About
Rangi Ruru Girls’ School was founded in 1889 by Miss Helen Gibson and was administered by her and her sisters for nearly 60 years. In 1946 the school was purchased by a group of churchmen representing the Presbytery of Christchurch. The school is a not-for-profit incorporated society governed by a voluntary Board of Governors.
An old Maori chief who saw the original school house in Webb Street being built declared it should be named the ‘Wide Sky Shelter’ or ‘Rangi Ruru’. This translation has been broadened to embrace a philosophy of caring and support that recognises endeavour, encourages achievement and promotes excellence.
The school motto Whaia to te Rangi means to seek the heavenly things and reminds us that education cannot be limited to physical, cultural or academic studies only, but must include our spiritual dimension if we are to find values that are really worthwhile in life.
