This article is about Wesley College in Auckland, New Zealand. See Wesley College (disambiguation) for articles on other institutions named "Wesley College".

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 briefly in 1869 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.

Principals

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

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 -

Notable alumni

• George Tupou II - King of Tonga
• Malietoa Tanumafili II - former Head of State of Samoa
• Jonah Lomu - All Black (1st XV captain, 1993)
• Sitiveni Sivivatu - All Black
• Walter Buller - lawyer, naturalist and ornithologist
• Jim Peters - politician
• Temuera Morrison - actor (the school's head prefect, 1977)
• Ian Mune - actor and film director
• Roger McClay - politician and Children's Commissioner
• Todd McClay - National Party Candidate for Rotorua (2008) and former Cook Islands diplomat (Ambassador to European Union)
• Casey Laulala - All Black (1st XV captain and Head Prefect, 2000)
• Rob Storey - politician
• Sir Peter Kenilorea - First Prime Minister and Current Speaker of Solomon Islands
• Stephen Donald - All Black
• Doug Rollerson - All Black
• Seilala Mapusua - Manu Samoa
• Sailosi Tagicakibau - Manu Samoa
• Tame Tupou - Kiwis/Brisbane Broncos/Bradford Bulls (Deputy Head Prefect, 2001)
• Fetuli Talanoa - Tonga Rugby League International/South Sydney Rabbitohs
• Richard Taylor - Academy Award Winner (Lord of the Rings Trilogy)
• Hale Tu'uhoko Pole - Southland, Highlanders and Tongan International Rugby Player

References

See also

• List of schools in New Zealand

External links

• Wesley College Website