Whanganui Collegiate School headmaster Wayne Brown steps down after eight years

Whanganui Collegiate headmaster Wayne Brown is leaving the school at the end of the 2025 school year. Photo / NZME

Whanganui Collegiate School’s headmaster Wayne Brown is making 2025 his last year at the school.

Brown announced on September 19 he and his wife Alycia Brown would leave Whanganui Collegiate and New Zealand at the end of the school year.

They have been involved with the state-integrated day and boarding school for eight years.

Brown said the decision to move was influenced by their two children, who have been studying in Australia, Brown’s country of origin.

“After eight years of leadership at Collegiate, the timing is right,” Brown said.

“With our two adult children at university in Australia, it is a great opportunity for us to explore opportunities back in Australia or abroad.

“For me personally, this decision allows for a period of reflection, professional learning and new international opportunities.”

Brown is looking at taking a course through the Harvard Graduate School of Education.

He said he would look back on his time as headmaster with pride and good memories.

“It has been a great time, just absolutely wonderful, this is home for us – it is Alycia’s hometown,” Brown said.

“It has been a privilege to serve as headmaster of this remarkable school – we are humbled to have served and been entrusted with its leadership.”

Headmaster Wayne Brown and his wife Alycia Brown are leaving after eight years at the school.

Brown said with Collegiate being a boarding school, the role of headmaster was an all-hours job.

His proudest achievements at the helm include guiding the school through Covid-19, becoming global members of the Round Square network, introducing Cambridge International Education and becoming the first New Zealand school accredited by the Boarding Schools’ Association.

Collegiate managed one of the country’s largest “bubbles” during the Covid-19 lockdown, which allowed it to be one of the few schools to retain international students.

Brown said the success of the school’s people had been his “greatest source of pride”.

“Of all the successes, the most rewarding remains the growth of our young people and the professional growth of colleagues,” Brown said.

“To witness children of promise become young adults of character, whether that is in the classroom, on the sports field, through cultural expression, in service and in boarding life, is the true legacy of Whanganui Collegiate School.

“It is also the development of colleagues, seeing them flourish and taking the baton of leadership and change is exceptional.”

Board chairman Jason Bowie said the board was confident in the school’s direction and leadership, with the process to appoint a new headmaster under way.

Brown was confident the future of Whanganui Collegiate School was bright.

“The board has been fantastic and the school is so set ready for a new person to come in with fresh eyes, new energy and new opportunities to take it to the next level,” he said.

“The community spirit, commitment and shared sense of purpose will ensure it continues to flourish – it is an amazing school.”

Fin Ocheduszko Brown is a multimedia journalist based in Whanganui.