Marian College - Catholic Secondary Girls Education

Our Lady

The School - History

Marian College began in 1982, with the merging of two similar Catholic secondary schools for girls. St. Mary’s College, opened by the Sisters of Mercy in Colombo Street in 1893 had a proud historical tradition of Catholic education, while McKillop College in Shirley, administered by the Sisters of St Joseph of the Sacred Heart, had provided boarding and day facilities.

With the onset of integration, it was decided to merge these schools into a larger Catholic secondary day school for girls and to develop it on the McKillop College site in North Parade. The Catholic Bishop of Christchurch is the proprietor.

Marian College was officially opened on March 25th 1982, the feast of the Annunciation of the Lord, a major feast celebrating Mary’s role in becoming the mother of God. Since that time, Marian has extended its facilities to include an assembly hall/gymnasium, a music suite, library, technology rooms’ and new classrooms.

Marian College is named after Mary, the mother of God. The school crest is a simple “M” with a coronet, the symbol for Mary, and the motto “With Mary in faith” signifies that the aim of the college is to help students to educate themselves in a spirit of faith as Mary did. A full response to the challenge of our faith is encouraged. The young women of Marian are urged to strive for excellence in every aspect of their lives. The highest academic standards are promoted and full participation in the cultural and sporting side of college life is advocated.

Although a mixture of architectural styles, the buildings demonstrate a number of unique features. The oldest building is the administration block built in 1914 by a Doctor Louisson as a family residence. It was sold to the Sisters of St Joseph in 1949, who added school classrooms to the site and ran a juniorate for secondary girls until 1974, when it became a small Catholic boarding and day school for girls.

Situated in North Parade, opposite Shirley Boys’ High School, amidst beautifully landscaped gardens, the college’s position has some distinct advantages. On the one side is Richmond Park with Shirley Tennis Club courts adjacent, while residential houses with picturesque trees are a feature of the other. Courts and park are available for the use of the girls. While the grounds on which the college stands are not extensive, most facilities for sport and recreational activities are provided. The college is within walking distance of a major shopping mall where our students’ work is displayed from time to time.