Wellington College (New Zealand)

Wellington College (in full, The Wellington College and Grammar School, sometimes just Coll) is a state school for boys located next to Government House and the Basin Reserve in Wellington, New Zealand. Having a history from 1853, it is a day school for boys aged 13 (Form 3 or Year 9) to 18 (Form 7 or Year 13)2. Wellington College was also a boarding school, until the College?s sole boarding house, Firth House, was demolished in 1981, but now there are plans to reestablish the school as both a day and boarding school.

Recent administrative matters

The New Zealand Government has made many administrative changes to the school.

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Two other Wellington secondary schools, Rongotai College near the airport and Wellington Girls' High School (now College) in Thorndon, have in the past been governed by the Governors of the Wellington College. They have since been made independent of the College, but maintain a connection through the use of a common crest and motto.

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Successive National administrations from the 1960s to the 1980s have made some of the most controversial suggestions to the school including a take-over by the Wellington High School and coeducation. These administrations have also been largely successful in demolishing the majority of the Neo-Gothic, Neo-Classical and Georgian Revival buildings on the Wellington College estate (most significant, the Old and West Schools), replacing them with pre-designed "standard state school" blocks. As a result a few extant buildings are placed under historical protection. The school has recently announced plans to reconstruct some of the buildings.

Related Topics:
National - Wellington High School - Neo-Gothic - Neo-Classical - Georgian Revival

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The Labour administration in 2003 imposed a "zone" on the College. Some of the roughly 1,400 boys currently educated at the College come from the "zone". Boys living within the zone now have automatic right of entry into the College. This is in contrast with the conservative enrolment scheme in place before the reform, including entry by examination, bursary/scholarship (usually for talented athletes), free place or by having a father or grandfather who attended the College. Don Brash specifically used Wellington College as an example of the failure of Labour's school zone system.

Related Topics:
Labour - 2003 - Don Brash

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Generally the School has been a politically prominent school and has been one of the most public targets for Government educational policy along with the Auckland Grammar School. Wellington College and Auckland Grammar are generally accepted as being some of the most prestigious schools in New Zealand.

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As of July 2003, the current Head Master of the College is R.J. (Roger) Moses who succeeded H.G. (Harvey) Rees-Thomas in 1995.

Related Topics:
2003 - 1995

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