Columba College


Columba College is an integrated Presbyterian school in Roslyn, Dunedin, New Zealand. The roll is made up of pupils of all ages. The majority of pupils are in the girls secondary, day and boarding school, but there is also a primary school consisting of boys and girls in years 1-6.

History

Columba College was established in 1915 by the Presbyterian Church of New Zealand as a private day and boarding school for girls with co-educational primary classes. The Rev'd Alexander Whyte was a key figure in the foundation of Columba College, through his vision for a Presbyterian girls' school.
Columba College was created from two earlier Dunedin girls' schools, Girton College and Braemar House. Girton College had been founded in 1886 by the first woman graduate of the University of Otago, Caroline Freeman, who later sold it to Frances Ross in 1891. Ross subsequently purchased Braemar House, combined it with Girton College, and became the first Head Mistress of the newly created Columba College. The schools moved to the current site, at Bishopscourt, a property purchased from the first Anglican bishop for Otago and Southland, Bishop Nevill which had a large house on it designed by William Mason built in 1872.
Columba College became integrated as a composite school under the terms of the Private Schools' Integration Act in 1994.

Boarding facilities

Attached to the school are boarding facilities, catering for approximately 110 students, both domestic and international from years 7 to 13. Students live in one of two on-campus buildings, Katharine Buchan House or Bishopscourt.

Notable alumnae