Wadestown School, Wellington

Key facts

About Wadestown School

Wadestown School is a state co-educational full primary school located in Wellington, with approximately 260 students. It operates across two sites roughly one kilometre apart: Weld Street and Rose Street.

The school was first established at Weld Street on 1 June 1881, making it one of the earlier schools in Wellington. It began as a single classroom and was rebuilt in its current layout, officially reopening on 15 June 1946. The Rose Street site opened in February 1917. Rose Street accommodates students from Year 2 to Year 8 across three classroom blocks — Rata (Years 3–4), Rimu (Years 5–6), and Kōwhai (Years 7–8) — along with an Admin Block containing the principal's office, school office, medical room, and hall.

The school describes its community as built around partnership among students, staff, families, a Whānau group, a Parent Teacher Association, and the School Board. The PTA holds charitable status, and membership is automatic for all families with a child enrolled.

Wadestown School is not faith-based and does not operate as a Māori-medium or area school.

Curriculum

Wadestown School covers Years 1 to 8. The following subject areas are described in the school's curriculum documentation:

• Science – practical, hands-on experimentation from Years 1 to 8, recorded in a Science Journal maintained across all year levels. Years 7 and 8 students complete a Science Fair project, with the strongest entries submitted to the NIWA Regional Science Fair competition.
• Literacy – reading and writing treated as interconnected strands across all year levels.
• Te Reo Māori – te reo and tikanga Māori are taught across Years 1 to 8, supported by a specialist kaiako and a Kapa Haka tutor. A tuakana–teina (buddy class) approach is used across year levels.
• The Arts – students participate in events including an annual school production and the Wellington City Council's Dancesplash and Artsplash programme, covering choral, dance, visual art, and orchestral performance.
• Numeracy – number knowledge and strategies covering addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division, applied through real-life situations.
• Information Technology – embedded across curriculum areas using Windows laptops, Lenovo Chromebooks, and Apple iPads. From Year 7, students may optionally bring their own device.
• Leadership – a structured programme from Years 1 to 8 including student council, House captains, road patrol, and other roles. In Year 8, students complete a formal application and interview process for leadership positions.
• Education Outside the Classroom (EOTC) – includes camps for Years 5 to 8, held early in the school year.

Te ao Māori is described as woven across the school more broadly, with community events including a mihi whakatau, a Matariki breakfast, and participation in a Kāhui Ako kapa haka festival. The school operates across two sites — Weld Street and Rose Street — each with its own library, staffed by a librarian funded by the School Board.

Co-curricular Activities

Wadestown School offers the following named co-curricular sports clubs and teams:

• Wadestown School Netball Club — open to Years 1–8; senior players (Years 3–8) compete in the Wellington West Netball competition with games at Cardinal McKeefry School and a registration fee of $70; junior players (Years 1–2) participate in lunchtime skills sessions and two casual tournaments in August
• Touch Rugby — school team requiring students to wear the Wadestown School sports uniform and attend practices before school, at lunchtime, or after school; team registration costs approximately $185 per team
• Winter Hockey — school team (details to be confirmed)
• Miniball and Basketball — after-school league for Years 3–8, held during Terms 2 and 3 at the Nairnville Recreation Centre; maximum of five players on court and eight players per team