Gisborne Boys’ High School began in 1909 as the original co-educational Gisborne High School before shifting to a single-sex boys’ school in 1956. Set on Stanley Road, the school serves the wider Tairāwhiti region and has long been one of the key educational pillars of the East Coast. Its culture has been shaped by its deep Māori roots, strong community ties and a long line of influential principals who have helped build a proud academic and sporting identity.
The school is home to around 800 boys and maintains a reputation for developing confident, grounded students with a strong sense of discipline and connection to place. Leadership, cultural engagement and personal responsibility are central to daily life, and the school remains a consistent contributor to local and national Māori achievement across academics, kapa haka and community leadership.
Rugby is the heartbeat of Gisborne Boys’, and the school’s 1st XV is one of the most recognisable teams in New Zealand. They won the national title in 2007 and have produced a wave of elite players including Hosea Gear, Rico Gear, Jamison Gibson-Park, Charlie Ngatai and Blade Thomson. The school has also toured widely and reached the Sanix World Youth Invitational semi-finals in Japan. With a strong sporting pedigree, a proud East Coast identity and a history stretching back more than a century, Gisborne Boys’ High School remains a cornerstone of boys’ education in Aotearoa.