A former staff member at one of the most expensive and prestigious schools in the country is under investigation over allegations of inappropriate conduct.
Teachers at Auckland’s St Cuthbert’s College were informed this afternoon, with parents and the wider school community told shortly afterwards.
Principal Charlotte Avery was in a meeting when approached by the Herald around 2.30pm.
St Cuthbert’s College Board chairperson Leigh Melville said in a statement the person was a former junior member of its boarding staff.
“The investigation is focused on allegations of inappropriate conduct, including concerns about conversations and interactions with students that may have crossed the boundaries expected between students and staff,” she said.
“The safety and well-being of all our students is paramount, and we are treating this matter very seriously.”
Melville said as soon as the college became aware of concerns, “immediate action” was taken and the staff member no longer worked for St Cuthbert’s.
“Additional pastoral support is being provided to students and the boarding team while this process is underway.
“As this matter involves students and an active investigation, it would be inappropriate to comment further. The privacy and well-being of students remains the college’s priority.”
Police told the Herald this afternoon they were “not immediately aware” of any charges related to St Cuthbert’s College or its staff.
The Ministry of Education wasn’t aware of anything inappropriate when contacted by the Herald this afternoon.
St Cuthbert’s College is an elite private girls’ day and boarding school based in Epsom, Auckland.
It was established in 1915 and consistently ranks among the top schools in New Zealand for academic results.
Families pay $31,544 annually for senior students to attend the school, and an extra $21,608 for boarders. A compulsory blazer at St Cuthberts College costs $350.
This isn’t the first time the elite school has been in the news.
In 2024 a former teacher at St Cuthbert’s was cleared of wrongdoing after being accused of asking a teenage girl for a kiss and about her previous sexual experience.
However, the Teachers Disciplinary Tribunal was at “pains to point out” it did not find the former St Cuthbert’s College student’s account unbelievable.
“This process is limited to whether we find the charge proven or not based on all of the evidence, which we do not,” it said in its decision.
St Cuthbert's College principal Charlotte Avery began working at the school in 2024 after moving to New Zealand from England.
St Cuthbert’s principal, Charlotte Avery, responded by sending alumnae a statement praising the former student for her courage in coming forward, saying it was important such allegations are properly investigated.
That same year, a father unsuccessfully attempted to block his daughter from attending the private girls’ school, a move her mother said would have been spurning a “golden ticket” with smaller class sizes, better facilities and outstanding academic results.
A Family Court judge ruled that the girl should attend St Cuthbert’s College despite her father’s objections that it was “elitist” and mainly attended by children from privileged backgrounds. He instead wanted her to attend a state school.
In 2020 then Race Relations Commissioner Meng Foon spoke out after a teacher at St Cuthbert’s used the N-word during a lesson about white supremacy, prompting protests from some students and their families.
The teacher had quoted from African-American activist Malcolm X during the discussion and used the word in full.
The principal at the time then instructed staff “that the word is not to be spoken out loud again”.
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