Scots College, Wellington facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Scots College |
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Scots College in 2022
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| Address | |
| Coordinates | 41°19′42″S 174°49′09″E / 41.3284°S 174.8191°E |
| Information | |
| Type | Private, composite, day and boarding |
| Motto | Virtutem paret doctrina Let education build all-round character |
| Denomination | Presbyterian |
| Established | 1916 |
| Ministry of Education Institution no. | 281 |
| Headmaster | Mr Graeme Yule |
| Grades | 1–13 |
| Gender | co-educational |
| School roll | 1,148 |
| Socio-economic decile | 10 |
| Website | Scotscollege.school.nz |
Scots College is a private Presbyterian school in Wellington, New Zealand. This means it's not run by the government and has a connection to the Presbyterian Church. It is located in the suburb of Strathmore Park.
The college is like three schools in one. The Junior School is for students in Years 1 to 6. The Middle School is for Years 7 to 10, and the Senior School is for Years 11 to 13. Each school has its own principal and teachers. Scots College is also an IB World College, which means it offers the International Baccalaureate program.
Contents
School History
Scots College was founded in 1916 as a school for boys. It was started by Rev Dr James Gibb and the Hon John Aitken. They wanted to create a Christian school that was separate from the government's school system.
The school first opened in a building that is now used by its sister school, Queen Margaret College. In 1920, Scots College moved to its current location in Strathmore.
Scottish Traditions
The school is proud of its Scottish roots. This is shown in its special events, where a piper often leads students into the hall. The school song also reflects this heritage.
On special occasions and every Friday for chapel services, the school's student leaders, called prefects, wear kilts. The tartan (the pattern on the kilt) belongs to the Clan Fergusson. The school was given permission to use this tartan by a former Governor-General of New Zealand, Sir Charles Fergusson.
Becoming Co-educational
Starting in 2020, the school began to accept girls as well as boys. At first, girls could only join in Years 11 and 12. By 2022, the school became fully co-educational, welcoming girls in all year levels.
The Main Block of the school is recognized as a Category 2 historic building by Heritage New Zealand.
The House System
Students from Year 7 to 13 are placed into one of eight groups called "houses." The houses are named after important people from the school's history. The house system is a big part of school life.
Houses compete against each other in events like swimming, cross-country, music, and athletics. They also play weekly sports like hockey and touch rugby.
The eight houses in the Middle and Senior Schools are:
- Aitken (Blue)
- Fergusson (Green)
- Glasgow (Red)
- MacKenzie (Yellow)
- Plimmer (Sky Blue)
- Uttley (Black)
- Smith (Navy Blue)
- Mawson (Maroon)
The Junior School (Years 1–6) has its own four houses: Potatau (Blue), Bedding (Green), Macarthur (Red), and McKelvie (Yellow).
Campus and Facilities
Scots College has many modern buildings and facilities for students.
A science block was opened in 2006 by Nobel Prize winner Sir Paul Nurse. In recent years, the school has also built a new lecture theatre, an information centre, and a boarding house for students who live at the school.
Other major additions include:
- The Hodge Sports Centre, which opened in 2011.
- The Creative and Performing Arts Centre, which opened in 2012. This building has rooms for drama, music, art, and graphics, as well as a recording studio.
- The McKinnon Block, which opened in 2020. It includes kitchens for Food Science classes and a "fabrication lab" with modern design equipment. It also has common rooms for senior girls.
The school has also created "Flexible Learning Environments." These are special classrooms designed to help students work together on projects. They have spaces for large groups, small groups, and individual study.
Boarding at Scots College
Some students live at the school in the boarding house, which is called Gibb House. It is named after one of the school's founders. Gibb House has room for about 130 students, mostly from Years 9 to 13. Sometimes, younger students in Years 7 and 8 are also allowed to board.
Sports and School Connections
The Scots College 1st XV rugby team is a top team in its division. In 2014, the team were co-champions in the New Zealand Secondary School Championship. In 2015, they represented New Zealand at a youth rugby tournament in Japan and finished in third place.
When the 1st XV plays in big traditional games, they perform a special haka (a traditional Māori challenge) that was written just for them.
Scots College has a close relationship with its sister school, Queen Margaret College. The schools often have social events and sports games together. The college also competes against other schools like Lindisfarne College and Huntley School.
Famous Former Students
Many well-known people have graduated from Scots College.
- Steven Adams – Professional basketball player for the Memphis Grizzlies.
- Ashley Bloomfield – A doctor who was New Zealand's Director-General of Health.
- John Clarke – A famous comedian and writer.
- Lord Grey of Naunton – The last Governor of Northern Ireland.
- Eugenio Pizzuto – Professional soccer player.
- Sarpreet Singh – Professional soccer player for Bayern Munich II.
- Victor Vito – An All Black and New Zealand Sevens rugby player.
