Huntley is an independent preparatory school catering for boys and girls in years 3-8. It is located in Marton, within 30 minutes' drive of Palmerston North and Wanganui.
We provide a school culture in which kids can be kids. They are kept busy and active. A Huntley education is a complete, well rounded learning experience that is about more than just academics and sport. Huntley instils confidence and a readiness for whatever comes next.
This is Huntley’s defining point of difference.
Some of the features of the Huntley education are:
English
Maths
Social Studies
Woodwork
Science
Health
French
Spanish
Te Reo Maori
Religious Education
Art
Music
Physical Education
Technology
Physical exercise is a vital part of Huntley’s values and philosophy. Participation is key and all students are expected to play a summer and winter sport. During the year students are also expected to take part in the Huntley Triathlon, Swimming Sports, Cross Country, Winter Sport Squad Tournaments and Athletic Sports. The Athletics and Swimming Sports are major events on the school calendar and both include a family picnic and fun races for parents.
In Summer students choose from:
In Winter the options are:
Students are also exposed to sports such as:
On offer at Huntley is;
We have purpose built facilities and our cultural programme develops confidence in our students. It gives those that love to perform on stage an opportunity to shine and pushes those, that are not so confident, out of their comfort zone.
Huntley is affiliated to the Anglican Diocese of Wellington. However, all our Chapel services are inter-denominational, and values based. Morning chapel services held in our St Barnabas Chapel give students time to reflect and prepare for the day ahead. They are often involved in the services and twice a year, each class conducts a service. We visit local Anglican Parish, St Stephens Church once a term.
Students also have the opportunity to be confirmed by the Bishop of Wellington.
Huntley’s long established boarding tradition and the happy environment created by our caring staff gives Huntley its X-factor. Through immersion in our boarding environment students maximise their time at Huntley and reap the full benefit of the opportunities we offer.
Boarders at Huntley make friendships that last a lifetime. Boys and girls also develop independence and social skills that set them up for the adventure of secondary school and beyond.
The Huntley boarding house is made up of two girls’ dormitories and four dormitories for boys. The total number of boarders varies between 80 and 120 students. Our larger dormitories sleep up to 26 students and the smaller dormitory sleeps 13 students.
Each dormitory has students of all ages in it and each student has his/her own bed and cupboard space. There is a Boarding staff member on duty at all times. The Headmaster’s family residence is connected to the boarding house and several other members of the teaching staff live onsite with their families.
Our boarding programme allows boarders to go home every weekend if they want to, except for two compulsory ‘in weekends’.
We believe Huntley and Home offers the best of both worlds. It provides students with structure and routine during the week and gives parents the valued weekend time with their children.
The details.
At Huntley, we have developed a specific set of Huntley values which help students to develop and clarify their own principles, and respect and be sensitive to the rights of individuals, families, or groups who hold differing view-points to their own.
These are part of everyday life at Huntley. They are part of our Health curriculum, we talk about them in Chapel, in whole school assemblies and they are reiterated in class daily.
We also focus on Stephen Covey’s 7 habits of highly effective children.
We offer both day and boarding options. Our boarding houses are happy and safe environments where students are supported by caring staff and are able to reap the full benefits of a Huntley education as well as make life-long friendships.
Our Huntley School day starts at 8.30am and finishes at 5pm following a school based sports programme.
Thank you for considering a Huntley education.
At Huntley, every student is given the opportunity to reach their potential academically, physically, socially, culturally and spiritually. We want to help your child to become an outstanding citizen. Whenever Old Boys and Girls return to visit we see evidence that the academic and social skills, strong work ethic and high personal standards they learned at Huntley stay with them through secondary school and in fact, their entire adult life.
As a parent, you understand these years before secondary school are crucial in a child’s education and development. Through immersion in our boarding environment students maximise their time at Huntley and reap the full benefit of the opportunities we offer. This long established boarding tradition and the happy environment created by our caring staff gives Huntley its X-factor.
At Huntley, we celebrate success. We have high standards for appearance and behaviour and expect every child to give their best from the moment they wake to when they go to sleep at night.
I understand deciding whether to invest in a Huntley education is significant. I invite you to come along and meet our students, and see for yourself why we are proud of what we are able to achieve together at Huntley.
Sam Edwards
Headmaster
About Sam
Office Manager
Huntley is New Zealand’s oldest and largest preparatory boarding school. Founded in 1896 under the joint Headmastership of Messrs Charles Mather and Basil Wilson, Huntley was originally established as a boys’ only school to prepare boys for entrance to Wanganui Collegiate School. In 1899, it was given the name Marton Preparatory School and in 1900 the school moved into the original two storeyed, wooden building on the present site.
Basil Wilson died in 1902 but Charles Mather continued as Headmaster, renaming the school Huntley School after his home in England, Huntley Hall. By the time he retired in 1919 the roll was in the 70’s and the original building had been greatly extended. The school continued to be owned by its successive Headmasters until a Trust Board was established in 1954 to purchase and run the school.
Huntley became co-educational in 2014. We knew there was demand for high‐quality, independent co-education and no preparatory boarding school options for girls in the lower North Island. The change to co‐ed has meant our students grow and develop in a more natural environment, where they relate easily to both genders, just as they do in a family.
Sarah and I live at Whangaehu, 20 mins east of Marton, where we run a sheep, beef and cropping farm. Prior to farming I had a banking background both in New Zealand and overseas, and am currently also involved in several other governance roles. We have 3 children – two are now at Otago University and one in Year 12 at Whanganui Collegiate.
Having been on the Huntley Board of Trustees since 2017 I am excited about the opportunity to help drive the future direction of the School. Our family has a long connection with Huntley, and I am also an Old Boy from 1984 – 1985. Our two sons also attended the School, the last finishing in 2018.
It’s a great privilege and responsibility to be asked to chair the Board of such a special School, and I look forward to working with all the stakeholders to ensure that we build on the current momentum and plan soundly for the future. I would also like to specially thank the past Chairperson, Duncan Johnston, for the outstanding job he has done over my time on the Board. His quiet determination and desire for excellence has left a great legacy for the current Board to build on.
Search Huntley School on the app store to download this very handy tool for your phone or tablet.
See everything that's happening at Huntley School this term.
Read more about the real education Huntley offers.
