Nelson Central School facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Nelson Central School |
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Nelson Central School in 2011
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| Address | |
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70 Nile Street, Nelson
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| Coordinates | 41°16′39″S 173°17′19″E / 41.2774°S 173.2885°E |
| Information | |
| Type | Contributing Primary |
| Motto | Māori: Ki Runga Rawa |
| Established | 1878; 147 years ago |
| Ministry of Education Institution no. | 3209 |
| Principal | Pip Wells |
| School roll | 372 (February 2024) |
| Socio-economic decile | 7 |
| Website | nelsoncentral.school.nz |
Nelson Central School is a government-run primary school in the city of Nelson. It's located at the very top of the South Island of New Zealand. This school teaches boys and girls aged 5 to 11 years old.
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Where is Nelson Central School?
Nelson Central School is found in the city of Nelson, New Zealand. You can find it on Nile Street, just a few blocks east of the Christ Church Cathedral.
Who Can Enroll at Nelson Central?
Nelson Central School is a "primary contributing school." This means it teaches children from age 5 to 11. After finishing their time here, students usually move on to other schools. These include Nelson Intermediate School, Nelson College for Girls Preparatory School, or Nelson College Preparatory School.
Each year, about 50 to 60 five-year-old children start their learning journey at Nelson Central School.
A Look at Nelson Central's History
Did you know that Nelson Central School is the oldest school in New Zealand that still operates on its original land? That's pretty cool! Because of its age, the main school building and another building called Renwick House are very interesting to architects. Renwick House is named after Dr. Thomas Renwick.
The land where the school stands today was bought in 1893. The main school building officially opened its doors on Monday, June 23, 1930. This building is so important that Heritage New Zealand has listed it as a Category II historic structure. It was added to their list on November 25, 1982.
The very first school in the new Pākehā (European) settlement of Nelson opened way back in March 1842. That was just a few months after the first settlers from the New Zealand Company arrived.
Māori Culture and Language at School
Nelson Central School has a higher number of Māori children enrolled than you might expect for Nelson City. This could be because the school offers four special classes where students learn mostly in the Māori language. The school also has a full-time Kaiarahi reo, who is an expert in the Māori language.
All students at Nelson Central take part in the school's Mana Maori programme. This programme helps students learn about Māori language and culture. It's an important part of the school's commitment to the Treaty of Waitangi, which is a founding document of New Zealand.
