Waikato Diocesan School for Girls is a state-integrated single-sex girls' secondary school in Hamilton, New Zealand. It is an Anglican girls' Boarding school for students from Year 9 to Year 13. It also has day students.
Dio was first established as Sonning School in 1909, situated on Milton Street, Hamilton. With only a small roll of four pupils the school began to grow, and as it did there was need for larger premises so it was moved to Anglesea Street. Larger land was then purchased and a new school built on the eastern side of the railway bridge. This school was named Sonning after the Berkshire Village from which the Whitehorn family originated. It was then that the first Bishop of the Waikato, Cecil Cherrington, wanted to establish an Anglican Girls School in Hamilton and the Waikato Board for Diocesan Schools, formed in 1927, leased Sonning School from Mrs Whitehorn. Property at the current site in River Road, Hamilton, New Zealand was then bought in 1929. Waikato Diocesan School was officially opened in 1928 with a roll of 13 boarders and 70 day girls. The school opened at its permanent site in 1930, consisting of its flagship building, Cherrington, the Homestead, a barn, which was used as both hall and chapel, and open air classrooms.
Dio has continued to grow and has had 11 principals, and now has a roll of around 620 students.
Waikato Diocesan School was a private school until March 1983, when it integrated into the state education system.[3]
As a special character school, Waikato Diocesan School for Girls has a strict admissions procedure emphasising Anglican practice or family history at the school. Prospective students are interviewed by the headmaster annually and are informed of their acceptance in writing. As of 2024, annual dues and fees are $10,014 for day students and $27,500 for boarding students.[4]
Waikato Diocesan School. (2009). www.waikatodiocesan.school.nz. In Waikato Diocesan School for Girls. Retrieved 20 March 2009, from http://www.waikatodiocesan.school.nz/.
McLennan, V. (2009) Waikato Diocesan School for Girls Prospectus. Hamilton, NZ: WDSG.
