Papakura High School
Encyclopedia
Papakura High School is a co-educational state secondary school based in the Auckland
suburb of Papakura
in New Zealand
, catering for students from Year 9 to Year 13.
The school was established in 1954 and is now made up of a diverse student body, administering students from the greater southern Auckland
area. The school is located on the southern boundary of the Auckland metropolitan area
, located approximately 32 kilometers south of Auckland CBD
.
Each house has a Head Dean, who co-ordinates with other staff members and students under their spectrum. Students remain in these house groups right throughout their high school education. Staff and students are arranged into their houses for sports and social events, and also meet in their houses for form / tutor class, at the beginning of each school day at 8.40 a.m. These form classes consist of all year levels from Year 9 - 13.
Junior students are also arranged into either Mainstream, the Sports Academy, the Academic Institute, the Matariki Maori unit, or the Special Needs "XA" unit, and from Year 11, transition into classes relevant to their academic ability for NCEA
, which by this stage they become seniors.
The academic staff at the school are highly skilled and well qualified professionals, with the bulk of teaching staff from the United Kingdom
who are recruited through regular conference trips to London
. Staff come to Papakura
each day from all over the greater Auckland region
, even as far as Browns Bay
.
Many of the teachers have various background experience and university study, with a number of teachers who have graduated from the University of Auckland
. Staff members participate in regular Te Kotahitanga training workshops to improve Maori student achievement in the classroom, a programme facilitated by Waikato University.
The school also regularly works with student teachers who are placed in various departments, to experience a multi-cultural and low decile environment to assist with their teacher training.
The school's Board of Trustee's have a special corporate relationship with Telecom New Zealand
and McConnell Property Group, each of whom have representatives on the board.
as its national qualification standard. Students are able to sit NCEA
Level 1 papers as early Year 11, however Papakura High School is one of the few colleges in Auckland
to offer an NCEA
Level 1 Humanities class to academically able Year 10 students also.
The junior (first and second year) academic structure is specifically designed for students to explore a wide area of interest before they begin NCEA
. Junior students are required to take compulsory English, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies, Physical Education and Health as well as an optional elective class consisting of either Art, Music, Technology, Business, Languages, or Food.
Selected senior students have the opportunity to participate in "Gateway", where they individually attend work experience placements during the school term, organised by the Careers department. The school also offers Correspondence papers for specialised subjects and regularly holds workshops and information sessions for students and their chosen programme.
The school also recently introduced national qualifications into unit standard courses of Mathematics, Sports and Recreation, Technology, and Catering, where students can work towards NCEA
credits as well as gaining a national qualification. Papakura High School was the first school in New Zealand to offer the Marae Catering course under the NCEA
structure.
Uniform policies are strictly enforced with students being required to have socks pulled up and no extra shirts underneath school uniform. Formal attire is available from the "Uniform Shoppe" in the Papakura
Town Centre. Male students are required to be clean shaven and the female students must have long hair tied back.
Majority of the school's students reside on the eastern side of the Southern Railway Line
from as far north as The Gardens moving south towards Papakura
. The school also administers students from the surrounding rural areas of Hunua
, Clevedon
, Kawakawa Bay, Ardmore
, Brookby
, and Takanini
, with students from nearby areas of Manukau City, Wattle Downs
, Manurewa
, and Weymouth because of the school's open zone policy.
Auckland
The Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...
suburb of Papakura
Papakura
The Papakura District was the name of a local council territory in New Zealand's Auckland Region that existed from 1989 until 2010. The area made up the southernmost part of the Auckland metropolitan area....
in New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
, catering for students from Year 9 to Year 13.
The school was established in 1954 and is now made up of a diverse student body, administering students from the greater southern Auckland
Auckland
The Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...
area. The school is located on the southern boundary of the Auckland metropolitan area
Auckland Region
The Auckland Region was one of the sixteen regions of New Zealand, named for the city of Auckland, the country's largest urban area. With one third of the nation's residents, it was by far the biggest population and economy of any region of New Zealand, but the second-smallest land area.On 1...
, located approximately 32 kilometers south of Auckland CBD
Auckland CBD
The Auckland CBD is the geographical and economic heart of the Auckland metropolitan area. Bounded by several major motorways and by the harbour coastline in the north, it is surrounded further out by mostly suburban areas...
.
School Structure
The school is organised into four houses:- Freyberg (Blue)
- Fergusson (Yellow)
- Bledisloe (Black)
- Cobham (Red)
Each house has a Head Dean, who co-ordinates with other staff members and students under their spectrum. Students remain in these house groups right throughout their high school education. Staff and students are arranged into their houses for sports and social events, and also meet in their houses for form / tutor class, at the beginning of each school day at 8.40 a.m. These form classes consist of all year levels from Year 9 - 13.
Junior students are also arranged into either Mainstream, the Sports Academy, the Academic Institute, the Matariki Maori unit, or the Special Needs "XA" unit, and from Year 11, transition into classes relevant to their academic ability for NCEA
NCEA
NCEA can stand for:*National Certificate of Educational Achievement, New Zealand's main secondary school qualification*National Council for Educational Awards, Ireland*National Catholic Educational Association, United States...
, which by this stage they become seniors.
Staff and Management
The newly appointed Principal of Papakura High School is Peter Heron, originally from Northern Ireland, Peter has had many years of experience managing New Zealand schools and also as an officer for the Royal Air Force, as well as extensive university qualifications. Peter takes over from Angela Appleby, whose position as Principal ended at the end of the 2009 school year. The school is now heading into a new direction, with a more refined vision to improve student, parent, staff and community relations.The academic staff at the school are highly skilled and well qualified professionals, with the bulk of teaching staff from the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
who are recruited through regular conference trips to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. Staff come to Papakura
Papakura
The Papakura District was the name of a local council territory in New Zealand's Auckland Region that existed from 1989 until 2010. The area made up the southernmost part of the Auckland metropolitan area....
each day from all over the greater Auckland region
Auckland
The Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...
, even as far as Browns Bay
Browns Bay, New Zealand
Browns Bay is an Auckland suburb. It is one of the East Coast Bays suburbs, and is well known for its shops and beaches.Browns Bay is under the local governance of the Auckland Council, and is located in the North Shore ward of the new Auckland city, one of the thirteen newly amalgamated...
.
Many of the teachers have various background experience and university study, with a number of teachers who have graduated from the University of Auckland
University of Auckland
The University of Auckland is a university located in Auckland, New Zealand. It is the largest university in the country and the highest ranked in the 2011 QS World University Rankings, having been ranked worldwide...
. Staff members participate in regular Te Kotahitanga training workshops to improve Maori student achievement in the classroom, a programme facilitated by Waikato University.
The school also regularly works with student teachers who are placed in various departments, to experience a multi-cultural and low decile environment to assist with their teacher training.
The school's Board of Trustee's have a special corporate relationship with Telecom New Zealand
Telecom New Zealand
Telecom New Zealand is a New Zealand-wide communications service provider , providing fixed line telephone services, a mobile network, an internet service provider , a major ICT provider to NZ businesses , and a wholesale network infrastructure provider to other NZ CSPs...
and McConnell Property Group, each of whom have representatives on the board.
School Curriculum
The school offers NCEANCEA
NCEA can stand for:*National Certificate of Educational Achievement, New Zealand's main secondary school qualification*National Council for Educational Awards, Ireland*National Catholic Educational Association, United States...
as its national qualification standard. Students are able to sit NCEA
NCEA
NCEA can stand for:*National Certificate of Educational Achievement, New Zealand's main secondary school qualification*National Council for Educational Awards, Ireland*National Catholic Educational Association, United States...
Level 1 papers as early Year 11, however Papakura High School is one of the few colleges in Auckland
Auckland
The Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...
to offer an NCEA
NCEA
NCEA can stand for:*National Certificate of Educational Achievement, New Zealand's main secondary school qualification*National Council for Educational Awards, Ireland*National Catholic Educational Association, United States...
Level 1 Humanities class to academically able Year 10 students also.
The junior (first and second year) academic structure is specifically designed for students to explore a wide area of interest before they begin NCEA
NCEA
NCEA can stand for:*National Certificate of Educational Achievement, New Zealand's main secondary school qualification*National Council for Educational Awards, Ireland*National Catholic Educational Association, United States...
. Junior students are required to take compulsory English, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies, Physical Education and Health as well as an optional elective class consisting of either Art, Music, Technology, Business, Languages, or Food.
Selected senior students have the opportunity to participate in "Gateway", where they individually attend work experience placements during the school term, organised by the Careers department. The school also offers Correspondence papers for specialised subjects and regularly holds workshops and information sessions for students and their chosen programme.
The school also recently introduced national qualifications into unit standard courses of Mathematics, Sports and Recreation, Technology, and Catering, where students can work towards NCEA
NCEA
NCEA can stand for:*National Certificate of Educational Achievement, New Zealand's main secondary school qualification*National Council for Educational Awards, Ireland*National Catholic Educational Association, United States...
credits as well as gaining a national qualification. Papakura High School was the first school in New Zealand to offer the Marae Catering course under the NCEA
NCEA
NCEA can stand for:*National Certificate of Educational Achievement, New Zealand's main secondary school qualification*National Council for Educational Awards, Ireland*National Catholic Educational Association, United States...
structure.
Students
Students are required to wear a "bottle green" uniform with the school crest. The uniform consists of a polo shirt, dress shirt or blouse; jumper or zip up cardigan; trousers, shorts, or skirts; socks and black secured shoes. However the uniform has several variations depending on year level and gender. The school's Prefects and Student Leaders are obliged to wear ties and Blazers as they are representing their school on a community level.Uniform policies are strictly enforced with students being required to have socks pulled up and no extra shirts underneath school uniform. Formal attire is available from the "Uniform Shoppe" in the Papakura
Papakura
The Papakura District was the name of a local council territory in New Zealand's Auckland Region that existed from 1989 until 2010. The area made up the southernmost part of the Auckland metropolitan area....
Town Centre. Male students are required to be clean shaven and the female students must have long hair tied back.
Majority of the school's students reside on the eastern side of the Southern Railway Line
Southern Line, Auckland
The Southern Line in Auckland, New Zealand is the name given to suburban train services that operate between Britomart and Pukekohe via Newmarket.-Routing:...
from as far north as The Gardens moving south towards Papakura
Papakura
The Papakura District was the name of a local council territory in New Zealand's Auckland Region that existed from 1989 until 2010. The area made up the southernmost part of the Auckland metropolitan area....
. The school also administers students from the surrounding rural areas of Hunua
Hunua
The Hunua electorate existed three times for the New Zealand House of Representatives beginning in 1978, based at the south end of the Auckland urban area, and named for the Hunua Ranges. It covered different geographical areas over those periods...
, Clevedon
Clevedon
Clevedon is a town and civil parish in the unitary authority of North Somerset, which covers part of the ceremonial county of Somerset, England...
, Kawakawa Bay, Ardmore
Ardmore
Ardmore comes from the or the , meaning "great height", and may refer to:-Places:Canada:*Ardmore, Alberta*Ardmore Beach, a community in Tiny, OntarioIreland:*Ardmore, County Waterford, Republic of Ireland*Ardmore, County Londonderry, Northern Ireland...
, Brookby
Brookby
Brookby is a rural suburb of Auckland, New Zealand. Brookby is approximately 5 kilometres west of Clevedon and 5 km southeast of Whitford. Originally established as a farming community with few people living in the area, Brookby is now a fast-growing community. It has a well established school and...
, and Takanini
Takanini
Takanini is a suburb of Auckland, and until 2010 is under authority of the Papakura District Council, in northern New Zealand. Located on the shores of the Pahurehure Inlet, it is located at , 28 kilometres southeast of the Auckland CBD....
, with students from nearby areas of Manukau City, Wattle Downs
Wattle Downs
Wattle Downs is a suburb of Manukau, Auckland, in northern New Zealand.The suburb is located on the Mahia Park peninsula on the Manukau Harbour, along with Wattle Cove.It is 25 kilometres south of Auckland CBD and 10 kilometres south of Manukau City....
, Manurewa
Manurewa
Manurewa is the southernmost major suburb of Manukau City, one of the four cities that make up the metropolitan area of Auckland in the North Island of New Zealand. It is located 6km south of the Manukau City Centre, and 26km southeast of the Auckland CBD....
, and Weymouth because of the school's open zone policy.
Facilities
- Art & Photography Centre
- Careers Centre
- Dance Studio
- Drama Suite
- Guidance Support Centre
- Hospitality Restaurant & Kitchens
- ICT Suites
- Library and Information Centre
- Outdoor Education Camp - at Waharau Regional Park
- Science Laboratories
- Sports Facilities
- Technology Workshops
- Wharenui - Te Kahurangi
Notable alumni
- Ioane Fitu AfoaJohn AfoaIoane Fitu "John" Afoa is a New Zealand professional Rugby union player and plays prop and hooker. Afoa currently plays for Ulster after signing a two-and-a-half year deal after the 2011 Rugby World Cup.-Representative Rugby:...
- All Black - John Bongard - CEO (Rtd) Fisher and Paykel
- Jerome KainoJerome KainoJerome Kaino is a professional New Zealand Rugby union player. In 2004, he was named IRB International Under-21 player of the year.-Early life:...
- rugby union player - Louis Kemara - actor, Shortland Street
- Commodore Bruce Pepperell - 2ic Royal New Zealand Navy
- Justinne Troy - founder 42 Below
See also
- Rosehill CollegeRosehill CollegeRosehill College is a co-educational state school located in the Auckland suburb of Rosehill in Papakura, New Zealand. The college was established on February 3, 1970, and is now the largest secondary school in the Papakura District....
- Papakura District
- NCEANCEANCEA can stand for:*National Certificate of Educational Achievement, New Zealand's main secondary school qualification*National Council for Educational Awards, Ireland*National Catholic Educational Association, United States...
- Ministry of Education (New Zealand)Ministry of Education (New Zealand)The Ministry of Education , is the primary state sector organisation of New Zealand responsible for New Zealand's education system...