Principals who have been employed at the school are recognised by having their photos displayed. They are:
In October 1946, the Education Board decided to make an immediate application for a full sized school on a section to be purchased between Mahars Road and Westiminster Street. This would cater for a portion of child population from the block of state houses, to be erected north of the Shirley School, and also for children living at the northern end of Innes Road. It would also provide general relief to St. Albans, Shirley, and possibly indirectly to Richmond.
Three years later in May 1949 a site of approximately seven acres was purchased.
A grant of £3246 for the development of the Mahars Road School site was approved by the Education Department in June 1951. The following month, plans and specifications for eight classrooms and administration block as the nucleus of a twelve classroom school were forwarded to the Department for approval. The plans were deemed unacceptable due to economic constraints and the Education Department suggested using the Dominion Basic Primary School plans instead. This lead to the following resolution passed during the August meeting of the School Committee indicating their disapproval of the suggestion.
After considerable discussion regarding the Department's decision, for the use of the national standard plan for the new Mahars Road School, instead of utilising the plans already prepared by the Board's architect, it was decided to advise the Department that the Board expressed regret that the plan adopted by the Canterbury Education Board over the last fifteen years, involving the provision of an open veranda has been superseded by the standard plan, which eliminates the veranda and substitutes a corridor along the rear of the classrooms. The type of buildings erected in Canterbury has improved from time to time and the present day structure is accepted as being the best to meet the climatic conditions in this province.
In November 1951, tenders were accepted and in January 1952 the tender of Messrs. John Calder Ltd. for £40 321 was accepted. In March 1952 work commenced.
Mahars Road School opened on May 25 1953 with a roll of 213 students. The first Headmaster was Acting D.G. Wilson, Permanent A.L. Edwards.
In July 1953, at the request of the parents, the Education Board approved changing the name of the school from Mahars Road to Mairehau School to better reflect the area in which the school was situated.
January 1954 - The Education Department was approached for additional accommodation - four rooms, Infant Mistress' room, and Dental Clinic - due to a consistent increase in the roll. A temporary prefabricated building was approved pending erection of a further block of permanent rooms. The following month the prefabricated classrooms were authorised. A second prefabricated room was required in May as a result of an unexpected influx of pupils during the term. Tenders were advertised for all of the additional rooms and in July 1954 the tender provided by John Calder Ltd for £17 100 was accepted. The work on the new buildings was completed and the new block occupied by September 1955.
In October 1955, a quote for £1,146 from Richardson Construction Ltd. was accepted for the construction of the swimming pool.
The new assembly hall, named "Edward Hall" after the first headmaster, was opened in April 1962.
