School History

Rangiora High School was established in 1884 by Act of Parliament. We are one of the few state secondary schools to be established by separate Act of Parliament. In its early years the school struggled to attract pupils. The school roll began to increase substantially in 1890s.

During the twentieth century the school established a reputation for innovation and a progressive approach to education. Examples of this included the establishment of a School Council in 1921 to give pupils a role in school affairs, the establishment of the Nursery School in the late 1930s to provide pupils with practical experience at child care and the development of a school farm from the 1920s. The school farm enables the school to offer a full range of agricultural courses.

The Court of Memories, which memorializes those former students lost in war, reminds us of the depth of the school’s history.

Many of the school’s trees were planted in the early years, including a magnificent Sequoia Wellingtonia planted as part of the celebrations of Queen Victoria’s golden jubilee in 1887.

The school’s roll grew significantly from the 1960s reflecting increased confidence of the community in the school and the population growth in the district.

In 2006, because of rapid roll growth, the Ministry of Education required the school to put an enrolment zone in place.

Today the school’s roll is almost 1700, making us one of the largest schools in the South Island. Because the Waimakariri District is one of the fastest growing in New Zealand, our roll is projected to continue to grow over the next few years.