Columba College

Columba College Coláiste Choilm
Location
399 Highgate, Dunedin
Coordinates	45°51′47″S 170°29′40″E / 45.863125°S 170.494375°E / -45.863125; 170.494375Coordinates: 45°51′47″S 170°29′40″E / 45.863125°S 170.494375°E / -45.863125; 170.494375
Information
Type	Integrated single sex girls secondary(Year 7-13) co-education primary(Year 1-6)
Motto	Gratia et Disciplina Bona "Grace and Good Discipline"
Established	1915
Ministry of Education Institution no.	386
Principal	Elizabeth Wilson
School roll	650
Socio-economic decile	10
Website	columbacollege.school.nz

Columba College (Irish: Coláiste Choilm) 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.

Modern day Columba

The school uniform is formal and compulsory for all pupils, currently consisting of; a green blazer, white shirt, navy blue jersey, with Black Watch tartan necktie and kilt. Columba has four school houses, Braemar (Green), Girton (Red), Iona (Blue) and Solway (Yellow) named for the founding schools and Saint Columba.

Based on NCEA results, Columba College is one of the highest achieving schools in New Zealand. Its motto is "Gratia et Disciplina Bona" meaning Grace and Good Discipline. It is one of the few schools in Dunedin to teach Mandarin, and has recently built an award-winning gymnasium on the school grounds. Three mornings during the week, the school congregates in Constance Hall (that has been recently renovated) for Assembly. It is during this time that congratulations and awards are handed out, as well as general notices. Tuesday assemblies are chapel services, conducted by Reverend Barry Kelk. Assemblies are commonly used to recognise student achievements.

Year 13 is the last year students reach before heading on to tertiary education. Students in this year level are of ages 16–18, and are given access to a private residence owned by Columba College on the premises. At the end of the school year, they often choose to buy a ring of the school emblem, symbolising the part of their life spent at Columba. Students may also leave school at the end of Year 12, but most opt to remain for Year 13.

Columba College is the "sister school" of local boys school John McGlashan College.

History

Bishopscourt building, a Category I Historic Place

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 and a kindergarten. 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. The headmistress of Girton College, Frances Ross, purchased Braemar House and became the first Head Mistress of 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 (architect) built in 1872.

Columba College became integrated as a composite school under the terms of the Private Schools' Integration Act in 1994.

Clubs and committees