St Mary's College, Wellington facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Mary's College |
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Exterior of St Mary's College
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| Address | |
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Guildford Terrace,
Wellington, New Zealand |
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| Coordinates | 41°16′32″S 174°46′33″E / 41.2756°S 174.7758°E |
| Information | |
| Type | Integrated secondary (year 9–13) single sex, girls |
| Motto | Misericordia et Sapientia (Mercy and Wisdom) |
| Established | 1850; 175 years ago |
| Ministry of Education Institution no. | 286 |
| Principal | Andrew Murray |
| School roll | 556 (February 2024) |
| Socio-economic decile | 9Q |
St Mary's College Wellington is a school for girls in Wellington, New Zealand. It's located in the Thorndon area. This school is a Catholic secondary school for girls from Year 9 to Year 13. It is a "state-integrated" school, which means it's a private school that gets some funding from the government.
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History of St Mary's College
St Mary's College is one of the oldest schools in New Zealand. It was started in 1850 by Philippe Viard. He was the first Catholic Bishop of Wellington.
In 1861, a group of religious sisters called the "Sisters of Mercy" took over the school. They helped run the school and teach the students. At first, the school taught both boys and girls. It also had a place for students to live (a boarding facility). Today, it is only for girls and does not have boarding.
The land for the school was given by important people. Part of it was from Lord Petre, who was involved with the New Zealand Company. Another part was given by George Grey, who was the Governor of New Zealand.
School Buildings
The school has several buildings. Some of them are quite old, dating back to the 1900s. The "Gabriel Block" is now used as the school hall. The other two main buildings are named "Carlow" and "McAuley".
The McAuley building is named after Sister Catherine McAuley. She used her own money to start the Sisters of Mercy group in Dublin, Ireland. The school is still owned by the Sisters of Mercy today.
Two parts of the school, the Gabriel Hall and St Joseph's Providence Porch, are listed as important historical places in New Zealand.
What Students Learn
Like most other schools in New Zealand, students in Years 11 to 13 take NCEA exams. These exams help students get qualifications for future studies or jobs.
School Facts
- Number of Teachers: 33 teachers work at the school.
- International Students: 4 students come from other countries to study here.
- Student Backgrounds: The students come from many different backgrounds:
- New Zealand European/Pākehā: 45%
- Pacific Islander: 22%
- Māori: 16%
- Asian: 14%
- Other backgrounds: 3%
See also
- Sacred Heart Cathedral School, Thorndon
- Sacred Heart Cathedral, Wellington
- Sisters of Mercy
- St Mary's Cathedral, Wellington
- St Patrick's College, Silverstream
Famous Former Students
Many talented people have studied at St Mary's College. Here are a few:
- Margaret Butler (1883–1947) – A famous sculptor who created art from stone and other materials.
- Pip Desmond – An author and journalist who writes stories and reports news.
- Patricia Grace (born 1937) – A well-known writer from New Zealand.
- Ainsleyana Puleiata (born 2000) – An international netball player.
- Saviour Tui (born 2001) – A netball player who has played for the Samoan national team.
- Beverley Wakem (born 1944) – She was the Chief Ombudsman, which means she helped people solve problems with government agencies. She also led Radio New Zealand.
- Therese Walsh (born 1971) – A top business leader. She helped organize big sports events like the 2011 Rugby World Cup and the 2015 Cricket World Cup.
- Joy Watson (née Evans) (1938–2021) – An author who wrote books for children.
- Fran Wilde (born 1948) – A New Zealand politician. She was a Member of Parliament and the first female Mayor of Wellington.
