Sacred Heart Girls' College had its origins in a school and boarding facility called Sacred Heart College, founded by the Sisters of Our Lady of the Missions in 1884. The school was next to the present St Joseph’s Church in New Plymouth and catered for primary & secondary students. In 1960 the school moved to its present site and was renamed Sacred Heart Girls’ College. The boarding hostel for up to 78 boarders, now called "Elizabeth House", was added in 1970. The college, which is under the control of the Mission College New Plymouth Trust Board, became an integrated secondary school, with an attached intermediate school in 1982. Buildings erected since then include the library, staff room and administrative facilities known as the Centennial Wing, a Mathematics block, Religious Studies block and Graphics workshops and a new 5-classroom block (including soft materials technology). The college is situated in spacious grounds grounds which include tennis courts, netball courts and sports field.