It is the oldest continuously existing Catholic boys' secondary school in Auckland although it has changed its location, moving to its current Glen Innes site in 1955.

In Years 12 to 13, students complete the National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA), the main secondary school qualification in New Zealand.

Sacred Heart offers a wide range of sporting options to its pupils, many competing at a national level.

In Water Polo, 2020 saw the college claim the North Island Championship title at all three levels; senior, junior and intermediate.

[5] The houses of Sacred Heart College are named after either famous people in the Catholic and Marist community in New Zealand, or important figures in the school's history.

Lenihan House is named after the Bishop of Auckland in 1903, who saw the need for a Catholic boys' school in the area and was a driving force in Sacred Heart's foundation.

"[8] When asked if it had a "bullying problem", Sacred Heart College responded that the board of trustees accepted that the 2016 matter had not been well handled at the time.

[8] Sacred Heart College has been criticised by New Zealand's Chief Ombudsman for declining in 2018 to offer an enrolment place to an autistic boy, using the excuse that he was "not Catholic enough.

"[9] After an investigation, it was found that Sacred Heart College had ranked other non-Catholic prospective students higher than the autistic boy, raising questions around whether the school was actively discriminating against disabled persons.

[11] In July 2022, Sacred Heart College was forced to close for a day after threats were made against pupils on social media.