Wanaka Area School and Wanaka District High School

Wanaka Area School history.....
Pembroke School – opened in 1880 with Rev Charles Conner as first teacher and 22 pupils. When the 50th jubilee was held in 1930 there were 32 pupils.
In 1940 Pembroke School in Tenby Street became the Wanaka District High School but the 17 secondary pupils had to have their lessons in the supper room of the Wanaka Hall and, as this was unsatisfactory, the secondary department closed and the school reverted to the Wanaka Primary School in 1943. During that time secondary pupils attended Cromwell District High School or were sent to boarding school. The roll grew to 73 by 1949, a new school was built along the road on Tenby Street opening in 1950, and Wanaka District High School came back into existence in 1955 with 25 secondary students with Mr. Gunn as their teacher. The school changed again in 1976 when it became the Wanaka Area School with a roll of 305 pupils. The roll continued to grow until the decision was made in 1986 to split the school into Wanaka Primary School for students up to Standard 4 and a new school, Mt Aspiring College was built on Plantation Road for Form 1 to 7 students, both opening in 1987