We live the values and culture of our school!
Year 9 'Sisters' Programme
In 2023 we introduced the inaugrual 'Sisters' programme connecting each of our Year 13 and Year 9 students through a tuakana-teina relationship. The Year 13 students have a Year 9 'Sister' they meet, build a connection with, and support throughout the year. This programme has been highly successful and has allowed our Year 9 students to gain a high sense of belonging at Otago Girls' within the first school term.
Deans, school counsellors, whānau teachers and mentors wrap care and support around our students. We have an excellent Careers Department who help with decision-making and goal setting. We support students to have self-belief, wellbeing and resilience.
Positive Behaviour for Learning
PB4L:SW (Positive Behaviour for Learning: School-Wide) is a transformative framework adopted by schools to enhance student behaviour, resilience, and overall well-being. At Otago Girls’ High School, we are driven by a collective vision to foster positive environments, and provide every student with the tools to succeed not only in school but beyond.
Our PB4L Values are:
Respect - Kia Whakaute | Positivity - Kia Hihiri | Integrity - Kia Pono
Our PB4L reward system acknowledges students exemplifying these values, with a ‘Shelly Card’ draw at assembly each week. Two PB4L Prefects actively engage with students, offering perspectives and promoting our school values.
Our ‘Shelly Card’ system rewards positive behaviour and fosters a culture of acknowledgment. Blazer badges are awarded for accumulating Shelly cards, creating a tiered recognition system.
School Culture at Otago Girls’ High School is led by our prefects and other school leaders who promote inclusion, house and school activities, lunchtime fun, themed days for charity and occasions, and safe spaces for everyone.
At Otago Girls’ High School there is a place for every student to thrive.
Join us in fostering a positive and empowering school environment!
House system
Where Legacy Lives and Connections Thrive!
At a memorable assembly on the final day of Term 2, 2014, Otago Girls’ High School inaugurated its House System, marking a historic milestone. After brief experimentation in 1979, this was the first official establishment of houses in the school's history. Following extensive consultation with students, staff, and alumni, it was decided to name the houses after notable ex-students.
Our house names are:
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Allan (Orange) - honouring Flora Allan, Dux of Otago Girls’ High School in 1879 and Principal from 1912-1921
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Benjamin (Blue) - paying tribute to Ethel Benjamin, New Zealand’s first woman law graduate (1897)
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Cruickshank (Red) - celebrating Dr. Margaret Cruickshank, New Zealand’s first woman medical graduate to practice
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Williams (Green) - commemorating Yvette Williams (Corlett), the first New Zealand woman to win an Olympic gold medal in 1952
To foster enduring connections, all students and staff have been assigned to a house, with sisters placed in the same house, ensuring a legacy of House links for future generations.
At Otago Girls’ High School, we uphold our Positive Behaviour Expectations to foster settled and productive learning environments.