Whanganui High School

Whanganui High School
Address
Purnell Street
Springvale
Wanganui 4500
New Zealand
Coordinates 39°56′01″S 175°01′59″E / 39.9335°S 175.0331°E / -39.9335; 175.0331Coordinates: 39°56′01″S 175°01′59″E / 39.9335°S 175.0331°E / -39.9335; 175.0331
Information
Established 1958[1]
Ministry of Education Institution no. 189
Principal Martin McAllen[2]
Years offered 9–13
Gender Coeducational
School roll 1475[3] (August 2018)
Socio-economic decile 4L[4]
Website www.whanganuihigh.school.nz

Whanganui High School is a large state co-educational New Zealand secondary school located in Whanganui, New Zealand. Founded in 1958, the school has a roll of 1474[5] students, including 60 international students as of April 2018, making it the largest school in Whanganui.

The school spelled its name "Wanganui High School" until May 2016, when it changed to "Whanganui".

In 2002 The Have, a band made up of Wanganui High School students, won the Smokefreerockquest.[6]

History

In February 1958 a group of 148 Third Formers gathered for the first Assembly in the present D1. There was a staff of nine.

By 1969 the roll had risen to 1100. The first Principal, Mr A.T. Gibson, emphasised 'manners, character, scholarship and human relations'. He stressed that the School was not an 'it' – the 'family' life of the school was vital. These emphases have remained.

The school developed a tradition of 'self-help' and through much fundraising has built up some very good facilities for the use of the students and staff. Facilities such as; the Swimming Pool (1962), the Gymnasium (1968), the Centre Court, the extensions to the Cafeteria and Theatrette (1980's), the Shelters (1990's), The Department/Ministry of Education has added the Library (1970), The Music Block (1972), Te Atawhai (1996), Music and Drama renovations (1999), Te Arahi (1999), Science Block and Dean's House (2002), and new Gymnasium facilities (2006). In 2008 the school celebrated its 50th reunion.[7]

School motto and life values

The school’s motto is 'That we might have life' and comes from the Book of John, in the New Testament (Chapter 10, Verse 10) “I am come that they might have life, and they might have it more abundantly"[8]. The school has interpreted the motto as through academic, cultural, sporting and socialisation opportunities the school provides, the individual will have the opportunity to live life to the full.

Stemming from this motto is Whanganui High School’s LIFE values. These are; Learning, Integrity, Fellowship, Excellence. These values form the bases of daily teaching and learning at Whanganui High School[7]

Academics

Whanganui High School follows the New Zealand Curriculum (NZC). In Years 11 to 13, students work towards the National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA) the main secondary school qualification in New Zealand, and in some subjects international qualifications including Cambridge

Principals

The school has had eight principals in its history:[9]

  • A.T. Gibson (1958–1967)
  • M.D. Fountain (1968–1978)
  • P.G. Canham (1979–1985)
  • L.I. Power (1985–1993)
  • W.J. Maguire (1994–2009)
  • N.G. Hanton (2010–2012)
  • G. Olver (2012–2016)
  • M. McAllen (2017–present)

School houses

Our official Houses Opening Day for all students and staff of Whanganui High School took place on Friday 16 February 2018 at the Jubilee Stadium, Whanganui. Whanganui High School historically had a house system in the 1970s, it is not sure when it lapsed. The community was consulted about house names and identities. The four house names chosen were Awa, Maunga, Moana and Whenua. Those names were gifted to the school, along with the iwi story of the origin of the Whanganui River at the Houses Opening Day.[10]

The houses of Whanganui High School are:

  • AWA – River
  • MOANA – Ocean
  • WHENUA – Land
  • MAUNGA – Mountain

The houses originate from a well-known Whanganui Quote[11]

E rere kau mai te awa nui, mai te kāhui maunga ki tangaroa. ko au te awa, ko te awa ko au.

The river flows from the Mountain to the Sea. I am the River and the River is me.

Demographics

Fifty-three percent of students were male and forty-seven percent were female. Sixty-five percent of students identified as New Zealand European or Pākehā. Twenty-seven percent as Māori and eight percent as another ethnicity.[12]

Confucius Classroom

In 2013 Whanganui High School was approved by the international Confucius Institute in Beijing to set up a Confucius Classroom – one of only four secondary schools in New Zealand and only 400 worldwide. Confucius Institutes are non-profit public institutions aligned with China that aim to promote Chinese language and culture, support local Chinese teaching internationally and organise student cultural exchanges.[13]

Notable alumni

References

  1. ↑ "WHS History". Whanganui High School. Retrieved 28 August 2018.
  2. ↑ "Staff". Whanganui High School. Retrieved 25 April 2017.
  3. ↑ "Directory of Schools - as at 13 September 2018". New Zealand Ministry of Education. Retrieved 22 September 2018.
  4. ↑ "Decile Change 2014 to 2015 for State & State Integrated Schools". Ministry of Education. Retrieved 12 February 2015.
  5. ↑ "New Zealand Schools Directory Information". New Zealand Ministry of Education. Retrieved 27 April 2018.
  6. ↑ http://www.amplifier.co.nz/default,2440.sm
  7. 1 2 "WHS History". Whanganui High School. Retrieved 27 August 2018.
  8. ↑ "The Good Shepherd and His Sheep". Bible Gateway. Retrieved 27 August 2018.
  9. ↑ "WHS History". Wanganui High School. Retrieved 19 September 2018.
  10. ↑ "Whanganui school comes together in four houses". NZ Herald. 19 February 2018. Retrieved 18 September 2018.
  11. ↑ "Page 1. Ancestors". Te Ara. Retrieved 18 September 2018.
  12. ↑ "Wanganui High School Education Review". Education Review Office. Education Review Office. Retrieved 18 September 2018.
  13. ↑ "China honour for WHS". NZ Herald. Retrieved 18 September 2018.
  14. ↑ "World's top kid cowboy and he lives in Whanganui". NZ Herald. Retrieved 19 September 2018.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.