Key facts
- School number343
- School typeSecondary · Years 9–15
- AuthorityState : Integrated
- GenderGirls School
- BoardingNo
- Language of instructionEnglish medium / other settings
- Established1 February 1982
About Marian College
Marian College is a Catholic state integrated school for girls in Christchurch, with a maximum roll of 430 students. It was formed in 1982 through the merger of two Catholic secondary schools: St. Mary's College, founded by the Sisters of Mercy on Colombo Street in 1893, and MacKillop College in Shirley, administered by the Sisters of St Joseph of the Sacred Heart.
The school's character is shaped by the traditions of both founding religious orders. Its stated values — courage, commitment, perseverance, and respect — are drawn from the charisms of Mary MacKillop, foundress of the Sisters of St Joseph, and Catherine McAuley, foundress of the Sisters of Mercy. The school motto is With Mary in Faith.
Enrolment preference is given to Catholic girls, though places may be available for non-Catholic students. Marian College is one of 15 Catholic schools in Christchurch belonging to Christchurch Catholic Kāhui Ako – Te Mara Akoranga Katorika.
The school's current site on Lydia Street, known as Marian College at Māhutonga, was occupied in November 2023 and officially opened on 9 February 2024. The move followed years at a Barbadoes Street site, itself a consequence of the February 2011 Christchurch earthquake, which caused significant damage to the school's previous land near Dudley Creek.
Enrolment
Enrolment scheme on recordMarian College has an enrolment scheme (a home zone) on record. Living inside it guarantees a place; living outside it does not, though out-of-zone applications may still be considered.
School donations
The Ministry of Education profile states that: "Donations may be requested".
Check directly with the school for current charges, contributions or other costs. Learn more on the donations scheme or fees and charges at school, both on education.govt.nz.
Equity Index
The Ministry publishes this figure as a bare number — KuraData shows it against the directory-wide average, so you can see where Marian College actually sits, not just the number on its own.
The Equity Index estimates the socio-economic barriers students face, on average, and is used to inform government funding and support. It is not a measure of school quality or academic performance.
Higher values indicate a higher level of estimated socio-economic barriers; lower values indicate fewer. Learn how the Equity Index is calculated →
Student ethnicity
The Ministry publishes this as a raw table — here it's visualised directly against Marian College's own roll, so the shape of it is clear at a glance.
- European — 351 students (82%)
- Asian — 57 students (13.3%)
- Pacific — 45 students (10.5%)
- Māori — 61 students (14.3%)
- MELAA — 5 students (1.2%)
- Other — 5 students (1.2%)
- International — 3 students (0.7%)
Percentages may sum to more than 100% because students can identify with more than one ethnic group.
Education pathway
Nearby schools serving the next or previous year levels are shown as potential pathway options. They do not indicate formal enrolment pathways or actual student transfers.
-
Paparoa Street School Contributing · Years 1–6 · 1.7 km
-
The Cathedral Grammar School Full Primary · Years 1–8 · 4.9 km
-
Tamariki School Full Primary · Years 1–8 · 9.2 km
Further education in Christchurch
Explore tertiary providers based in Christchurch — not necessarily where Marian College's own students go on to study.
-
University of Canterbury Universities
-
Ara Institute of Canterbury Institutes of Technology & Polytechnics
-
Hagley Community College YG Other Tertiary Education Providers
Location
- Street address2 Lydia Street
- SuburbNorthcote-Christchurch
- CityChristchurch
- Local authorityChristchurch City
Official contact details
- ContactMary-Lou Davidson
- Phone+64 3 385 8449
- Emailexec@mariancollege.school.nz
- Websitewww.mariancollege.school.nz
Nearby schools
Schools physically closest to Marian College, regardless of year level.
-
Paparoa Street School Contributing · Years 1–6 · 1.7 km
-
The Cathedral Grammar School Full Primary · Years 1–8 · 4.9 km
-
Catholic Cathedral College Secondary · Years 7–15 · 6.4 km
-
Te Kura Tuarua o Horomaka Hillmorton High School Secondary · Years 7–15 · 8.2 km
-
Cashmere High School Secondary · Years 9–15 · 8.8 km
Explore schools in Christchurch
Browse Christchurch schools by type, including primary, intermediate, secondary, composite and other schools.
Frequently asked
These aren't generic answers — each one is built directly from Marian College's own official Ministry of Education data already shown on this page, so what you read here always matches the figures above.
Sources & methodology
Every fact on this page traces back to one of the rows below — official Ministry of Education data, or Marian College's own published information, reviewed before publication. Nothing here is inferred or estimated beyond what its source actually states.
| Data | Source | Data period | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|
| School characteristics | Ministry of Education | — | 7 September 2026 |
| Student roll | Ministry of Education / Education Counts | August 2026 | 7 September 2026 |
| Equity Index | Education Counts | — | 7 September 2026 |
| Address & coordinates | Ministry of Education | — | 7 September 2026 |
| Contact details | NZ Schools Directory | Current | 7 September 2026 |
| School information (AI-curated, human-reviewed) | Marian College's official website | Current | 18 September 2026 |