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Land Trusts

Christian schooling throughout New Zealand is usually initiated and sustained by:

a local community that has a passion for and commitment to Christian schooling
a group of parents who wish their children to have a Christian education, and
a legal entity (normally a Trust) that owns the land and buildings.

NZCPT wishes to support and nurture this approach to Christian schooling, as it is consistent with the biblical mandate of parental responsibility for the education of children, and it is proven to work.

The NZCPT model leaves ownership of the school assets in local hands (ie. the Land Trust). The NZCPT Vision is to empower the local group to be vision carriers as well as owners.

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Faith Harvest Trust

Trust Chair

Rose Whitehead

Rose and her husband John have supported Christian education for over 20 years, with all five of their children attending Christian primary schools. She is a founding member and Chair of the Faith Harvest Trust, formed in 2019 to plant a new Christian school in Kerikeri. With NZCPT’s help, Harvest Christian School opened in 2021 and moved to its brand-new purpose-built facility in 2024.

Rose’s strengths lie in administration and leadership. She is a company director, trustee on several trusts, and manages operations for their family business. A dedicated member of Kerikeri Baptist Church, Rose leads and serves in several women’s ministry groups and sits on the Harvest Christian School Board as a Proprietor’s Representative.

Whangarei Christian Education Trust

Trust Chair

Vaughan Darby

Vaughan has recently stepped back from his extensive involvement in State-Integrated school Christian education. He is the past Chair of the Kingsway Trust, a role that he faithfully filled for over 20 years. He is the past Chair of the Association of Integrated Schools (AISNZ) and The Association of Proprietors of Integrated Schools (APIS). He retired as a Trustee on the NZCPT in 2025 after twenty years of service.

Vaughan and Mary are planning on stepping back into a well-earned retirement in Tutukaka. As a ‘local’ now, he continues to offer his energy and vision to the WCET, leading the Trust with his typical enthusiasm and optimism for the continued growth of Excellere College. The North is indeed fortunate to have his services available to them.

The Kingsway Trust

Trust Chair

Allan Bates

Allan and his wife are strong supporters of Christian education, with their three children all graduating from KingsWay School.

His life-long journey of faith began as a teenager, attending a variety of church fellowships across Auckland, and serving for many years as a contributing member of the Massey–Riverhead Presbyterian Parish.

Allan completed a Graduate Diploma in Theology at Laidlaw College in 2014 and has continued with further studies. Combined with his credentials as a Chartered Accountant, his experience in banking and not-for-profits as a senior executive, and more recently in a business advisory capacity, he brings valuable expertise to the work of the Trust going forward.

He has been a board member of Jireh Christian School since 2016 and previously served on the KingsWay School board from 2016 to 2020.

In 2020, Allan was elected Chair of the Trust, succeeding the retiring and long-serving Vaughan Darby, who has taken “one step back” towards a well-deserved retirement in Tutukaka.

Hāwera Christian
Education Trust

Trust Chair

Sam Stewart

Sam is originally from Northern Ireland and has been in New Zealand for the last 24 years with his Kiwi wife Jenny.

He has worked in the oil and gas industry for the last 23 years in various roles and is currently the Production Co-Ordinator for Ballance Agri-Nutrients, Kapuni site.

Sam is heavily involved in the Hawera Baptist Church, where he is an Elder. He has been with the Hawera Christian School for the last 6 years as the HCET Board representative. He assumed the role of Chairperson for the HCET following the retirement of John Omundsen in December 2022.

He has a great passion for Christian education and works hard to ensure the school has the best possible facilities and that it maintains its special character in all aspects of school life.

Peniel Charitable Trust

Trust Chair

Andrew Kisling

One wife, two kids, three bikes, four grandchildren, and oversubscribed on entrepreneurship and irrepressible optimism. My career has spanned technology startups and a stint on the board of a global telecommunications company. My father founded Miramar Christian School in the 1970s, and I have served on The Peniel Charitable Trust for more than 30 years, a majority of that time as Chair. From 2021, I was privileged to work with many key Christian education stakeholders from around New Zealand to plan for, secure, and launch Wellington Hills Christian College. There is so much untapped potential for high-quality Christian education in the Wellington region, and our trust is leaving no stone unturned, diligently and prayerfully seeing that potential realised.

Christian Schools Association of Queenstown

Trust Chair

Rob Stewart

Rob has been a part of the CSAQ since 2023 and was recently voted Chair. Growing up on a farm in Southland, New Zealand, Rob has travelled the world and 8 years ago returned to the South. Rob is a Civil Engineer and manages a busy engineering & surveying office in Queenstown.

His heart for Christian education stems from his time as a secondary school student, attending Bethlehem College in Tauranga.

Rob is married to his wife of 15 years, Fernanda, from Brazil, and has 3 young children.

Land Trusts

Faith Harvest Trust

Whangarei Christian Education Trust

The Kingsway Trust

Hāwera Christian Education Trust

Peniel Charitable Trust

Christian Schools Association of Queenstown

Hāwera Christian
Education Trust