Shirley Boys' High School
Shirley Boys' High School (known as SBHS) is a single sex state (public) secondary school in Christchurch, New Zealand. It was originally situated on a 6 hectare site in the suburb of Shirley, but in April 2019 moved, along with Avonside Girls' High School, further east to the former QEII Park, 8.6 kilometres from the city centre.[3]
| Shirley Boys' High School | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Address | |
209 Travis Road Christchurch New Zealand | |
| Information | |
| Type | State single sex boys secondary (Year 9–13) |
| Motto | Interest Omnium Recte Facere |
| Established | 1957 |
| Ministry of Education Institution no. | 321 |
| Principal | Tim Grocott |
| School roll | 1324[1] (March 2020) |
| Socio-economic decile | 6N[2] |
| Website | shirley.school.nz |
The school colours are sky blue and gold.
Brief history
Parents in the eastern and northern suburbs of Christchurch had wanted single-sex education for their sons. In 1957, this finally became available when the school opened under its first Headmaster, Charles Gallagher.
Established on a swampy paddock formerly used for grazing horses to the west of North Parade, the School grew rapidly. Within a few years it became a self-confessed and proud rival to Christchurch Boys' High School as well as to St. Andrew's and St Bede's College.[4]
A detailed satirical portrait of the school as it was in the late 1960s can be found in The Shining City, a novel by former student Stevan Eldred-Grigg[5]
On the Easter weekend (April) of 2007, Shirley Boys' High School celebrated its 50th Jubilee. Commemorative events included an Old Boys' XV playing the current 2nd XV and the 1st XV playing in historic uniform against St. Andrew's College; as well as a golf tournament, formal black-tie dinner, staff luncheon and 'meet-and-greet evening'.
2011 earthquake
During the magnitude 6.3 quake on 22 February the school suffered extensive damage[6] and had to close. At least two classroom blocks were expected to be demolished, and all of the concrete areas of the school, including the new tennis courts, were badly damaged.
The students did not attend school for almost a month afterwards, before the decision was made to shift its pupils to Papanui High School[7] – with Papanui High School's students changing to attend classes from 8 am until 1 pm, while the Shirley Boys' High School students entered the school at 1.15 pm and finished at 5.45 pm. After about 6 months of this arrangement[8] pupils were able to return to the re-opened school in early September 2011.[9]
Move to new site
Education Minister Hekia Parata announced on 16 October 2013 that the school would move, and be co-located with Avonside Girls' High School at a site in east Christchurch.[10] On 12 February 2015 the site was announced to be the former QEII Park site.[11]
The move to the new site was completed in April 2019.[3]
Houses
| Aoraki | Named after Aoraki / Mount Cook, the largest peak in New Zealand. | |
| Mullins | Named after Mr. Mullins, Former Deputy Headmaster. | |
| Snell | Named after Peter Snell, New Zealand athlete. | |
| Blake | Named after Peter Blake, New Zealand sailor and conservationist. |
Notable alumni
- Nathan Astle – former New Zealand cricketer
- Ryan Crotty – current All Black and Canterbury Crusaders rugby player
- Stevan Eldred-Grigg – New Zealand novelist and historian
- Aaron Gilmore – former Member of Parliament
- Craig Green – former All Black wing
- Chris Jack – former All Black lock
- Dave Jaggar – computer scientist and James Clerk Maxwell Medal winner
- Hugh McCutcheon – current United States men's national volleyball team head coach[12]
- Craig McMillan – former New Zealand cricketer
- Richard Petrie – former New Zealand cricketer
- Setaimata Sa – current Sydney Roosters Hull F.C. rugby league player
- Steve Scott – former All Black halfback
- Hayden Shaw – former Black Stick
- Bradley Shaw – current Black Stick
References
- "New Zealand Schools Directory". New Zealand Ministry of Education. Retrieved 26 April 2020.
- "Decile Change 2014 to 2015 for State & State Integrated Schools". Ministry of Education. Retrieved 12 February 2015.
- Law, Tina (10 April 2019). "Two Christchurch secondary schools say goodbye to original sites". Stuff. Retrieved 15 May 2019.
- Amodeo, Colin (March 2007). On Parade!: Shirley Boys' High School – The First Fifty Years. Caxton Press. ISBN 1-877303-08-9.
- Eldred-Grigg, Stevan (1991). The Shining City. Penguin Books. ISBN 014014935X.
- Jo Gilbert and Tracey Cooper (1 March 2011). "Minister visits earthquake damaged Christchurch schools". The Press. Retrieved 9 November 2011.
- Ben Heather, Jo Gilbert and Charley Mann (2 March 2011). "Schools on the move". The Press. Retrieved 9 November 2011.
- Gilbert, Jo (7 April 2011). "Some schools plan to return to their sites". The Press. Retrieved 9 November 2011.
- "Shirley Boys High back in business", 12 September 2011, ONE News
- O'Callaghan, Jody (16 October 2013). "Two schools to share site in city's east". The Press. Retrieved 16 October 2013.
- "Avonside Girls, Shirley Boys to be built at QEII". Stuff.co.nz. 12 February 2015. Retrieved 4 July 2016.
- "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 25 June 2007. Retrieved 7 June 2007.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)