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New Zealand, Hamilton
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The rise of St Paul's began on 12 February 1959 when the School opened under headmaster W. Ford with 60 boys, two-thirds of whom were boarders. The land purchased for the School was a farm called The Great Oaks, and the oak and acorn have become a symbol of growth for St Paul's. From 1963 to 1969, the dining hall, library and gymnasium were built and the Chapel of Christ the King was dedicated. Headmaster Tony Hart (1970–1979) established Tihoi Venture School, which opened in 1979 to provide character development through adventure. In 1985 girls were admitted, Harington Boarding House opened in 1992, and in 2024 the Board announced that girls would be able to enrol from Year 9; the school's motto State in Fide and a Founders' Day service are observed to honour the founders, and headmasters over the years include W. Ford, J. D. Lewis, H. R. Hornsby, A. D. Hart, M. G. Lawrence, S. W. Cole, G. J. Fenton, G. Lander and B. Skeen.
Collegians, the school's alumni, give time voluntarily and maintain long-standing ties with St Paul's, with members collectively having more than 105 years of connection. Grandparents' Day is part of the school calendar, with a Grandparents' Day event noted on 20 March 2026. The School Haka, He Haka maa te Wharekura o Paaora Tapu Ki Waikato, was written in 2010 by Collegian Te Aro Moxon and is performed on significant occasions, including welcomes and the annual House Haka competition; it forms part of the Poowhiri welcome for new students and staff.
The Parents' Association provides a forum for parents to participate in and contribute to a wide range of school-related activities. The committee is elected at the Annual General Meeting held in March. Activities include fundraising to help the School and organising social functions, with much of the work carried out at sub-committees. Meetings are held in the Collegians' Pavilion, start with drinks and nibbles at 6.30 pm, and finish by 8 pm. All current school parents are welcome to attend; join our Facebook group or email to be part of the Association.
St Paul's Collegiate School is a private day and boarding secondary school in Hamilton, for ages 13–18. It offers Cambridge IGCSE and Cambridge International AS Levels alongside NZQA pathways, including NCEA. The Junior Programme (Years 9–10) covers core English, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies, Physical Education, Health and Religion, with Te Reo Maaori as a Year 9 core and optional language or literacy studies. Some Year 9–10 subjects are taught in single-sex classes to tailor content. The Year 11 Diploma aligns with NZ Curriculum, and Years 12–13 provide NCEA Level 2 or Cambridge options, with scholarships possible. The 19-hectare campus hosts boarding houses (Harington for girls; Williams, Sargood and Clark for boys), a dining hall, chapel, gym and centres including the Gallagher Agribusiness Centre of Excellence and the Cambridge International Centre. Tihoi Venture School near Taupo offers an 18-week outdoor adventure program. Service, culture and sport are woven through daily life.
