Villa Maria College

General information

Villa Maria College is a Catholic secondary school for girls aged 11-18. Located in Upper Riccarton, Christchurch, Villa Maria College provides educational excellence under the guidance of the Sisters of Mercy and has been doing so since 1918. This college annually receives among the best academic results in New Zealand.

Our Catholic school aims to bring out the best in all our students, encouraging them to apply themselves and develop an appreciation for life-long learning. Our girls are known for their integrity, self-assurance and compassion.

The Sisters of Mercy purchased the property on which the school is still situated in 1917, and was opened on 18 February 1918 with 14 pupils in attendance. Originally serving as the district parish school, boys were admitted in 1921. When St Teresa’s opened later nearby, the boys were transferred and from 1941 the school reverted to being a college for girls.

The school continued to grow throughout the years, keeping up with the increasing number of students, including accommodation for boarders which was maintained by the Sisters until 1979, when the boarding school was phased out and Villa Maria went back to a day school.

In 1992, the last Sister of Mercy Principal resigned and the first lay Principal was appointed, and in 1995 the Sisters gifted the Villa Maria convent buildings to the College for use as classrooms.