Wesley College is a secondary school in Paerata, at the northern edge of Pukekohe, Auckland Region, New Zealand. The school provides education from year 9 to 13.
The school was founded by members of the Methodist Church in 1844, making it one of the country's oldest schools. Initially located in Grafton and then the Three Kings area of Auckland, it closed in 1868 before reopening in 1876 in Three Kings again. From the beginning there was an emphasis on educating Maori boys, and also played a prominent role in educating students from countries of the South Pacific. In 1924 the school was moved to its current location of Paerata, near Pukekohe. In 1985 it was one of the first boys schools in New Zealand to admit girls at the senior level.
Contents
Prince Albert College
Wesley College was located in Upper Queen Street when it closed in 1868; the building and land was donated to the Methodist Church for education purposes. In 1895, a new school with Methodist links started in that building, known as Prince Albert College. The school closed on 31 December 1906 due to financial pressures. The building was later used by Auckland Girls' Grammar School.
Principals
The following have been principals of the school:
Revs. Alexander Reid, Thomas Buddle, George Stannard, HH Lawry, Wallis
Rev. J H Simmonds 1895–1923
R. C. Clark, MA (Melb), Dip Ed 1924–1944
Rev. E. M. Marshall, BA, Dip Ed 1944–1964
C. A. Neate, MA, Dip Tchg 1965–1967
E. Te R. Tauroa, B AgricSc, Dip Ed, Dip Tchg 1968–1973 Believed to be the first Māori principal of a secondary school, later Race Relations Conciliator.
J. B. McDougall, E.D., B Agric Sc, Dip Tchg 1974–1988
G. V. Cowley, MSc (Hons), Dip Tchg, JP 1989–2002
I. F. Faulkner, JP, MA (Hons), Dip Tchg 2003–?
S. Hargreaves
Dr. B. Evans -present
Notable alumni
The arts
Temuera Morrison – Actor (Head Prefect, 1977)
Ian Mune – Actor and Film Director
Richard Taylor – Multiple Academy Award Winner (Lord of the Rings Trilogy)
Arnold Manaaki Wilson – Artist and Sculptor, Father of Contemporary Maori Art, First Maori to gain a Diploma in Fine Arts
Koro Dewes – Ngāti Porou kaumatua and Māori language advocate
Sialeʻataongo Tuʻivakanō – Prime Minister of Tonga (Voted in 2011 – Known as Siale Kaho while at College)
Jim Peters – Politician
Sir Peter Kenilorea – First Prime Minister and Current Speaker of Solomon Islands
Roger McClay – Politician and Children's Commissioner
Todd McClay – Member of Parliament for Rotorua, former Cook Islands diplomat (Ambassador to European Union)
Rt Hon. Baron Fielakepa – Chief of the Defense Staff, His Majesty’s Armed Forces, Kingdom of Tonga
Rob Storey – Politician
Malietoa Tanumafili II – Former Head of State of Samoa
George Tupou II – King of Tonga
Baron Vaea – former Prime Minister of Tonga (Vaea attended between 1938 and 1941)
Science
Walter Buller – lawyer, naturalist and ornithologist
Sport
Rugby Union
Uini Atonio – Counties Manukau, La Rochelle, France
Stephen Donald – New Zealand Secondary Schools, New Zealand u19s, New Zealand u21s, Counties, Waikato, Chiefs, Bath, New Zealand All Black
Rhys Duggan – New Zealand Secondary Schools, New Zealand u19s, New Zealand u21s Waikato, Chiefs, New Zealand All Black
Epalahame Faiva – Wakato, New Zealand u20s
Malakai Fekitoa – Auckland, Highlanders, New Zealand All Black
Frank Halai – Waikato, NZ Sevens, Counties Manukau, Blues, New Zealand All Black
Kauvaka Kaivelata- Counties Manukau Steelers, Pukekohe Rugby Club, Manukau Rovers, Chiefsu18, Chiefs Super Rugby
Sekope Kepu – New Zealand U17's, New Zealand Secondary Schools, New Zealand u19s, New Zealand u21s, Counties, NSW Waratahs, Australia – Wallabies
Casey Laulala – New Zealand u19s, New Zealand u21s, Counties, Canterbury, Crusaders, Cardiff Blues, New Zealand All Black
Nepo Laulala – Canterbury, Crusaders, New Zealand All Blacks
Jonah Lomu – New Zealand U16's, New Zealand U17's, New Zealand Secondary Schools, New Zealand u19s, New Zealand u21s, Counties, Wellington, North Harbour, Blues, Chiefs, Hurricanes, Cardiff Blues, NZ Sevens, New Zealand All Black
Tevita Mailau – New Zealand Secondary Schools, New Zealand u19s, New Zealand u21s, Northland, Auckland, Blues, Tonga Ikale Tahi