[6] The School's Latin motto is Per Angusta Ad Augusta, which means "Through Hardship to Glory".

In 1927, the Mount Albert Grammar School Hostel opened for boarders at 807 New North Road.

[11] During the Great Depression, the school introduced an agricultural course for familiar who could not afford four years of professional education.

The school purchased 20 acres of the Kerr Taylor estate near Alberton with the help of a donation from the Auckland Savings Bank, and established a farm for students in February 1933.

[12] In 1989, the school underwent major reforms under principal Greg Taylor, including the abolution of corporal punishment and the introduction of women teachers.

Taylor employed support staff for Pasifika students, who increasingly made up a large proportion of the school in the 1980s.

[13][14] The school laid a complaint with police and sought the assistance of the Department of Internal Affairs.

[19] In 2007 and 2009 MAGS won all the major Auckland titles in rugby, association football and netball.

They attend Field Days at Mystery Creek each year and some students are selected to assist in the agricultural area of the Auckland Easter Show.

[7] The lyrics to the hymn were analysed in a report written by Brian Murphy, the School Archivist.

Its educational achievement level is above the national average, making Mt Albert Grammar one of the top seven schools in the country.

Out of those, 40% are of European descent, 23% are Asian, 19% are identified as Pasifika, 3% are MELAA (Middle Eastern, Latin American, and African) and 2% are of other ethnicity.