Nelson College is the oldest state secular secondary school in New Zealand, being founded on April 7, 1856.

Its most famous old boy is the Nobel Prize winning scientist Ernest Rutherford.

Nelson College currently has just over 1000 students, and also runs a small Preparatory Department for years 7 and 8 (Forms 1 and 2).

The current Headmaster of Nelson College is Salvi Gargiulo.

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