Wednesday 8 October 2025
The King’s College Board of Governors is pleased to announce the appointment of Patrick Gale as the new Headmaster of King’s College. Mr Gale will join King’s in January 2026, succeeding Simon Lamb who announced in April that he would be stepping down at the end of the 2025 school year.
Patrick Gale comes to King’s after more than eight years as Principal of Rangitoto College, New Zealand’s largest secondary school with more than 4000 students and 365 employees. He is also a prominent and respected figure in New Zealand education, including as Chair of the NCEA Professional Advisory Group to the Ministry of Education which is playing a significant part in shaping national policy on qualifications and assessment.
“We chose Patrick after an extensive search across New Zealand and internationally,” said Shan Wilson, Chair of the Board of Governors.
“Our school attracted many talented applicants, but Patrick was the standout candidate, bringing exceptional knowledge and depth of thinking about education, as well as extensive leadership experience at Principal level across a variety of school environments. We were impressed with the way he connects with staff and students. We believe Patrick is the right choice to enhance our commitment to excellence and a positive school culture.”
Patrick Gale said: “It is a tremendous honour to be appointed Headmaster of King’s College. I have deep respect for the school’s long-standing traditions and its rich heritage, which have been shaped by the legacy of past students, teachers and leaders. I am eager to collaborate with the talented King’s community to build on this strong foundation and guide the school into its next chapter in delivering the best all-round education.”
Prior to Rangitoto College, Patrick served as Principal of Kaipara College in Helensville, where in a relatively short time he oversaw significant improvements in student achievement and in Education Review Office (ERO) assessment.
Earlier, Patrick worked at Rosmini College, an all-boys Catholic state-integrated secondary school on Auckland’s North Shore, where he served as Associate Headmaster for over a decade. Originally from the United Kingdom, Patrick began his teaching career at Simon Langton Grammar School for Boys in Canterbury, England before emigrating to New Zealand and joining Rosmini College in 2003.
Patrick holds a Master of Educational Leadership (with Distinction) degree. In addition to his role as NCEA Professional Advisory Group Chair, his educational expert roles include being on the University of Auckland Secondary Teaching Review Panel, a member of the prestigious Global Connections Heads Association, convenor of the 2000+ Schools Group with the Ministry of Education, and a member of the ERO NCEA Level 1 consultation panel.
