The college was established as the Auckland Presbyterian College for Ladies Ltd in 1915, when a group of Presbyterian fathers purchased Mt Eden Collegiate, a private school for girls, and appointed Miss Isobel Macdonald as the school's first principal. Miss Macdonald chose the motto, "By Love, Serve", and renamed the school St Cuthbert's College as the Trust Board suggested that a shorter and more distinctive name was required. The school is named after the Northumbrian monk-bishop Saint Cuthbert and, since 1918, it has celebrated St Cuthbert's Day annually in March. In 1925, the college moved to its present site in Epsom. In 1932, three school houses were established, Dunblane, Elgin and Melrose, each named after places of significance in the life of St Cuthbert. In 1936, the winter uniform was changed to Black Watch tartan, after the then principal, Lavinia Clouston, had seen the uniform at the Presbyterian Ladies' College, Sydney. Black Watch tartan also has been the summer uniform since 1966.
School motto
The St Cuthbert's College motto is "By Love, Serve". The motto was chosen to encourage students to share, respect the needs of others, accept different viewpoints and to live peacefully. The school verse comes from 1 Corinthians 13 chapters 1–13 and is consistent with "By Love, Serve", and students are constantly reminded to be "By Love, Serve".
Boarding
St Cuthbert's College accepts both day students and boarding students. Boarding students from Years 7 to 13 live in one of St. Cuthbert's three boarding houses: Dunblane, Elgin or Melrose. The boarding community at St Cuthbert's College is very diverse. Boarders come from Asia, the Pacific Islands and a range of other overseas locations, as well as from both urban and rural New Zealand. An increasing number of boarders are local students living between Karaka and the North Shore.
Curriculum
Academic
The college offers both the NCEA and the IB qualifications. In 1999 a Thinking Skills programme was introduced based on Art Costa's Habits of Mind. Senior management credit this programme for the college's continuing ranking as one of New Zealand's top schools.
Physical education
is compulsory for all students from Years 1 to 11. Students are also given the opportunity to pitch themselves against other top athletes in local, regional and national tournaments as part of the college's Athlete Pathway Programme. Over 90 per cent of senior students participate in extra-curricular sporting activities.
Kahunui
In Year 10, the students take part in a four-week experience at Kahunui, a large outdoor living space in the Bay of Plenty bush, where the girls participate in physical activities as well as academic work that is taught by practical applications. Run by a dedicated team of eight academic and outdoor instructors as well as three ground staff, Kahunui welcomes groups of approximately 24 girls in a number of intakes throughout the year. During their time at Kahunui, the girls are divided into groups of eight students and they are expected to live in and manage their own residence.
Headmistresses/Principal
Isobel MacDonald 1915-1921
L. Clouston 1921-1948
V. Wood 1949-1968
O.J. Holland 1969-1989
F.J. Compton 1989-1995
Lydia J. Reid 1996-2016
Roz Mexted 2017
Justine Mahon 2018-present
Notable alumnae
of St Cuthbert's College are commonly referred to as Old Girls, and may elect to join the school's alumnae association, the Old Girls' Association. Some notable St Cuthbert's Old Girls include:
Bianca Babarich-Bacher – Joint winner, New Zealand Young Sailor of the year, Women's 420 sailing world champion and Halberg finalist.
Lucy Talbot – field hockey player, member of Black Sticks Women
Cultural references
In the bro'Town première episode "The Weakest Link", one of the school competing in the high school quiz challenge is named "Saint Cuthersan's College", a combination of both St Cuthbert's and the nearby Diocesan School for Girls.
