This site was once a Maori resting place during the trip from Tuahiwi to Lyttelton. The school itself opened in 1878 with a roll of 38 pupils. The schoolhouse, built at the same time to house staff members was occupied until 1971. (The original school building, however, was replaced with one across the road during the 1930s.) It is thought that the schoolhouse were designed by Thomas Cane (1830-1905) while he was the Canterbury Education Board architect. Cane is also known as the architect of the Timeball Station at Lyttelton and of the first Christchurch Girls' School, now part of the Arts Centre.

Because of community interest in the place the schoolhouse was taken over by the Waimairi District Council in 1978. The Council also bought the adjacent block of land which has a crofter's cottage (known as Hill's Cottage) on it dating from the 1870s. These two sections became the Kapuatohe Historic Reserve in 1979, and a local history museum now operates on the reserve. The Belfast schoolhouse is significant as one of the few remaining nineteenth century buildings in the area, in combination with Hill's Cottage next door. It is also significant as part of Canterbury's educational history.