Selwyn College, Auckland

Selwyn College
Address
Kohimarama Road,
Kohimarama,
Auckland, New Zealand
Coordinates 36°51′45″S 174°50′17″E / 36.8625°S 174.8381°E / -36.8625; 174.8381Coordinates: 36°51′45″S 174°50′17″E / 36.8625°S 174.8381°E / -36.8625; 174.8381
Information
Type State, co-educational, secondary
Established 1956
Ministry of Education Institution no. 49
Principal Sheryll Ofner
School roll 1177[1] (August 2018)
Socio-economic decile 4J[2]
Website selwyn.school.nz

Selwyn College is a co-educational public secondary school in the Eastern Suburbs of Auckland, New Zealand.

History

Selwyn College was built in 1956[3] to service Auckland's rapidly growing suburban sprawl and newly developed areas like Meadowbank-St. Johns and Kohimarama-Orakei. Ngata Pitcaithly was the school's foundation principal.[4]

The college has an annual full-school term one musical, and other theatrical productions throughout the year.[5] Selwyn has one of the largest theaters in a New Zealand public school. Selwyn also holds an annual multicultural show, featuring performances from the many ethnic and cultural groups represented in the school's community.

Selwyn College is home to the Barfoot & Thompson Stadium where numerous local, national and international sporting events are held.[6]

Selwyn has featured in the media as the school that educated the refugees who arrived in New Zealand following the Tampa affair in 2001.[7]

As a multi-cultural school in the eastern suburbs area, Selwyn values its historic connections with Ngati Whatua o Orakei.

Prior to the appointment of Sheryll Ofner as principal in 2008, Selwyn College experienced a tumultuous few years as some local residents and the local MP Allan Peachey criticised the school for its falling roll and alleged academic and disciplinary failures. Other members of the school community, parents, teachers and students fiercely defended the school in the face of what they saw as unfair criticisms. Peachey was forced to apologise publicly for sending an offensive email to the then co-principal, Carol White ONZM.[8] The Government dissolved Selwyn's Board of Trustees and replaced it with a commissioner on 20 January 2009, due to longstanding differences between board members and some members of the local community.[9] Some level of stability has been restored to the school in later 2009 as the new administration has consolidated itself. A new uniform has been introduced to help 'rebrand' the school. Academic results, while never as bad as the school's critics made out, have noticeably improved since 2008, with a Selwyn year 12 pupil topping New Zealand in one of the 2009 Cambridge International AS Level Examinations.

In 2002, Selwyn College hosted the filming of a popular TV3 television documentary series called School Rules which followed the lives of several Selwyn students.[10]

On the occasion of the school's 50th anniversary, Radio New Zealand broadcast s programme surveying the high-profile success of many musicians who had attended the school.[11]

On 16 September 2016 four Selwyn College students had won the Auckland Schools Debating Advanced Open Competition.[12]

Demographics

Last visited by Education Review Office (ERO) on 28 November 2014. The next review is due in 4-5 years (2018-2019).[13]

Selwyn College had 802 students enrolled. Fifty-three percent of students were male and 47% were female. The number of international students was at 31. The racial mark up of the school was as follows: 32% New Zealand European, 17% Māori, 13% Pacific Islander, 10% Southeast Asian, 5% Chinese, 4% Arab, 3% Indian, African and Latin American at 2% each and 1% as other ethnicity.[13]

Alumni

Notable alumni include:

References

  1. "Directory of Schools - as at 13 September 2018". New Zealand Ministry of Education. Retrieved 22 September 2018.
  2. "Decile Change 2014 to 2015 for State & State Integrated Schools". Ministry of Education. Retrieved 25 April 2018.
  3. Hunt, Graeme (ed.). "Selwyn College Jubilee Book" (PDF). Retrieved 25 April 2018.
  4. Simpkin, Gay. "Ngata Prosser Pitcaithly". Dictionary of New Zealand Biography. Ministry for Culture and Heritage. Retrieved 25 April 2018.
  5. Selwyn College Prospectus Retrieved 25 April 2018.
  6. "Orakei Local Board Auckland Council" (PDF). Retrieved 25 April 2018.
  7. Baker, Amy (28 October 2015). "Former refugees making the most of life at Selwyn College". Stuff.co.nz. Fairfax NZ. Retrieved 25 April 2018.
  8. Rushworth, Anna (25 January 2009). "Six months to shape up". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 25 April 2018.
  9. "Govt sacks troubled Selwyn College's board". The New Zealand Herald. 20 January 2008. Retrieved 25 April 2018.
  10. Hewitson, Michelle (28 January 2002). "Teen school subjects fail to interest". NZ Herald. Retrieved 25 April 2018.
  11. 1 2 3 4 5 "Musical Chairs - Selwyn College". Radio New Zealand. Radio New Zealand. 19 October 2017. Retrieved 30 June 2018.
  12. Fitzgerald, Mary (21 September 2015). "Former refugees making the most of life at Selwyn College". Stuff.co.nz. Fairfax NZ. Retrieved 25 April 2018.
  13. 1 2 "Selwyn College Education Review". Education Review Office. 28 November 2014. Retrieved 25 April 2018.
  14. "Zoë Bell". IMDb. Retrieved 25 April 2018.
  15. Moffatt, Glen. "Murray Grindlay - AudioCulture". www.audioculture.co.nz. Retrieved 16 August 2018.
  16. Schmidt, Andrew. "The Spelling Mistakes". Audio Culture. Retrieved 25 April 2018.
  17. Shute, Gareth. "MCOJ and Rhythm Slave Profile". AudioCulture. Retrieved 25 April 2018.
  18. Shute, Gareth. "Semi Lemon Kola profile". Audio Culture. Retrieved 25 April 2018.
  19. 1 2 Shute, Gareth. "Supergroove profile". Audio Culture. Retrieved 25 April 2018.
  20. 1 2 Baillie, Russell (20 November 2014). "Supergroove: There and back again". NZ Herald. NZME. Retrieved 25 April 2018.
  21. Kilgallon, Steve (7 September 2013). "Goldenhorse girl, interrupted". Stuff.co.nz. Fairfax NZ. Retrieved 25 April 2018.
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