Nelson College

Nelson College
Address
Map
67 Waimea Road

,
7010

New Zealand
Coordinates41°17′8″S 173°16′36″E / 41.28556°S 173.27667°E / -41.28556; 173.27667
Information
TypeState secondary, day and boarding
MottoLatin: Pietas Probitas et Sapientia
(Loyalty, honesty and wisdom)
Established7 April 1856; 168 years ago (1856-04-07)
Sister schoolNelson College for Girls
Ministry of Education Institution no.294
HeadmasterRichard Washington
GenderBoys
School roll930[1] (February 2024)
Houses
  • Barnicoat
  • Chaytor
  • Domett
  • Kahurangi
  • Monro
  • Robinson
  • Rutherford
Colour(s)Navy and light blue   
Socio-economic decile7
Websitewww.nelson.school.nz

Nelson College is the oldest state secondary school in New Zealand, a feat achieved in part thanks to its original inception as a private school.[2] It is an all-boys school in the City of Nelson that teaches from years 9 to 13. In addition, it runs a private preparatory school for year 7 and 8 boys. The school also has places for boarders, who live in two boarding houses adjacent to the main school buildings on the same campus.

A Nelson College old boy, Charles Monro, was instrumental in introducing the game of rugby into New Zealand.[3][4]

  1. ^ "New Zealand Schools Directory". New Zealand Ministry of Education. Retrieved 14 March 2024.
  2. ^ "First state secondary school opens". New Zealand History. Ministry for Culture and Heritage. 9 December 2016. Retrieved 4 June 2020.
  3. ^ "1870s". New Zealand Rugby Museum. Retrieved 30 June 2018.
  4. ^ "New Zealand's First Game of Rugby". theprow.org.nz. Retrieved 30 June 2018.