Welcome

Headmaster's Message

Nelson College is an innovative boys’ school founded in 1856. The college takes pride in being New Zealand’s oldest state school with a rich heritage of tradition forming a backdrop to modern educational practice.

Famous Old Boys include such eminent New Zealanders as Nobel Laureate Lord Ernest Rutherford and NZ Prime Ministers Sir Wallace Rowling and Sir Geoffrey Palmer.

Nelson College engenders a strong sense of pride and belonging in its students through its traditional House system.  House based Homerooms provide a safe and nurturing environment within which boys are supported to realise their academic and social potential.  Student support services include an on-site medical facility, counsellors, careers advisors and mentors from both the College and the local community.

A distinctive feature of the college is an innovative and inclusive leadership programme for senior students where Year 13 Leaders give younger students strong support through the mentoring and House activities. 

The College has an enviable record of academic excellence, consistently outperforming higher decile schools in both internal and external examinations with a significant percentage of senior students gaining university entrance and scholarship.

Co-curricula success is diverse and eclectic with 28 students in 2008 winning national titles or being selected to represent New Zealand in their chosen activity or sport.  Film-making, Future Problem Solving, Physics and Basketball are just some examples of the wide-ranging fields in which these honours were achieved. 

Boys’ participation in a wide variety of musical and cultural activities is encouraged. Activities include orchestra, Jazz Band, Collegians Choir and Concert Band, Kapahaka and Manu Korero competitions and theatre sports. Performing Arts is particularly popular and of a high quality with a number of significant events throughout the year including Stage Challenge and Rockquest. 

Several subjects at a senior level are provided in conjunction with Nelson College for Girls. Through this close association, combined drama and musical performances and dances are held regularly throughout the school year.

The College is situated in a picturesque setting, with magnificent facilities for learning, sport, leisure and performing arts.  Twenty two hectares of park-like grounds include playing fields, a pool, two gymnasiums, tennis and fives courts as well as a traditional assembly hall and modern performing arts suite.

Boarders’ accommodation is provided in three boarding houses in the College grounds, each with their own housemaster, matron and tutors, whose role is to assist students with personal study, assignments and examination preparation.

Nelson College has high expectations of its students in their academic, co-curricular and personal development.  We pride ourselves on providing many and varied opportunities for young men that will give them a bright future and allow them to take their place in the world.