Our Story
A Heritage of Duality
The Parvis School of Economics and Music was founded on a singular, provocative premise: that the divide between the quantifiable and the qualitative is an artificial construct. Established in the vibrant heart of Te Aro, Wellington, our institution occupies a unique space in the New Zealand educational landscape. We are not merely a school; we are an academic incubator designed for the “polymath”—the student who refuses to choose between the bow of a cello and the curve of a supply-demand graph.
Our origins trace back to a small collective of Wellington academics and musicians in the late 20th century who grew frustrated with the increasing industrialisation of education. They sought to create a sanctuary at 7 Inverlochy Place—a location chosen specifically for its quietude amidst the creative chaos of the city. While we have evolved from a small tutorial group into a fully accredited composite institution offering Secondary (Year 11–13), Undergraduate, and Postgraduate pathways, our soul remains unchanged. We are small by design. We are rigorous by necessity.
The “Parvis” Philosophy
The name ‘Parvis’ refers to the enclosed area in front of a cathedral or public building—a meeting place. We view our school as that meeting place between two great cathedrals of human thought: The Sciences (represented by Economics and Computer Science) and The Arts (represented by Music and Design).
We believe that the discipline required to master a Rachmaninoff concerto informs the cognitive resilience needed to solve complex econometric models. At Parvis, a high school student does not simply “take classes”; they engage in a synthesis of disciplines. It is common to see our Year 13 Physics students discussing wave mechanics with our Undergraduate Sound Engineering majors. This cross-pollination is not an accident; it is the architecture of our curriculum.
However, we must be transparent: Parvis is not for everyone. We do not offer sprawling rugby fields or Olympic-sized swimming pools. Our gymnasium is the library; our arena is the debate hall and the recital room. We cater to the intellectually hungry and the creatively restless. If you seek a traditional, broad-spectrum education, there are many fine schools in Wellington. If you seek a bespoke, intensive academic environment that treats you as a scholar from day one, then you belong here.
Leadership & Governance
From the Principal’s Desk
Guiding this unique ship is Principal Eustace Pertha, a figure known as much for his academic rigour as for his advocacy of the arts. Under his stewardship, Parvis has moved away from the standard “factory model” of education.
“Our job is not to fill buckets, but to light fires that burn with a specific, blue-flame intensity. We are training the architects of the future economy and the composers of the future culture. To separate these two creates incomplete citizens. At Parvis, we stitch them back together.” — Eustace Pertha
Our Board of Trustees comprises leaders from Wellington’s financial sector (The Terrace) and its creative industries (Miramar), ensuring that our strategic direction remains grounded in the realities of the modern workforce while aspiring to the highest ideals of academia.
Location: The Te Aro Advantage
Being situated at 7 Inverlochy Place, Te Aro, Wellington 6011, is a strategic asset. We view the city of Wellington as our extended campus.
- Proximity to Power: We are a short walk from the Reserve Bank of New Zealand and Parliament, providing our Economics students with tangible context for their studies.
- Proximity to Innovation: The surrounding streets are home to some of the world’s leading tech firms and design studios.
- The Building: Our campus blends the historic charm of Wellington’s colonial architecture with purpose-built, acoustically treated modern learning spaces. It is an intimate environment where anonymity is impossible. Every professor knows every student’s name, and more importantly, their potential.