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Epsom Girls' Grammar School

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 / 36.87722°S 174.77444°E / -36.87722; 174.77444
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	2,206[2] (February 2024)
Colour(s)	Navy and gold
Socio-economic decile	9Q[1]
Website	Epsom Girls Grammar School

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.

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]

• 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]

• List of schools in New Zealand

Book of Memories: Epsom Girls Grammar School 1917–1992

Epsom Girls Grammar School golden jubilee 1917–1967

• School website
• Education Review Office 2006 Report^{[permanent dead link]}