Orewa College is a state coeducational combined intermediate and secondary school located in Orewa, on the Hibiscus Coast north of Auckland, New Zealand. A total of 2087 students from Years 7 to 13 (ages 10 to 18) attend the school as of August 2024.[1]
| Orewa College | |
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| Address | |
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| Coordinates | 36°35′34″S 174°41′24″E / 36.5929°S 174.6901°E |
| Information | |
| Funding type | State |
| Motto | Towards enriched responsible citizenship. |
| Established | 1956 |
| Ministry of Education Institution no. | 25 |
| Principal | Wiri Warriner |
| Years offered | 7–13 |
| Gender | coeducational |
| School roll | 2087[1] (August 2024) |
| Color(s) | Green |
| Socio-economic decile | 9Q[2] |
| Website | www |
History
editThe school opened in 1956 as Orewa District High School with a roll of 101 students, a combined primary and secondary school. In 1974, the primary school was split off and the school became Orewa College. Originally Year 9 to 13 only, Year 7 and 8 were added in 2005.[3]
Orewa College closed for a day in November 2023 due to a bomb threat sent to 15 organisations in Auckland.[4]
2009 boiler explosion
editOn 24 June 2009, one of the school's coal-fired central heating boilers exploded while maintenance on the heating system was being carried out. The explosion blew the roof off the boiler house and shattered windows across the school. School caretaker Richard Nel received burns to 90 percent of his body and later died of his injuries in hospital.[5] A contractor was also critically injured, receiving severe head injuries and burns to the abdomen and legs, but survived the accident.[6]
The school's board of trustees was subsequently charged under the Health and Safety in Employment Act 1992. They pleaded guilty to all charges at the court-case in April 2010,[7] and were subsequently ordered to pay reparation and court costs totalling nearly $137,000.[8]
International students
editInternational students make up for around 20% of the school roll.[citation needed]
Germany and Japan have ongoing exchange programmes with the college - students stay from 3 months to 3 years.
Other international students are immigrants to New Zealand and their high volume reflects that of the Northern Auckland population of high foreign immigrants, mostly from Asian countries.
Arts and Events Centre
editOrewa College, along with the Rodney District Council decided to build a flexible, multi-use, modern auditorium and is now a valuable asset to the students and teachers of the college and the community.
The OAEC offers several areas which can be booked for commercial or community events, and has 450sqm of flat floor space, and a seating capacity of up to 700. The Auditorium includes full audio visual facilities including 2 projectors & screens, sound system with microphone and standard lighting. Stage and special effect lighting is available when hiring school technicians. The Auditorium also includes efficient heat pump & air conditioning units.[9]
Statistics
edit
At the December 2016 Education Review Office (ERO) review of the school, Orewa College had 1847 students, including 63 international students. The school roll's gender composition was 51% male and 49% female, and its ethnic composition was 79% European (Pākehā), 12% Māori, 4% Asian, 3% Pasifika, and 2% Other.[10]
Notable alumni
edit- Ann Hartley – politician[11]
- Shaun Johnson – rugby league player[12]
- Fiona Pardington – photographic artist
References
edit- ^ a b "New Zealand Schools Directory". New Zealand Ministry of Education. Retrieved 17 September 2024.
- ^ "Decile Change 2014 to 2015 for State & State Integrated Schools". Ministry of Education. Retrieved 12 February 2015.
- ^ "About Orewa College". Orewa College. Retrieved 24 November 2013.
- ^ "'Bomb threat' closes schools as over 70 concerning emails received". 1 News. Retrieved 24 November 2023.
- ^ Ruscoe, Kim (25 June 2009). "Death after school boiler explosion". Stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 29 May 2013.
- ^ Grunwell, Rachel (25 July 2010). "Boilers 'time bombs' in our schools - engineer". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 29 May 2013.
- ^ "Orewa College pleads guilty over fatal blast". The New Zealand Herald. 26 April 2010. Retrieved 29 May 2013.
- ^ "College board fined over boiler room blast". The New Zealand Herald. 27 July 2010. Retrieved 29 May 2013.
- ^ "Introducing The Orewa Arts & Events Centre". Orewa Arts & Events Centre. Retrieved 4 November 2018.
- ^ "Orewa College Education Review". Education Review Office. 9 December 2016. Retrieved 23 September 2020.
- ^ Taylor, Alister; Coddington, Deborah (1994). Honoured by the Queen – New Zealand. Auckland: New Zealand Who's Who Aotearoa. p. 175. ISBN 0-908578-34-2.
- ^ "League: Johnson hopes he's the Warriors' Superman". Otago Daily Times. 14 February 2014. Retrieved 27 December 2024.