Mount Albert Grammar School is a state, co-educational secondary school situated in central suburban Auckland.
Our current roll of about 3400 students come mainly from within the school’s zone, with a small number from wider Auckland accepted through the ballot process. Due to increasing demand for places at the school from within our zone, the number of ballot places is diminishing each year. The ratio of boys and girls is almost 50/50.
Since Mount Albert Grammar’s foundation in 1922, the school has established a strong academic tradition. Our NCEA results are consistently strong, and the number of Scholarships attained by our elite academic students placed us among the top six schools in New Zealand.
We are widely considered to also be among the top sporting schools in the country, with a history of winning numerous Auckland and New Zealand Championship titles. We offer a wide range of sports at all levels, from social to premier grades, for both boys and girls. All students are encouraged to take part in at least one sport, not only for the physical benefits but for the social and character-building aspects that sport provides for young people. At MAGS, sport is considered intrinsic in our overall culture of developing well-rounded young men and women who aspire to excellence in everything they do, and seek to serve others in the community. We believe our sporting culture feeds directly into our academic success.
The 2023 Education Review Office (ERO) evaluation praised Mount Albert Grammar School for its “collaborative engagement by staff with achievement data to guide responsive practice and improve achievement outcomes”.
ERO is due to review the school again by 2026.
Read the 2023 ERO Profile Report here
Mount Albert Grammar School Timeline
This timeline is of significant events in the history of the school. It is a summary in running order and not necessarily in full sentences. If anyone is aware of an important omission, please make it known.
The list is curated by Brian Murphy, Archivist.
Our Arts programmes are also outstanding, and our Dance, Drama and Music students are regularly judged among the top in Auckland and New Zealand. We offer a variety of co-curricular groups in which students can become involved which, like sport, we believe is key to developing well-rounded young people.
In addition to our superb grounds and sports fields, the school has fine historic and modern buildings, an Aquatic Centre, a library, an observatory and specialist areas for Technology, Art, Music, Drama and Dance. In 2016 we opened a new Mathematics block, which also incorporates our Student Services Centre; in 2020 we added a two-storey Science block; in 2021 the GL Weir Indoors Sports Centre was opened; and 2024 saw the opening of a three-storey Social Sciences building incorporating a new Library and whare wananga.
On the grounds of the School is a boys’ boarding facility, School House, which accommodates 105 students. A girls’ hostel, Centennial House, was opened in nearby Lloyd Avenue in 2022 and can accommodate up to 25 girls.
Adjacent to the school is the ASB Bank MAGS Farm, which provides a base for the study of Agricultural and Horticultural Science. The school leased the farm from the ASB for a peppercorn rental but in 2022 the ASB gifted the farm to the MAGS Foundation.
International students are welcome at the school and the current International student body includes fee-paying students from all over the world. Their involvement in the school further enriches the MAGS experience for our New Zealand students.
We offer all students the opportunity to develop their potential to the greatest extent possible. It enables them to recognise the basic importance of values such as as self-discipline, personal effort, honest standards and a sound respect for the opinions, cultural attitudes and rights and welfare of others.
An emphasis is given to academic achievement but, for all students, what is expected and accepted is a performance worthy of their ability and the pursuit of excellence.
The school is Decile 7, although our students come from the full range of socio-economic households.
Students of Mount Albert Grammar School have the advantage of studying with a student body that reflects a true cross-section of the ethnic mix of the city of Auckland, and we are proud of our diversity. All our students share in a tradition of academic achievement, with the students of today continuing to emulate the success of those who came before them.