About
The Wanganui Collegiate School was founded by a land grant in 1852 by the Governor of New Zealand, Sir George Grey, to the Bishop of New Zealand, George Augustus Selwyn, for the purpose of establishing a school. It was originally a boys-only school but in 1991 began admitting girls at senior levels and went fully co-educational in 1999. The school celebrated its 150th anniversary in 2004.
The school amalgamated with St George’s School in 2010. The combined schools provide primary education for day students on the St George campus, and secondary education for day and boarding students on the Collegiate campus.
Collegiate is an International Member of The Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference (HMC) which represents heads of the leading independent schools in the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland and international schools mainly from the Commonwealth. Wanganui Collegiate is one of only three member schools in New Zealand.
Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex, spent two terms in 1982 at the school as a junior master during his gap year.
On 2 November 2012, it was announced that Wanganui Collegiate would be integrated into the state system effective January 2013, after the school required a $3.8 million bailout from the government to stay afloat.
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