope this year’s Girls Sports Rankings provide insight into the strength and depth of girls’ school sports programs in South Africa. For students, parents, and sports enthusiasts, these rankings offer a reliable guide to the schools setting the benchmark for excellence.

The Top-Ranked Co-ed Schools for 2025

For the first time, SA School Sports is proud to bring you the 2025 Co-ed Schools Rankings, combining boys’ and girls’ results to highlight schools that excel across all sporting programs. These rankings celebrate institutions that nurture sporting talent for both boys and girls, providing a comprehensive reflection of overall excellence.

Including Athletics Across the Board
Athletics has been incorporated into this year’s Co-ed Rankings, based on final placings in the Curro Podium Series. Schools that previously excelled in Athletics but were underrepresented due to their focus on fewer sports can now be recognized fairly alongside schools performing strongly in multiple codes.

How We Rank
Co-ed Rankings are calculated by combining boys’ and girls’ performance totals across the following sports:

• Boys: Rugby, Cricket, Football, Hockey, Water Polo, Basketball, Athletics

• Girls: Netball, Hockey, Water Polo, Athletics

All metrics and weightings from the separate boys’ and girls’ rankings are maintained, with Athletics contributing its original value.

Scope & Limitations
Our rankings focus exclusively on the sports for which SA School Sports generates reliable performance metrics. While other sports such as Tennis, Swimming, or Rowing are important, they are not included due to inconsistent data availability. This ensures fairness and consistency across all schools.

A Holistic Evaluation
The Co-ed Rankings reward schools that demonstrate excellence across all programs rather than dominance in a single discipline. Schools that perform strongly in both boys’ and girls’ sports receive recognition for their all-around sporting culture and development.

Enjoy the Rankings!
We hope the 2025 Co-ed Rankings provide a fascinating view of schools leading the way in sporting excellence. These rankings highlight institutions that consistently produce well-rounded athletes and foster a culture of success across all sports programs.