Wellington High School
Encyclopedia
Wellington High School is a co-educational (since 1905) secondary school
in downtown Wellington
, New Zealand
. In 2005 the roll was approximately 1100 students. It was founded, as Wellington College of Design, in the 1880s with the intention of providing a more appropriate education for the Dominion than the narrow academic training provided by the existing schools. It is the first co-educational secondary in New Zealand.
Many of the current buildings date from the 1980s and are in the neo-brutalist style pyramidal roofs.
as the Wellington College of Design. In 1891 the school became Wellington Technical School. It moved to its present site on Taranaki Street from Mercer Street in 1922. Riley was a pioneer of technical and vocational education in New Zealand and his views influenced the Manual and Technical Instruction Act of 1900.
In 1964 the secondary and tertiary education parts separated, the upper part becoming Wellington Polytechnical School. Wellington Poly has now become Massey University
's Wellington Campus. Other technical schools have also gone on to become tertiary institutions, including Auckland University of Technology
and Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology
. The school retains a large community education programme.
In 2004, the school made the national headlines
when students campaigned for the eviction of the Wellington branch of the Destiny Church
, which was using the school hall for its services. Despite over 50% of enrolled students signing their names to a petition, the church still conducts services at the school.
In 2006, in response to research on Wellington High students, and an award-winning student video, Principal Prue Kelly introduced a scheme which allows senior students' first classes to begin at 10:20am (as opposed to 8:45am). This issue has received much media coverage (e.g.) and very little controversy. Principal Prue Kelly is confident that this progressive trial in timetable restructuring will "catch on" and other schools will begin to adopt it as well.
In September 2007, the schools reputation was put under threat after it was discovered that some Year 13 (7th form) students were consuming alcohol during lunchtimes at a nearby university cafe. Though it was later discovered that those who had been drinking were all over the legal age of 18. The failure to mention this implies that the bar had been serving underage students.
On the 14th of February 2011, the radio station was revived as High-Fi FM. It is operated by students from the school.
The radio station still has the same specifications of a 4KM broadcast range and runs 24/7.
s in Florida
, Colorado
, Kansas
, Ohio
and Texas
Secondary school
Secondary school is a term used to describe an educational institution where the final stage of schooling, known as secondary education and usually compulsory up to a specified age, takes place...
in downtown Wellington
Wellington
Wellington is the capital city and third most populous urban area of New Zealand, although it is likely to have surpassed Christchurch due to the exodus following the Canterbury Earthquake. It is at the southwestern tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Rimutaka Range...
, 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...
. In 2005 the roll was approximately 1100 students. It was founded, as Wellington College of Design, in the 1880s with the intention of providing a more appropriate education for the Dominion than the narrow academic training provided by the existing schools. It is the first co-educational secondary in New Zealand.
Many of the current buildings date from the 1980s and are in the neo-brutalist style pyramidal roofs.
History
Wellington High School, and the institutions from which the current school evolved, have a significant place in the history of public education in New Zealand. It was founded in 1886 by Arthur Dewhurst RileyArthur Dewhurst Riley
Arthur Dewhurst Riley was an English born New Zealand artist, educationalist and businessman. Riley was an advocate of technical education, and had a significant impact on the provision of technical and vocation education in New Zealand....
as the Wellington College of Design. In 1891 the school became Wellington Technical School. It moved to its present site on Taranaki Street from Mercer Street in 1922. Riley was a pioneer of technical and vocational education in New Zealand and his views influenced the Manual and Technical Instruction Act of 1900.
In 1964 the secondary and tertiary education parts separated, the upper part becoming Wellington Polytechnical School. Wellington Poly has now become Massey University
Massey University
Massey University is one of New Zealand's largest universities with approximately 36,000 students, 20,000 of whom are extramural students.The University has campuses in Palmerston North , Wellington and Auckland . Massey offers most of its degrees extramurally within New Zealand and internationally...
's Wellington Campus. Other technical schools have also gone on to become tertiary institutions, including Auckland University of Technology
Auckland University of Technology
The Auckland University of Technology is a university in New Zealand. It was formed on 1 January 2000 when the Auckland Institute of Technology was granted university status. Its primary campus is on Wellesley Street in Auckland's Central business district...
and Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology
Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology
Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology is a New Zealand public Tertiary Education Institution. The main campuses are in Nelson and Blenheim, South Island, New Zealand. It has been providing tertiary education in the Nelson-Marlborough region since 1904...
. The school retains a large community education programme.
Current affairs
The School was New Zealand Trade and Enterprise Export Awards Education Exporter of the Year 2004.In 2004, the school made the national headlines
when students campaigned for the eviction of the Wellington branch of the Destiny Church
Destiny Church
Destiny Church may refer to:*Destiny Church Groningen, a network of churches based in the Netherlands and South America*Destiny Church , a network of churches based in New Zealand...
, which was using the school hall for its services. Despite over 50% of enrolled students signing their names to a petition, the church still conducts services at the school.
In 2006, in response to research on Wellington High students, and an award-winning student video, Principal Prue Kelly introduced a scheme which allows senior students' first classes to begin at 10:20am (as opposed to 8:45am). This issue has received much media coverage (e.g.) and very little controversy. Principal Prue Kelly is confident that this progressive trial in timetable restructuring will "catch on" and other schools will begin to adopt it as well.
In September 2007, the schools reputation was put under threat after it was discovered that some Year 13 (7th form) students were consuming alcohol during lunchtimes at a nearby university cafe. Though it was later discovered that those who had been drinking were all over the legal age of 18. The failure to mention this implies that the bar had been serving underage students.
Radio station
The school had a student-run radio station, LiveWire, which transmitted at 107.1. It had a range of approximately 4 km. The radio station ceased broadcasting at the end of 2007.On the 14th of February 2011, the radio station was revived as High-Fi FM. It is operated by students from the school.
The radio station still has the same specifications of a 4KM broadcast range and runs 24/7.
Notable alumni
- Ken BlackburnKen Blackburn (actor)Ken Blackburn, ONZM is a New Zealand actor and writer. He has worked in film, television, radio and theatre in the UK, New Zealand, and Australia since the 1970s....
- actor, director - Craig BradshawCraig BradshawCraig Bradshaw is a New Zealand professional basketball player who last played with the NZL NBL team Otago Nuggets....
- sportsman, Tall Blacks & Winthrop UniversityWinthrop UniversityWinthrop University is a public, four-year liberal arts university in Rock Hill, South Carolina, USA. In 2006-07, Winthrop University had an enrollment of 6,292 students. The University has been recognized as South Carolina's top-rated university according to evaluations conducted by the South... - Luke Buda - musician, Phoenix Foundation
- Tama EastonTama EastonTamatea Carl Easton , known as Tama Easton, is the creator of the New Zealand sports and recreation internet forum Vorb.-Early life:Easton was born in Christchurch on 30 January 1974...
- creator of the online forum Vorb - Samuel Flynn Scott - musician, Phoenix Foundation
- Ben Hazlewood - New Zealand Idol contestant
- King KapisiKing KapisiKing Kapisi is a New Zealand Hip hop recording artist. He was the first Hip hop artist in New Zealand to receive the prestigious Silver Scroll Award at the APRA Awards for Songwriter of the Year for his single Reverse Resistance in 1999, which followed on the popular release of his debut single...
- musician - Helen Kelly - President of the New Zealand Council of Trade UnionsNew Zealand Council of Trade UnionsThe New Zealand Council of Trade Unions is a national trade union center in New Zealand. The NZCTU represents 360,000 workers, and is the largest democratic organisation in New Zealand....
- Tom LarkinTom LarkinTom Larkin is a member of the New Zealand band Shihad. He plays the drums, sings background vocals and uses samplers...
- musician, ShihadShihadShihad is a New Zealand hard/alternative rock band, currently based in Melbourne, Australia. During Shihad's recording career, they have produced four number-one studio albums and three top-ten singles in their home country of New Zealand.... - Sir Peter LeitchPeter Leitch (Mad Butcher)Sir Peter Charles Leitch, KNZM, QSM, is a New Zealand businessman, also known as The Mad Butcher. Although well known in New Zealand for the chain of butcheries he founded, Leitch is arguably just as well known for his charity, fundraising work and his promotion of rugby league.Born in Wellington,...
- The Mad Butcher - Len LyeLen LyeLen Lye, born Leonard Charles Huia Lye , was a Christchurch, New Zealand-born artist known primarily for his experimental films and kinetic sculpture. His films are held in archives such as the New Zealand Film Archive, British Film Institute, Museum of Modern Art in New York City, and the Pacific...
- artist, attended evening art classes at Wellington Technical College (now Wellington High School) see http://www.wellingtonwaterfront.co.nz/newsletter/newsletter.htm?m=35 - Grant TillyGrant TillyGrant Tilly is a New Zealand actor, writer, and artist.- Biography :Tilly was born in Sydney, Australia in 1937, moving with his family to New Zealand at one month of age. He was educated in Wellington, taking art at Wellington technical College in the early 1950s...
- actor, Downstage Theatre, Unity Theatre, Movies and TV - Eric TindillEric TindillEric William Thomas Tindill was a New Zealand sportsman. Tindill held a number of unique records: he was the oldest ever Test cricketer at the time of his death, the only person to play Tests for New Zealand in both cricket and rugby union , and the only person ever to play Tests in both sports,...
- sportsman, double All Black - cricket and rugby - Jon ToogoodJon ToogoodJonathan Charles Toogood is the frontman of the New Zealand rock band Shihad. He formed the band in 1988 with fellow Wellingtonian Tom Larkin...
- musician, ShihadShihadShihad is a New Zealand hard/alternative rock band, currently based in Melbourne, Australia. During Shihad's recording career, they have produced four number-one studio albums and three top-ten singles in their home country of New Zealand.... - Jon TrimmerJon TrimmerSir Jon Charles Trimmer, KNZM, MBE is a New Zealand ballet dancer who has been with the New Zealand Ballet Company in 1958-59 and 1970 to the present .-Early life:Trimmer was born on 18 September 1939 in Petone, New Zealand...
KNZM - ballet dancer - Roland WakelinRoland WakelinRoland Shakespeare Wakelin was an Australian painter and teacher, born in Greytown, New Zealand, who with Roy de Maistre and Grace Cossington Smith are regarded as founding the modern movement in Sydney....
- artist regarded as a founder of modern art movement in Australia - Dan Weekes-HannahDan Weekes-HannahAidan Weekes-Hannah , is a New Zealand actor, most known for his role as Ved in season 4 of cloud9's The Tribe. He played the role of a Techno and was the younger brother of Jay. In the Tribe his character was involved with Jaimee- Kaire Gatalulu's character Cloe...
- actor - Tandi WrightTandi WrightTandi Wright is a South Africa-born, New Zealand-raised television and film actress. From 1996-1999 she appeared as Nurse Caroline Buxton in Shortland Street...
- actress, Shortland StreetShortland StreetShortland Street is a New Zealand prime-time soap opera, first broadcast on Television New Zealand's TV2 on 25 May 1992. It is the country's longest-running drama and soap opera, being broadcast continuously for over 4500 episodes and 19 years, and is one of the most watched television programs in...
& Out of the BlueOut of the Blue (2006 film)Out of the Blue is a 2006 New Zealand film directed by Robert Sarkies and starring Karl Urban. The film premiered at the 2006 Toronto Film Festival in Canada and was released in New Zealand on 12 October 2006 to minor controversy...
Other schools with the same name
There are also Wellington High SchoolWellington High School
Wellington High School is a co-educational secondary school in downtown Wellington, New Zealand. In 2005 the roll was approximately 1100 students. It was founded, as Wellington College of Design, in the 1880s with the intention of providing a more appropriate education for the Dominion than the...
s in Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
, Kansas
Kansas
Kansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...
, Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
and Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...