Nelson Central School is a state primary contributing school located in the inner city of Nelson at the top of the South Island of New Zealand teaching children of both genders aged 5 to 11 years.

The site of the present school was purchased by the Nelson Education Board in 1893 for £1600.

The official opening ceremony of the main school building was held on Monday 23 June 1930.

[3] The school building is registered by Heritage New Zealand as a Category II historic structure.

This may be due to the presence of four Māori language immersion classes with a full-time Kaiarahi reo within Nelson Central.