Dr Gibb's vision was the creation of a Christian college that would be independent of the secular state system.

The college's Scots heritage is reflected in its ceremonies (often involving a piper leading a procession into its hall) and school song.

There are major competitions in swimming, cross-country, music, athletics, and other weekly house sport games, such as hockey and touch rugby.

The Preparatory School (Years 1–6) maintains four houses: Potatau (Blue), Bedding (Green), Macarthur (Red) and McKelvie (Yellow).

They provide teachers and students with areas to learn in large and small groups, collaborate and break away for independent study.

A fabrication lab with state of the art model and design equipment that brings us in alignment with leading NZ universities.

The change will begin in 2020, when 60 Year 11 to 13 female students will join the Senior School and graduate as the first mixed-sex group from 2021.

[18] In November 2007, several final year students were banned from end-of-year prizes for growing moustaches as part of the fund-raising campaign 'Movember', established by The Movember Foundation, to raise awareness for prostate cancer.

The college threatened to ban a senior student from their NCEA examinations (official secondary school qualification) for growing a moustache during November.

[20] In October 2013, ten Scots College students from Year 11 to 13, including prefects, were caught illegally consuming alcohol on a school trip to Fiji.

School Headmaster Graeme Yule recognised the actions as 'relatively minor' and suspended students for less than a week.

[21] In April 2019, Headmaster Graham Yule was accused of making "sexist" comments after he said prospective female students would not be allowed to "sit at the back of the class painting their nails" once the school becomes co-educational.