Our 150th Celebration

A date has been set – third time lucky!

Saturday 5 November 2022

The school will be open to past pupils, former staff, and families to gather and celebrate the school’s 150th.  The event will be low-key but still an opportunity for you to reconnect with the school and old friends.

Download the full programme below.

Expression of interest

To assist in our planning we would like to know how many people will be joining us on Saturday 5 November 2022.

Register your interest

More Information

In 2021 Papanui Primary School (formerly known as Papanui District School) was prepared to celebrate 150 years of education.  Unfortunately the two attempts at hosting an event were thwarted by the Covid pandemic and resulting Public Health Measures.

Instead the PPS Board of Trustees’ priority has been operating the school safely for the children and staff, therefore the 150th Celebration was put on hold until such time that the event could be held safely and successfully.

All the previous significant events for the school (100th, 125th) have been aligned to the 1871 date, when the founding school committee met.  1872 was the year the school opened for its foundation pupils so 2022 is still a relevant and appropriate time to celebrate.

There is a 150th Anniversary Facebook Page set up to advertise the event and provide a platform for former pupils and staff to connect. Through this social media platform, former pupils and staff will be free to organise their own catch ups or events e.g. evening meal, which would run independently of the programme based at the school.

Contact & Registration

A Brief History

1871

The Papanui District School Committee held its first meeting on Wednesday 29th November 1871 with Mr. Dunnage as the Chairman.

1872

Papanui District School opened for instruction in 1872 on the corner of North and Winters Road with 125 pupils.  Primary school instruction was not compulsory.  The provisions of the 1877 Education Act, requiring primary education to be free, secular and compulsory saw the roll increase and rates of attendance improve. 

1924

On 12th August 1924, the Chief Inspector of the Canterbury Education Board determined that the school, now over fifty years old, was run down and overcrowded.  The Canterbury Education Board purchased the existing site.  The new wooden school buildings were completed by 1926 in the latest design planned to get the maximum benefit from the sun.

1950

In the 1950s the roll peaked in the 500s but over the years as other schools opened, and in 1966 the school lost its Form 1 and 2 students when Casebrook Intermediate opened, and again in 1969 when Redwood School opened.

2000

By 2000 the roll had settled to just about 180. Since then the roll has fluctuated and after the post-quake restructuring of schools, the roll rose to 270. The school now operates an enrolment scheme and zone and the roll is steady in the low 200s.

2004

Recently Papanui Primary has had its challenges: a fire in the main block in 2004 and the earthquakes in 2010 and 2011.  In the last 15 years, there have been significant changes to the building and site including the removal of the swimming pool, extensive upgrades to the two blocks, the addition of extra classrooms and improvements to the landscaping and playgrounds.

Today

So the school has thrived, building upon its heritage and its history of providing great educational opportunities to its ever-changing children and community.