Christchurch Boys' High School, often referred to as CBHS, is a single sex state secondary school in Christchurch, New Zealand. It is situated on a 12-hectare (30-acre) site between the suburbs of Riccarton and Fendalton, 4 kilometres (2.5 mi) to the west of central Christchurch. The school also provides boarding facilities for 130 boys in a residence called Adams House located about 500 metres (1,600 ft) to the east. The school's colours are deep blue and black with an occasional flash of gold.
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History
Established in 1881, the prime purpose of Christchurch Boys' High School was to prepare students for enrolment into the then newly-formed Canterbury College, now known as the University of Canterbury. Consequently, it was initially co-located with the college in downtown Christchurch, at the site of the modern-day Christchurch Arts Centre. As the university and school expanded, the school moved to its present location on Straven Road in 1926. The school's present site was originally a farm owned by Canterbury's pioneer settlers, the Deans, and several buildings from the Deans' farm still stand on the grounds. The school's main building is registered by Heritage New Zealand as a Category I heritage building, with registration number 3658.
The school has produced many All Blacks, and several cricketers. There is an ANZAC Day service each year that is compulsory for new students of the school to attend to commemorate Old Boys who fought and died in the two World Wars. In 2004 CBHS provided two of New Zealand's 'top scholars'.
The school's dramatic and musical productions have collaborated with those of its sister school, Christchurch Girls' High School.
The College Match
The College Match is a yearly rugby union game between Christchurch Boy's Highschool and Christ's College. The match started in 1892, with Christ's College winning 34–0. Since then, the match has become a significant calendar event for both schools. Boys High owns the title of the longest win streak, 2001–2016, and the most matches won, winning 86 times to 43, with only 9 draws.
Enrolment
As of July 2026, Christchurch Boys' High School has roll of 1,426 students, of whom 188 (13.2%) identify as Māori.
As of 2026, the school has an Equity Index of 418, placing it amongst schools whose students have few socioeconomic barriers to achievement (roughly equivalent to deciles 8 and 9 under the former socio-economic decile system).
Notable alumni
Arts
Rewi Alley – writer, social reformer
Brian Brake – photographer
Allen Curnow – poet
Alan Duff – writer
Jason Gunn – radio and television personality
Sir David Low – cartoonist
Bill Sutton (1917–2000) – artist
Marlon Williams – musician
Niel Wright – poet and critic
James Lucas – writer, film director
Science
Glenn Wilson – psychologist
David J. Lockwood – physicist
Robert McLachlan – mathematician
Robert Pilgrim – entomologist
Military
James Burrows – army commander (also an All Black)
Sir Leonard Monk Isitt – air force leader
Sir Howard Kippenberger – WWII army commander
Keith Thiele – WWII pilot
Malcolm Calder – Chief of the Air Staff from 1958–1962
Public service
Arthur Dobbs – Director-General of Education 1971–1975
Politics
Bob Bell – former National MP for the Gisborne electorate
Max Bradford – Minister of Defence 1998, former Chief Executive of National Party, Member of Parliament for Tarawera and Rotorua New Zealand Parliament
Don Brash – Former leader of both the National Party, the ACT Party, and former Governor of the Reserve Bank of New Zealand.
George Forbes – Prime Minister of New Zealand from 1930 to 1935, first leader of the National Party
Keith Locke – spokesperson on international affairs, defence and disarmament issues for the last decade (for NewLabour, the Alliance, and now the Green Party)
Maui Pomare – Māori politician, doctor, reformer
Tony Steel – former All Black, Headmaster of Hamilton Boys' High School and Member of Parliament
David Caygill – former Minister of Finance (New Zealand) and Member of Parliament for St. Albans, in Christchurch (New Zealand).
Christopher Luxon – Prime Minister of New Zealand since 2023 and former CEO of Air New Zealand and Unilever Canada
Business
Ian Athfield – architect
Charles Luney – builder and company director
Michael Mayell – entrepreneur, founder of Cookie Time
Sport
Christchurch Boys' High has an abundance of sporting alumni, having produced the Hadlee brothers (cricket) and numerous All Black rugby footballers (46 in total) who have gone on to represent New Zealand with great distinction.
David Ambler – sprinter
Geoff Allott – New Zealand Cricket Team
Corey Anderson – New Zealand Cricket Team
Robert Anderson – New Zealand Cricket Team
Todd Astle – New Zealand Cricket Team
Chris Cairns – New Zealand Cricket Team
Lee Germon – Captain New Zealand Cricket Team
Dayle Hadlee – New Zealand Cricket Team
Sir Richard Hadlee – New Zealand Cricket Team
Walter Hadlee – New Zealand Cricket Team
Blair Hartland – New Zealand Cricket Team
Llorne Howell – New Zealand Cricket Team
Tom Latham – New Zealand Cricket Team
Chris Martin – New Zealand Cricket Team
Neil Broom – New Zealand Cricket Team
Anton Cooper – Commonwealth Games gold medallist 2014, silver medallist 2018
Daniel Whitehouse – road cyclist
Ben Sigmund – Wellington Phoenix Football Team