Tīpene / St Stephen's School (now called Tipene, and historically St Stephen's Māori Boys School) is an Anglican charter boarding secondary school for boys in Bombay, Auckland, New Zealand.
Tīpene / St Stephen's is one of New Zealand's oldest Anglican boarding schools, predominantly serving Māori and Pasifika boys. The school was established in 1844 and became a Māori girls' school in Parnell, Auckland before becoming a boys-only Māori boarding school in 1860. In 1931 it moved to Bombay, Auckland.
St Stephen's became a state school in 1973 and was closed in 2000. The school reopened as Tīpene / St Stephen's charter school in 2025.
History
St Stephen's was started in Te Araroa in 1844 as an Anglican mission school, then became a Māori girls' primary school in Taurarua / Parnell, Auckland, endowed with a 67 acre land grant by Governor Grey and established by Bishop Selwyn while the boys went to Selwyn's St John's College.
In 1860, St Stephen's became a Māori boys' boarding primary school. In the 1920s, the school developed its own secondary department. In 1931 it moved to Bombay, in the south of Auckland and the secondary roll grew steadily.
From 1939 to 1945, during World War II, the school was requisitioned as a hospital and students went to nearby schools. St Stephen's re-opened in 1949.
St Stephen's became a state school in 1973. The school was known for its academic, cultural, and sporting achievements and produced prominent Māori leaders. However, the school was closed in 2000 by the board, church and Education Minister Trevor Mallard due to performance and financial concerns, and chronic bullying allegations.
While it was closed, the school site was used by the New Zealand Army for target practice, and as a film location for the Netflix series Sweet Tooth.
In 2024, the Te Pīhopatanga o Te Tai Tokerau diocese of the Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia gave its support to the reappointment of the board for the Auckland Anglican Māori boy's high school.
In February 2025, the school reopened as Tīpene / St Stephen's School, operating under Associate Education Minister David Seymour's charter schools system. Te Tuara Trust was the school's governing body and the St Stephen's Queen Victoria Trust Board was the owner of the land and buildings. The school was a collaboration between the two trusts and Te Rauhitanga o te Mano o Tipene / St Stephens Old Boys Association.
In 2025 and 2026, former student and principal of the school, Te Ururoa Flavell was the school board chairperson. The school's co-principals were past pupil, Nathan Durie and his wife Yvette McCausland-Durie.
In early 2026, a documentary called Tīpene – A Legacy Reborn, directed by Kimiora Kaire-Melbourne, presented the renewal and 2025 reopening of Tīpene / St Stephen's, including the volunteer work of the school's old boys association and the 13 large carvings that tohunga whakairo / master carver, Pakariki Harrison made for Te Poho o Tīpene, the main school building.
In July 2026, the school opened Tīpene Archive, a dedicated archive room of photographs, taonga, records and stories to connect students with 180 years of Māori education history. Former student, Professor Te Kani Kingi led the project for over ten years.
Administration Headmasters / principals The following individuals have served as headmaster or principal of Tipene / St Stephen's School:
PeriodHeadmaster / principal1844–1871Rev George Adam Kissling 1871–1904John Edwin Davies 1905–1927Albert Wilson 1927–1942William Charles Morris 1948–1954Patrick Smyth1954–1971Evan 'Joe' Lewis1973–1984Frank 'Scotty' McPherson1996–1999Hon Te Ururoa Flavell2025–presentNathan Durie & Yvette McCausland-Durie
Chairmen of the school board The following individuals have served as chairman of the school board:
PeriodChairman of the school boardLate 1990sJoe Harawira2025–presentHon Te Ururoa Flavell
Notable alumni
Gallery
References