Onslow College

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Onslow College
Aerial photo of the school grounds
Onslow College and surrounds
Address
Map
Burma Road


6440

New Zealand
Coordinates41°13′51″S 174°47′49″E / 41.2307°S 174.7970°E / -41.2307; 174.7970
Information
TypeState co-ed secondary; years 9–13
MottoLatin: Levavi oculos meos in montes
Māori: Ka anga atu aku kanohi ki nga maunga
Lift your eyes to the hills
Established1956; 68 years ago
Ministry of Education Institution no.269
PrincipalSheena Millar
School roll1420[1] (August 2024)
Socio-economic decile10Z[2]
Websiteonslow.school.nz

Onslow College is a state co-educational secondary school located in Johnsonville, a suburb of Wellington, New Zealand. In 2022 it had 1405 students.[3] The current principal is Sheena Millar.

History

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Onslow College opened in 1956 to serve Wellington's rapidly growing northern suburbs.[4][5] It was named after the 4th Earl of Onslow, governor of New Zealand from 1889 to 1892.[4]

The school roll grew from 201 third form pupils in 1956 to 1180 pupils in 1969.[4]

Former principal Stuart Martin described the "Onslow Way" as "socially liberal but educationally conservative, decile 10 but physically run down".[4] In 1969, Peggy-Anne Wendelken became New Zealand's first woman chair of a school board of governors; at this time Onslow's board had student representation, twenty years before this became a legal requirement.[4]

The school has not had a school uniform since 1974 when it was abolished following student protest,[6] despite the strong opposition of the Headmaster.[4] In 2016 Onslow was one of the first schools in the region to have gender-neutral toilets for students.[7]

Several staff have received awards for teaching excellence. Terry Burrell, received the prestigious Prime Minister's Science Teacher Prize in 2014,[8] and the same year Esme Danielsen (Maths) received a Woolf Fisher Fellowship.[9]

Onslow students won The Prime Minister's Future Scientist Prize in 2009, 2016 and 2018.[10]

Music – Smokefree Rockquest Wellington regional finalists in 2021 were Obsidian Sun.[11] In 2016 Onslow College bands and individuals took out five of the eight awards the Regional Final: Best Vocalist – Raquel Abolins-Reid, Musicianship Award – Noah Spargo, Best Lyricist – Sarah Mc Bride, 3rd placed band – Bird on a Wire, 1st placed band and overall winners of the Wellington Regional Final – Retrospect.[12][13]

In 2017 Onslow College won the Wellington regional "Festival Cup"[14] for the school best representing the spirit of the Big Sing,[15] a school choral festival organised by the New Zealand Choral Federation.

On 13 February 1997, 18-year-old former student Nicholas Hawker murdered 15-year-old St Mary's College student Vanessa Woodman on the school's grounds. Hawker was sentenced to life imprisonment with a 10-year non-parole period.[16] He was released on parole in 2015, but is not allowed in the North Island.[17]

School Buildings

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On Friday 25 October 2024 the school received an engineering report on two of the school's blocks stating they were earthquake prone.[18] The first building listed was the O block which was discovered to have a New Building Standard (NBS) ratting of 30%, with an inner stairwell having a ratting of 15% and the building having a 6% inter-story drift between floors.[19] The second building listed was the Gym (Block Q) which has an NBS ratting of 15% with the celling braces posing the greatest risk.[20] As a result of the low NBS ratting on these two buildings the school has made the decision for the two buildings to be closed until further notice.[21]

Principals

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The school has had the following principals:[4]

  • 2018–present Sheena Millar
  • 2010–2018 Peter Leggat
  • 2009–2009 Hamish Davidson (acting)
  • 2001–2009 Dr Stuart Martin
  • 1998–2000 Peter Smith
  • 1994–1998 John Carlyon
  • 1987–1993 Neale Pitches
  • 1979–1986 Bill Officer
  • 1977–1979 Harvey Rees-Thomas
  • 1966–1977 Dudley Hughes
  • 1956–1965 Colin Watt

Notable alumni

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Academia

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The arts

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Broadcasting and journalism

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Politics

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Sport

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Notable staff

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References

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  1. ^ "New Zealand Schools Directory". New Zealand Ministry of Education. Retrieved 17 September 2024.
  2. ^ "Decile Change 2014 to 2015 for State & State Integrated Schools". Ministry of Education. Retrieved 12 February 2015.
  3. ^ "Onslow College". Education Review Office. Retrieved 12 October 2024.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g Onslow College, 1956–2006 : a biography. Wellington: Onslow College. 2006. ISBN 0-473-11627-8.
  5. ^ "View of new building, Onslow College, Johnsonville, Wellington". National Library of New Zealand. 1 January 1956. Retrieved 7 July 2020.
  6. ^ "School uniform debate: Principals argue for and against". Stuff. 21 February 2020. Retrieved 7 July 2020.
  7. ^ "Wellington High, Onslow College get gender-neutral bathrooms". Stuff. 6 March 2016. Retrieved 8 July 2020.
  8. ^ "Prime Minister's Science Teacher Prize Winner 2014 | The Prime Minister's Science Prizes". Retrieved 8 July 2020.
  9. ^ "Past Fellowships 2004 – 2019 – Woolf Fisher Trust". Retrieved 8 July 2020.
  10. ^ "Ngā toa i mua Previous winners | The Prime Minister's Science Prizes". Retrieved 22 September 2021.
  11. ^ "Rockquest | Aotearoa's only nationwide, live, original music, youth event". www.smokefreerockquest.co.nz. Retrieved 22 September 2021.
  12. ^ "Onslow College band Retrospect eye people's choice in Smokefree Rockquest". Stuff. 18 August 2016. Retrieved 22 September 2021.
  13. ^ "Onslow College: ONSLOW COLLEGE BULLETIN TERM TWO, WEEK NINE". moodle.onslownet.school.nz. Retrieved 22 September 2021.
  14. ^ "New Zealand Choral Federation – Big Sing Wellington" (PDF). 7 June 2017.
  15. ^ "The Big Sing". New Zealand Choral Federation Inc. Retrieved 22 September 2021.
  16. ^ Reid, Neil (27 September 2009). "Victim's mum fights killer's freedom bid". Sunday News (via Stuff.co.nz). Retrieved 23 July 2014.
  17. ^ "Schoolgirl Vanessa Woodman's killer freed on parole". Stuff. 12 January 2015. Retrieved 4 March 2019.
  18. ^ "Wellington's Onslow College closes multiple buildings following seismic reports". RNZ. 26 October 2024. Retrieved 31 October 2024.
  19. ^ "Wellington's Onslow College closes multiple buildings following seismic reports". RNZ. 26 October 2024. Retrieved 31 October 2024.
  20. ^ "Wellington's Onslow College closes multiple buildings following seismic reports". RNZ. 26 October 2024. Retrieved 31 October 2024.
  21. ^ "Wellington's Onslow College closes multiple buildings following seismic reports". RNZ. 26 October 2024. Retrieved 31 October 2024.
  22. ^ "Canvas books wrap: Jumping Sundays by Nick Bollinger, and a conversation with Kiran Dass canvas". The New Zealand Herald. 20 August 2022. Retrieved 5 June 2024. ... Onslow College, where I was entering my 4th Form year, a threatened strike by students (led by future historian James Belich who ...
  23. ^ Screen, NZ On. "Jackie van Beek NZ On Screen". www.nzonscreen.com. Retrieved 8 July 2020.
  24. ^ a b "Peter and The Wolves, by Peter and The Wolves". Peter and The Wolves. Retrieved 8 July 2020.
  25. ^ a b "EELMAN RECORDS NEW ZEALAND Lots Of History". www.eelmanrecords.com. Retrieved 8 July 2020.
  26. ^ FAZERDAZE Interview- growing up in New Zealand, self confidence, music video, retrieved 11 November 2022
  27. ^ "Writers Festival author tells of mischievous childhood". NZ Herald. Retrieved 27 December 2022.
  28. ^ "Goneville – a memoir of the 70s rock'n'roll music scene". Stuff. 23 December 2016. Retrieved 7 July 2020.
  29. ^ "Goneville – by Nick Bollinger from The Listen Anytime Library". RNZ. Retrieved 7 July 2020.
  30. ^ Romanos, Joseph (3 June 2010). "The Wellingtonian interview: Rosemary McLeod". Dominion Post. Retrieved 5 June 2024.
  31. ^ Catherall, Sarah (10 December 2014). "My secret Wellington: Taika Waititi". Fairfax New Zealand.
  32. ^ "Wellington drama student wins scholarship". Wellington.Scoop. 10 November 2010. Retrieved 5 May 2023.
  33. ^ Chumko, André (4 September 2022). "Riiki Reid talks music, identity and inspiration". Stuff. Retrieved 23 February 2023.
  34. ^ Screen, NZ On. "Ian Wishart | NZ On Screen". www.nzonscreen.com. Retrieved 5 June 2024.
  35. ^ a b "Delahunty, Catherine; Mallard, Trevor - New Zealand Parliament". www.parliament.nz. 9 August 2017. Retrieved 5 June 2024.
  36. ^ "Georgina Beyer". Archived from the original on 29 September 2007. Retrieved 10 November 2007.
  37. ^ The Georgina Beyer story ... how a change for the better came about Archived 31 August 2007 at the Wayback Machine
  38. ^ "The Wellingtonian Interview: Alan Isaac". Stuff. 3 November 2010. Retrieved 8 July 2020.
  39. ^ "The Wellingtonian interview: Gavin Larsen". Stuff. 6 January 2010. Retrieved 8 July 2020.
  40. ^ "Joe Wright". NZ Olympic team. Retrieved 12 October 2024.
  41. ^ "Noah Billingsley off to US university to further his football career". Stuff. 3 November 2015. Retrieved 8 July 2020.
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