Nelson College (Prep Dept) — School Profile

Key facts

School number4122
School typeIntermediate · Years 7–8
AuthorityPrivate : Fully Registered
GenderBoys School
BoardingNo
Language of instructionEnglish medium / other settings
Established17 November 1858

About Nelson College (Prep Dept)

Nelson College is a state secondary school for boys in Nelson, New Zealand, founded in 1856. It is a single-sex school, and its curriculum, pastoral care, and co-curricular structure are oriented specifically toward boys' education.

The school operates a Preparatory School catering to Year 7 and Year 8 students, with a curriculum described as designed for boys. The main secondary school and the Prep School share the same campus and organisational values.

The school's stated values are manaaki (care), pono (integrity), and kairangi (excellence). It describes its approach as values-based education, combining what it calls traditional values with an acknowledgement of Te Ao Māori and broader cultural diversity within its community.

Boarding is available, and the school also enrols international students. A student leadership system, peer tutoring, an academic committee, and a student council are among the structured activities offered across the school.

Enrolment

No enrolment scheme listed

No enrolment scheme is currently listed for Nelson College (Prep Dept) in the available Ministry of Education data. Check the current Ministry of Education information or contact the school for the latest enrolment arrangements.

Student ethnicity

The Ministry publishes this as a raw table — here it's visualised directly against Nelson College (Prep Dept)'s own roll, so the shape of it is clear at a glance.

European — 87 students (92.6%)
Asian — 5 students (5.3%)
Pacific — 1 students (1.1%)
Māori — 4 students (4.3%)
MELAA — 2 students (2.1%)
Other — 1 students (1.1%)
International — 2 students (2.1%)

Percentages may sum to more than 100% because students can identify with more than one ethnic group.

Education pathway

Nearby schools serving the next or previous year levels are shown as potential pathway options. They do not indicate formal enrolment pathways or actual student transfers.

Previous stage

Auckland Point School Contributing · Years 1–6 · 2 km
Appleby School Full Primary · Years 1–8 · 13.2 km
Brightwater School Contributing · Years 1–6 · 17.1 km

Current stage — Nelson College (Prep Dept)

Intermediate · Years 7–8

Potential next stage

Garin College Secondary · Years 9–15 · 8.1 km

Location

View larger map on OpenStreetMap

Street addressWaimea Road
CityNelson
Local authorityNelson City

Official contact details

Nearby schools

Schools physically closest to Nelson College (Prep Dept), regardless of year level.

Nelson College For Girls Prep School Intermediate · Years 7–8 · 928 m
Auckland Point School Contributing · Years 1–6 · 2 km
Broadgreen Intermediate Intermediate · Years 7–8 · 4.2 km
Garin College Secondary · Years 9–15 · 8.1 km
Salisbury School (Nelson) Specialist School · 8.8 km

Explore schools in Nelson

Browse Nelson schools by type, including primary, intermediate, secondary, composite and other schools.

Intermediate schools (3) Contributing schools (1) Secondary schools (1) All schools in Nelson →

Curriculum and Learning Areas

Nelson College (Prep Dept) organises its curriculum across the following learning areas:

Art & Drama
English & Media Studies
Health, Outdoor & Physical
Languages
Mathematics
Music
Sciences
Social Sciences
Technology & Trades
Vocational Education

Frequently asked

These aren't generic answers — each one is built directly from Nelson College (Prep Dept)'s own official Ministry of Education data already shown on this page, so what you read here always matches the figures above.

Nelson College (Prep Dept) is classified as a Intermediate school serving Years 7–8.

It's a private school in the Nelson region, meaning families pay tuition fees directly to the school.

No. It's a single-sex school for boys.

94 students, according to the September 2026 roll data.

Sources & methodology

Every fact on this page traces back to one of the rows below — official Ministry of Education data, or Nelson College (Prep Dept)'s own published information, reviewed before publication. Nothing here is inferred or estimated beyond what its source actually states.

Data	Source	Data period	Last checked
School characteristics	Ministry of Education	—	15 October 2026
Student roll	Ministry of Education / Education Counts	September 2026	15 October 2026
Equity Index	Education Counts	—	15 October 2026
Address & coordinates	Ministry of Education	—	15 October 2026
Contact details	NZ Schools Directory	Current	15 October 2026
School information (AI-curated, human-reviewed)	Nelson College (Prep Dept)'s official website	Current	16 October 2026