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Epsom Girls Grammar School is a state secondary school for girls ranging from years 9 to 13 in Auckland, New Zealand. It has a roll of 2,200 as of 2024, making it one of the largest schools in New Zealand.
| Epsom Girls' Grammar School | |
|---|---|
 Epsom Girls' Grammar School and Ōhinerau / Mount Hobson seen from Maungawhau / Mount Eden | |
| Address | |
 | |
Silver Road, Epsom, Auckland, New Zealand | |
| Coordinates | 36°52′38″S 174°46′28″E |
| Information | |
| Type | State Single Sex Girls Secondary (Year 9–13) with Boarding Facilities |
| Motto | Latin: Per Angusta, Ad Augusta (Through difficulties to greatness.) |
| Established | 12 February 1917 |
| Sister school | Auckland Grammar School |
| Ministry of Education Institution no. | 64 |
| Principal | Brenda McNaughton |
| School roll | 2248[1] (August 2024) |
| Colour(s) | Navy and gold |
| Socio-economic decile | 9Q[2] |
| Website | Epsom Girls Grammar School |
The principal is Brenda McNaughton, the 12th principal, who succeeded Lorraine Pound in 2024.[3][4] She succeeds a long line of distinguished educators such as Margaret Bendall and Marjory Adams.[5]
Epsom Girls' Grammar School was established through an endowment of land in 1850 and officially opened on 12 February 1917 with 174 students.[6] Establishing Epsom Girls' was described as a "struggle", as "despite a clear need for a second girls’ school in Auckland, education administrators continued to prioritise boys’ education. Eventually EGGS emerged as an old, adapted Villa and a handful of classrooms on the Silver Road site. When the doors opened in 1917 the School had already exceeded capacity."[7]
Boarding facilities are provided on-site at Epsom House, providing full accommodation for 150 students from overseas and rural New Zealand.[8]
The Old Girls Association was established in 1921, and holds a number of events each year for alumnae.[9]
In 2021, Metro (magazine) reported that Epsom Girls Grammar School was the top performing non-religious state school in Auckland over the last five years (based on Ministry of Education data of the five-year average of university entrance attainment).[10]
Property prices in the Epsom Girls Grammar School and Auckland Grammar School school zones (known as the "double Grammar zone") are particularly high - Epsom Girls is the second most expensive school zone to buy in within Auckland (with the first being Auckland Grammar School).[11] The zone covers large swathes of four of the city’s highest value suburbs – Remuera, Epsom, Parnell and Mount Eden. Real estate agents have commented that being in the "double Grammar zone" could add up to $500,000 to the value of a family home.[12]
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- Annie Christina Morrison 1917–1929[13]
- Agnes L. Laudon 1930–1947[14]
- Margaret G. Johnston 1948–1952[15]
- Marjory F.E. Adams 1953–1970[16]
- Alisa M. Blakey 1970–1979[17]
- Gaewyn E. Griffiths 1979–1988[18][19]
- Verna E. Dowdle 1988–1996
- Margaret A. Bendall 1996–2004
- Annette Sharp 2005–2008[20]
- Madeline J. Gunn 2008–2016[21]
- Lorraine Pound 2016–2023[22]
- Brenda McNaughton 2024–present[23]
- Petra Bagust – television presenter[24]
- Joan Chapple – first New Zealand female plastic surgeon
- Helen Clark – 37th Prime Minister of New Zealand and former administrator of the United Nations Development Programme[25]
- Miriam Dell – President, National Council of Women[24]
- Jeanette Fitzsimons – politician and former co-leader of the Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand
- Taylor Flavell – professional squash player
- Kate Hawkesby – television presenter and radio broadcaster
- Hayley Holt – television presenter[26]
- Rowena Jackson MBE – ballerina and later artistic director of the New Zealand Ballet Company
- Dorothy Jelicich – Member of Parliament for Hamilton West (1972–1975)
- Maggie Jenkins – New Zealand representative footballer
- Annalie Longo – International and professional footballer
- Marya Martin – flautist[24]
- Moana Manley – swimmer and Miss New Zealand winner
- Joan Metge – anthropologist[24]
- Ingrun Helgard Moeckel – German model and Miss Germany winner
- Hannah O'Neill – principal ballerina at the Paris Opera Ballet[27]
- Susan Moller Okin – feminist philosopher
- Charlotte Piho – Cook Islands photographer
- Judith Potter – former High Court judge
- Suzanne Sinclair – Member of Parliament for Titirangi (1993–1996)
- Wilma Smith – lead violinist in the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra
- Jean Spencer – Olympic gymnast
- Freda Stark – dancer[28]
- Chlöe Swarbrick – politician and co-leader of the Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand
- Rima Te Wiata – comedian and actress[29]
- Olivia Tennet – actress, dancer
- Karen Walker – fashion designer[30]
- Augusta Wallace – first woman appointed to the judiciary in New Zealand
- Lois White – artist[31]
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