Two reports on the survey showed staff presented a consistent picture of ''severe and persistent bullying over an extended period of time'', when surveyed between December 2012 and January 2013.
However, the board of trustees has said principal Elizabeth Wilson and the school's senior management had the board members' ''unqualified support'', and the board was trying to work through areas of concern with the PPTA.
The reports described an environment of fear, intimidation and poor and autocratic management, and a stifling of innovation at the school.
Those responding to the survey reinforced the lack of support staff received when accusations were levelled against them by pupils or parents, and the sense the principal's actions were enabled, if not supported, by the board chairwoman.
''A number of examples were given of teachers who had become ill or were mentally stressed because of the pressures they experienced from the principal, and several reports gave a consistent picture of the nature of the bullying that had been experienced or witnessed,'' one of the reports said.
''The notions of micro-management, inadequate change management, lack of consultation and inappropriate use of students and parents to gather information to use against teachers were also regular themes.''
The school has 56 staff, and of the 40 teachers surveyed, 32 (80%) responded. Of the respondents, 84% said they were afraid to complain in case they were ''picked on''.
A staff member at the college, who declined to be named, said the staff were feeling ''battered and afraid - fearful of speaking out''.
''They are looking to the PPTA to step in and try to make the situation better,'' the staff member said.
''Because of the treatment of some specific staff members, staff are still very afraid to speak out. I love this school. I love teaching here. It's a special place to send your children for an education.''
In the wake of the survey, the PPTA made seven recommendations to the school, including that the PPTA and the board of trustees should agree and implement a timed and sequenced plan to eliminate or minimise the identified ''stressors'', and that the stress survey be undertaken again in three months, as part of the review of progress.
PPTA general secretary Kevin Bunker said none of the recommendations had been put into action, and as a consequence of the board's response to the survey reports, the Columba branch of the PPTA had given a vote of no-confidence in the board.
However, he revealed ''about five or six'' PPTA members at the school had also tendered their resignation from the union in a bid to ''disassociate themselves from the issue'', he said.
''Our principal concern is that they [the board] take the story they are getting from staff, seriously.
''If they don't think the survey is sufficiently independent, they could do their own survey.
''I see it as a serious matter. I believe there are real concerns.
''The last thing we want to see is the good education of the school affected.''
In a written response to the Otago Daily Times, board chairwoman Dr Margot Skinner said the board did not want to debate the issue in public.
However, she did say the results of the survey did not match the reality of life at the school.
''Columba College is an outstanding school. We have wonderful staff and a committed parent community.
''Our students are happy and achieve very well in academic, cultural and sporting fields.''
Dr Skinner said the principal and senior management had the board's unqualified support, and the new board of trustees was looking forward to working through areas of concern with the PPTA which represented ''a number of staff'' at the school.
''We believe it would be a breach of good faith to discuss any concerns we have about the current PPTA approach in public.
''Instead, we are continuing to work constructively with all staff and to improve relationships with those who have voiced concerns.''
