Rangi Ruru Girls’ School was founded in 1889 by Miss Helen Gibson, and was administered by her and her sisters for nearly 60 years. The Gibson sisters; Mary, Beatrice, Helen, Alice, Lucy, Ethel, Ruth and Winifred all helped in some way with the running of the school.

In 1890 their father, Captain Frederick Gibson, built a large house with two schoolrooms on the corner of Webb Street. This was given the name Rangi Ruru, or ‘wide sky shelter’. In 1903 the school had 63 pupils. By the early 1920s the Webb Street house was proving too cramped, and the decision was made to move to larger premises. In August 1923 the remaining four sisters shifted their school, day pupils and eighteen boarders to Te Koraha – the large house and grounds formerly owned by the Rhodes family.

As a housewarming present, the old girls raised funds to furnish the entrance hall of the house as a personal gift to the Gibson sisters. The reunion held for the presentation led to the formation of the Rangi Ruru Old Girls’ Association and the first general meeting was held in December 1923.

Since 1946 when it was purchased by the Presbyterian Church, Rangi Ruru has been governed by a Board whose members are appointed by the Presbytery of Christchurch.

Rangi Ruru, the name of the school, was suggested by an old Maori Chief of Rapaki Pa, Paora Taki. It is translated “wide sky shelter” and indicates that the school stands for hospitality and generosity.