Auckland Girls' Grammar School Explained

Auckland Girls' Grammar School
Motto:	Latin: Per Angusta Ad Augusta "Through trials to triumph"
Colours:	gold, navy blue
Type:	State single-sex girls' secondary school (Years 9–13)
Established:	1878
Address:	Howe Street, Newton, Auckland
Coordinates:	-36.8569°N 174.7537°W
Principal:	Ngaire Ashmore
Roll:
Decile:	3H^[1]
Homepage:	aggs.school.nz

Auckland Girls' Grammar School (AGGS) is a New Zealand secondary school for girls located in Newton, in the Auckland central business district. Established in 1878 as Auckland Girls' High School, it is one of the oldest secondary institutions in the country.^[2] The school closed its site temporarily in 1888 due to financial difficulties^[3] and classes for girls were held at Auckland Grammar School^[4] until the girls' school moved to new premises in Howe Street in 1909^[5] and the name of the school changed to Auckland Girls' Grammar School.^{[6] [7] [8]} The school received the Goodman Fielder awards for School and Secondary School of the year in 2000.^[9]

The main block is listed as a Category II Historic Place.

Demographics

In 2018, Auckland Girls' Grammar School had 1,030 students enrolled and is 100% female. The number of international students was 22. The ethnic composition of the school was as follows: 23% Māori, 23% Samoan, 16% Tongan, 3% New Zealand European (Pākehā), 13% Asian, 6% Niuean, and 6% Indian.^[10]

Notable alumnae

• Frankie Adams – actress^[11]
• Zoë Bell – stuntwoman and actress^[12]
• Sue Bradford – politician, activist and former Green MP
• Dorothy Butler – author^[13]
• Barbara Calvert - professor of education^[14]
• Sandra Coney – journalist and women's rights activist^[13]
• Kayla Cullen – athlete, Northern Mystics and NZ Silver Ferns^[13]
• Lana Coc-Kroft – NZ Miss Universe 1988, television presenter^[15]
• Emily Karaka – artist^[13]
• Golriz Ghahraman – politician and former Green MP, former United Nations lawyer^[13]
• Kiri Allan – politician and Labour MP, Minister of Conservation, Minister for Emergency Management
• Parris Goebel – international choreographer^[16]
• Katrina Grant – athlete, NZ Silver Ferns^[13]
• Siositina Hakeai – athlete^[17]
• Hon. Laila Harré – union leader, politician, former Alliance MP and Minister of Women's Affairs, Minister of Youth Affairs, Minister of Statistics, Associate Minister of Labour and Commerce
• Doreen Lumley – athlete^[18]
• Rose Matafeo – comedian, television presenter^[13]
  • Ani O'Neill – artist^[13]
• Merimeri Penfold – Maori educator^[13]
• Sheryl Scanlan – netball player^[13]
• Miriama Smith – actress^[19]
• Pauline Stansfield – disability rights advocate
• Kahurangi Taylor – Miss New Zealand 2008
• Munokoa Tunupopo – athlete, Auckland and White Ferns
• Hon. Dame Georgina Manunui te Heuheu – politician, former National MP and Minister for Courts, Minister of Women's Affairs, Minister of Pacific Island Affairs, Minister for Disarmament and Arms Control, Associate Minister of Maori Affairs^[13]
• Poto Williams – politician and Labour MP, Assistant Speaker of the New Zealand House of Representatives^[13]
• Tammy Wilson – Black Ferns^[13]
• Katrina Rore – netballer
• Tiana Epati – First Pacifica President, and current President of the New Zealand Law Society

Headmistresses

• Annie Whitelaw (1875–1966): 1906–1910^[20]
• Blanche Butler (died 1967): 1911–1921^[21]
• Rua Gardner (1901–1972): 1944–1967
• Louise Gardner (ca. 1916–2006): 1967–1978^[22]
• Charmaine Pountney: 1978–1988^[23]
• Ngaire Ashmore (born ca. 1967): 2017–present^{[24] [25]}

External links

• Ministry of Education Information

Notes and References

1. Web site: Decile Change 2014 to 2015 for State & State Integrated Schools. Ministry of Education. 25 April 2018.
2. 1882 . Education: Reports of secondary schools: List of schools . Appendices to the Journals of the House of Representatives . Session 1, E-08 . 1 . Paperspast.
3. Web site: 28 April 1888 . More retrenchment . 18 November 2022 . Paperspast.
4. News: 14 March 1903 . Auckland Grammar School for girls and boys [advertisement] ]. Auckland Star . 19 November 2022 . Paperspast.
5. Web site: Brief history . 19 November 2022 . Auckland Girls' Grammar School.
6. Web site: 16 June 1906 . Auckland Girls' High School . 18 November 2022 . Paperspast.
7. Web site: 14 December 1905 . Grammar School Board . 18 November 2022 . Paperspast.
8. Web site: 1907 . Education: Secondary education . 19 November 2022 . Paperspast . E12-page 15.
9. http://www.beehive.govt.nz/Print/PrintDocument.aspx?DocumentID=11039 Auckland Girls Grammar School wins Goodman Fielder School of the Year
10. Web site: Auckland Girls' Grammar School Education Review. Education Review Office. 5 July 2018. 1 March 2022.
11. Frankie wants to go to Hollywood. SUGA Magazine. 1 October 2013. 25 April 2018.
12. Web site: Zoë Bell. IMDb. 25 April 2018.
13. Web site: Old Girls' Achievers. Auckland Girls' Grammar School. 25 April 2018.
14. News: Staff writer . 24 May 2008 . Generosity, gusto: ahead of her time . . 34.
15. News: Lana Coc-Kroft, comfortable in her own skin. The New Zealand Herald. 14 March 2003. 25 April 2018.
16. News: How Parris Goebel went from high school drop-out to hip-hop dance queen. Cadzow, Jane. The Sydney Morning Herald. 13 December 2016. 25 April 2018.
17. News: Teen's a star in all sports. Morgan, Scott. Stuff.co.nz. Fairfax NZ. 3 December 2010. 25 April 2018.
18. Web site: Story: Lumley, Bernice and Lumley, Doreen. 25 April 2018.
19. Web site: Miriama McDowell: Was I ready for this?. Husband, Dale. E-Tangata. 23 April 2017. 25 April 2018.
20. Book: Creese, Mary R. S.. Ladies in the laboratory III : South African, Australian, New Zealand, and Canadian women in science : nineteenth and early twentieth centuries : a survey of their contributions. 2010. Scarecrow Press. Thomas M. Creese. 978-0-8108-7289-9. Lanham, Md.. 659564120.
21. Web site: Wellington. Victoria University of. 24 April 2018. The aftermath of WWI News Victoria University of Wellington. 18 January 2022. www.wgtn.ac.nz. en.
22. News: Pickmere . Arnold . Obituary: Louise Gardner . 13 December 2022 . . 5 May 2006.
23. Web site: Charmaine Pountney 1955–1959 . 21 May 2023 . Epsom Girls' Grammar School.
24. Web site: Upper Hutt College awards, 1984; Pepper, Hearfield, Tungatt Cup; for outstanding achievement in sport; Ngaire Ashmore . Upper Hutt City Libraries . 13 December 2022.
25. Web site: New Principal for Auckland Girls' Grammar School . Auckland Girls' Grammar School . 13 December 2022.