Students at St Bede's are colloquially known as Bedeans. St Bede's College was founded in by the Marists , a religious congregation founded in Lyon , France, in The Society of Mary became involved in missionary work and teaching, work that was very similar to the missions of the Jesuits , but which had a distinctive Marian approach.
Before , education in New Zealand was a provincial jurisdiction, with many schools being established by churches or private funding. With the Education Act , the New Zealand Government centralised control through twelve regional education boards to introduce free, compulsory and secular education.
Schools intending to teach religious instruction could not receive Government assistance. The Society of Mary continued to build the foundations for a Catholic System of Education, sourcing religious teachers from Ireland, Europe and Australia. In , the Society of Mary established St. Patrick's College in Cambridge Terrace, Wellington. The Society owned St Bede's College.
The school was originally located along Ferry Road, but it outgrew its facilities. The college had the option of purchasing the current site or that of St. Andrew's College, Christchurch in Merivale. The chapel was originally used as a gym, but with the building of Chanel Hall, it became obsolete and so was converted to a chapel. The chapel contains the Board of Honour, honouring Bedeans who fought and died for their country in both world wars, although now has been demolished.
The college was moved in to its present site on , square metres of fields and trees at the northern entrance to the city. Most of the original buildings had to be demolished in due to new earthquake safety requirements. However, the chapel and half of Durham remained standing until the earthquake. Over the years, buildings have continued to be added to the college, including the Alistair Macdonald Centre for the Performing Arts, Jarrow a senior boarding dorm as well as a new gymnasium. As a result of the severe Canterbury earthquake on 22 February, the school was fortunately spared, although the school was shut until 14 March to undergo building inspections.
