Rangi Ruru Girls' School Explained

Rangi Ruru Girls' School
Motto:Maori: Whaia to te rangi
Type:Independent Single sex girls Intermediate and Secondary (Year 7–13) school with boarding facilities (Boarding from Year 7)
Established:1889
Motto Translation:Seek the heavenly things
Address:59 Hewitts Road,
Merivale, Christchurch,
Coordinates:-43.5192°N 172.6175°W
Chairperson:Nicki Carter
Principal:Stephanie Barnett (acting)
Roll:
Decile:10
Moe:325
Homepage:RangiRuru.school.nz (requires plugin)

Rangi Ruru Girls' School is a New Zealand private girls' day and boarding secondary school located in Merivale, an inner suburb of Christchurch. The school is affiliated with the Presbyterian Church and serves approximately girls from Years 7 to 13 (ages 10 to 18).

History

The school was founded in 1889 when Frederick Gibson bought a school run in Papanui by friends of his, Ada, Kate and Jessie Gresham, who were moving to Australia.[1] The school had 18 students, aged 5 to 16 years old.[2] Initially Gibson's daughters Alice and Helen and their mother Mary ran the school, calling it "Miss Gibson's Private School for Girls". In 1891, the school moved to a building in Webb Street and was renamed Rangi Ruru, meaning "wide sky-shelter". This name had been suggested by a Māori chief of Rapaki Pa, Pāora Taki, a friend of Frederick Gibson.[3] Helen Gibson continued as Principal and her sisters Alice, Ethel, Ruth and Winifred joined as teachers. Under Helen Gibson's leadership the school roll grew, reaching over 200 students at the time of her death in 1938. From 1938 until the sale of the school in 1946, Ethel Gibson was principal; her sisters continued to assist and support her.

The school moved to its present site in 1923, as the Webb Street building was becoming too small. Te Koraha, the original house on the site, had been the home of the Rhodes family; it was made available to the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall and York for their June 1901 royal visit to Christchurch.[4]

The Rangi Ruru Board of Governors was established in 1946 when Presbyterian Church members purchased the school from the Gibson family. While the Christchurch Presbytery approves appointments, the board is autonomous.

In the early 1980s, the school wanted an on-site chapel, while simultaneously the congregation of St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church at Hospital Corner was declining. It was decided to relocate the church to the school site, and in 1986, the building was moved to land adjacent to the school on Merivale Lane. The church became known as "St Andrew's at Rangi Ruru".

Academic achievement

Rangi Ruru is consistently one of New Zealand's highest-achieving schools in academic achievement.[5]

In 2013, all girls who left Rangi Ruru held at least NCEA Level 1, while 98.2% held at least NCEA Level 2, and 92.0% held at least University Entrance. This was in contrast to the national percentages of 86.8%, 77.2%, and 55.4%, respectively, for girls.[6]

Notable alumnae

Notable staff

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: St Andrew's Presbyterian Church – St Andrew's Church History. standrewsrangiruru.org.nz. 11 February 2016.
  2. Web site: Alabaster Chronicle No 18, Spring 2002. www.alabaster.org.uk. 11 February 2016.
  3. Web site: Gibson, Helena Fannie and Gibson, Mary Victoria. www.teara.govt.nz. 13 November 2015. en. New Zealand Ministry for Culture and Heritage Te Manatu. Taonga.
  4. News: The Christchurch Residence . 6 February 2019 . . LVIII . 10950 . 27 April 1901 . 8.
  5. Web site: High Pass Marks in City Schools. https://archive.today/20130223105306/http://www.stuff.co.nz/thepress/4458850a6530.html. dead. 23 February 2013. 2 April 2008. The Press. The Press.
  6. News: School Qualifications – Rangi Ruru Girls' School . Ministry of Education . 17 February 2014.
  7. . . Tribute to Dr Elizabeth Edgar, leading plant taxonomist and flora-writer. New Zealand Botanical Society Newsletter. June 2000. 60. 29–30. 22 September 2017. New Zealand Botanical Society. Christchurch, New Zealand. https://web.archive.org/web/20170406031503/http://www.nzbotanicalsociety.org.nz/newsletter/NZBotSoc-2000-60.pdf. 6 April 2017. 2230-3502.
  8. News: Egan . Brendon . Consistency key as Fenwick seeks improvement . . 3 July 2013 . 7 October 2013.
  9. News: Tutty . Kevin . Olympic rower Macfarlane made right choice . 7 October 2013 . . 3 March 2012.
  10. Web site: 129th Annual General Meeting Agenda . . https://web.archive.org/web/20160915173351/https://www.rowingnz.kiwi/Attachment?Action=Download&Attachment_id=310 . 15 September 2016 . dead.
  11. News: Southbridge cox steers for Rio . 27 July 2016 . . 27 July 2016 . B16.
  12. Web site: Wilkie . Ruth . 1993 . Gibson, Helena Fannie . 21 November 2023 . Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand.