HVHS Newsletter
Friday 8 August, 2025 - Term 3, Week 4
Kia ora koutou,
As I write this piece for the newsletter, the sounds of hammers on metal are ringing through my office. It is exciting to see the structural steel of our new building being erected so that we can see the size and shape of the building. Whether you're passing by after school or on the weekend, take a moment to check out the progress.
We are nearing the middle of the term. This means that many of our students and sports teams will be entering the semi-finals or finals stages of their competitions. We wish them well, remember to play hard but also play fair. In the hurly burly of these critical games, remember that good character means that you win well, showing respect to your team mates, to your coaches and to your opponents. This also means that you lose well, showing grace in defeat, congratulating the other team and thanking the officials. This is the outward embodiment of our school values. Trust the hard work that you have done in the season to prepare and give it your best.
This could also be said about your in-class assessments. It is the time of the year when deadlines are presented and there is no alternative but to put your head down and get the work done. Perseverance is the key to success, it will be hard work, it will be a little stressful, but that is ok and normal. Just keep going.
It was very interesting to see Education Minister Hon Erica Stanford’s announcement about the future of NCEA this week. Rest assured that we have been very closely monitoring the details of what has come out so that we can make informed decisions with our planning. For all our current students, there will be no change. NCEA is a rigorous, quality qualification that can be relied on to open doors to any future pathway a student decides on. Students who start with us in Year 9 in 2026 will be under the new system.
It is also important that we have our say. Consultation on the proposal to replace NCEA is open at the moment and I ask that you carefully read the information and watch the short videos provided by the Ministry of Education so that you can provide your own feedback if you wish to. Our staff is working on providing feedback on the proposal to ensure our voice is heard as well.
To find out more about the new qualifications, click here. You will also be able to have your say in an online survey that can be accessed from this page. Consultation on the proposal closes on Friday, 15 September at 5.00pm.
Ngā mihi nui,
Tim Fox, Co-Principal | Tumuaki (Acting, Term 3 2025)
Image: Progress on the new building, photo taken upstairs in the HVHS Library by Tara McKnight
Nominations for parent representatives on the Hutt Valley High School Board have now closed.
Voting papers will be sent out on Wednesday, 13 August 2025:
-
Parents and caregivers with email addresses will receive a link to vote online via email.
-
Those without an email address on file will receive printed voting papers by post. These will be mailed on the same day but may take a few days to arrive.
All votes must be received by 4pm on Wednesday, 10 September 2025, when voting closes. Parents and caregivers with printed voting papers must ensure these are dropped off at the School Office by the deadline.
If you have any questions, please contact Election Pilot, the Returning Officer for HVHS elections, on 0800 VOTE NZ (0800 868 369) or email election@electionpilot.nz.
Supported Learning Centre (SLC)
During Terms 2 and 3, our Tautoko Centre has been welcoming all Year 9 Mentor Classes to join us for fun, collaborative activities. Students have been busy building everything from stadiums and playgrounds to an impressive Eiffel Tower model. Most recently, when hosting 9BESD (pictured), each team selected a “Mayor” and designed their vision for the future of Lower Hutt. These sessions are always a highlight, giving SLC students and the wider school the chance to connect, create, and learn together in a hands-on way.
Learning Support
Earlier this year, our Senior Literacy students visited the Lower Hutt Events Centre to explore the wide range of roles within the hospitality, business, and event management industries. This visit gave students valuable insight into the skills and qualifications needed to enter these exciting career pathways.
Meanwhile, our students with Special Assessment Conditions (SAC) are currently busy selecting the support they will receive for their upcoming NCEA exams. SAC is available to students with a learning, medical, or physical disability, and removes barriers to enable them to achieve academic success.
Employment Ready & Gateway
Our senior students are thriving in the Employment Ready and Gateway programmes, with 93 students gaining valuable work experience this year. These placements, along with Trades Academies, Gateway Programmes, industry visits, taster courses, and community projects, give students practical skills and insight into future career pathways. We are grateful to the many businesses and organisations who support our students, and to Jodene Fitness (Pathways Assistant) and Amanda Walters (Careers Advisor/ Gateway Coordinator), whose hard work makes these opportunities possible.
Helping Hands at Petone Beach
This week, six of our students, Albin Mowat (12AL), Keira Field (12AL), Diizarian Jones (12AL), Chadrick Tapec (12IN), Liam Tyson (12AL), and Ian Cronje (12AW) joined staff members Jodene Fitness (Pathways Assistant) and Kirsty Mawdesley (Pathways Teacher) to support the Friends of Petone Beach with their dune restoration project.
The group spent the morning planting native grasses, learning hands-on conservation skills and discovering the ecological importance of protecting our coastal environment. This was a first-time conservation experience for many of our students and an amazing opportunity to give back to our local community. A huge thank you to Graeme Lyon and Richard Morrison for sharing their expertise – we can’t wait to see the dunes thrive!
Gateway Applications for 2026
Gateway applications for 2026 are now open. Students who are interested in being considered for the programme can email Nicole Arnell (Head of Learning Area - Pathways) at nicole.arnell@hvhs.school.nz to express their interest.
Careers Support
This is a busy time for Jude Allen (Head of Careers & Transition Pathways) and Amanda Walters (Careers Advisor/ Gateway Coordinator), as they meet with students to plan courses for next year and support scholarship and university applications. Students take part in career interviews throughout the year to discuss subject choices, next steps, and life beyond school, with parents and caregivers encouraged to attend. The team also assists with tertiary enrolments, job applications, and connecting students to employers.
Pathways Function, Celebrating Our Students
We are looking forward to celebrating the success of our students at our upcoming Pathways Function on Wednesday, 10 September at 7:00pm at the Petone Working Men’s Club.
This is always a wonderful opportunity to acknowledge the hard work and achievements of our students across the Learning Pathways programmes. We hope to see you there.
For any questions on our Learning Pathways programmes, please email Nicole Arnell (Head of Learning Area - Pathways) at nicole.arnell@hvhs.school.nz.
Wellington Tertiary Open Day is a fantastic opportunity for senior students considering tertiary study in Wellington. You'll be able to visit campuses, explore study options, and gain a sense of what different institutions have to offer. Parents and caregivers are very welcome to come along, and it is highly recommended too!
Permission Required
To attend, please click here to complete the Permission to Attend Google Form by Monday, 18 August, at 12:00pm.
Plan Ahead
To get the most out of the day:
-
Check each provider’s schedule and map carefully
- Register with the institutions you’re interested in
- Plan your visits in advance
-
Bring your own food and a water bottle; some campuses have food available to purchase
Getting there by train or bus is strongly recommended. Car parking in Wellington is limited, expensive, and the parking wardens are diligent!
Wear casual and comfortable clothing, you do not need to wear your school uniform.
School Attendance
This is a normal school day for Year 13 students not attending the Open Day. If you're attending, you are responsible for catching up on any missed work.
Participating Tertiary Providers
Here are the institutions taking part, including links to register and get more details (timetables, maps and more):
Te Herenga Waka Victoria University of Wellington - 8:00am to 3:00pm
Register here & for more info
Massey University, Wellington Campus - 9:00am to 3:00pm
Register here & for more info
Yoobee College of Creative Innovation - 9:00am to 3:00pm
Register here & for more info
New Zealand School of Tourism (NZST) 9:00am to 3:00pm
Register here & for more info
New Zealand Institute of Sport (NZIS) - 10:00am to 1:00pm
Register here & for more info
Whitecliffe College (Arts, Design & Fashion) - 9:00am - 3:00pm
Register here & for more info
Elite School of Beauty - 9:00am - 3:00pm
Register here and check details
Toi Whakaari: New Zealand Drama School - Running Open Day tours starting at 9.30am, 12.30pm and 3pm
Register here and check details
Any Questions about Wellington Tertiary Open Day
Please contact Jude Allen (Head of Careers & Transition Pathways) at jude.allen@hvhs.school.nz.
Congratulations to William Sanders (10TUTS), who recently auditioned and won a place in the New Zealand Secondary Schools' Brass Band and will attend a week-long training camp in October, where he will play the cornet alongside top secondary school musicians from across the country.
Earlier this year, William won the Under 16 Air Varie Cornet event at the Wellington District Championships and also competed at the New Zealand National Brass Band Championships, held in Christchurch during the July school holidays.
MTG Club is a very inclusive space, so don’t worry about not knowing anyone or the games themselves. Students from all year levels are welcome to attend. The club also counts towards Ad Alta. For any questions, email Marcus Blomquist at marcus.blomquist@hvhs.school.nz.
A group of our senior female students (pictured) recently had the exciting opportunity to participate in ShadowTech, a nationwide initiative designed to inspire young women to explore careers in technology. Hosted by CyberCX Pty Ltd, the immersive experience gave our students a real-world glimpse into the tech sector and its diverse career pathways.
A big thank you to the team at CyberCX for their warm welcome and generous time.
New migrant and former refugee students recently took part in two Learning Community Hub events: Inspiring the Future, and a Financial Literacy session delivered by presenters from Westpac and IRD.
We also hosted an evening for immigrant parents, covering topics such as career pathways, graduation, prizegiving, scholarships, and university entrance. One parent shared that “the event is really helpful to get to know the New Zealand system”. Ultimately, this is the goal of our Learning Hub events - to support all families, particularly those new to the country, to feel informed and empowered.
The final parent event of the year is scheduled for Tuesday, August 19, focusing on AI in Education. Two more student events are also planned:
-
18 September – Time Management and Study Skills for senior students
-
Internet Safety and Cyberbullying session for junior students (date to be confirmed)
For any questions on our Learning Community Hub programme, please email Sarah Roper (Head of English Language) at sarah.roper@hvhs.school.nz.
Congratulations to the following students and teams:
- Lizzie Butters (9ADSB) has been selected in the Basketball Hutt Valley U14 Team that will play in the BBNZ Central Regional Tournament on 1–4 October in Napier.
- Toby Clancy (9PTNC) competed at the New Zealand Secondary Schools' Central Fencing Championships.
- Luca Marshall (12KG) had a great U18 National Hockey Tournament representing Wellington in North Shore, Auckland. After a whole week of excellent hockey from the U18 Wellington Team, they placed 4th in New Zealand out of 26 teams in their age group.
- Hannah Sampson (11VY) competing at the New Zealand Secondary Schools Swimming Championships in the Girls 15 Years category, placed 1st in the 200m Individual Medley and 200m Breaststroke, 2nd in 100m Breaststroke, 3rd in 50m Breaststroke and 100m Butterfly and tied for 6th in 50m Butterfly. Pictured above.
- Millie Sampson (13SM) also competing at the New Zealand Secondary Schools Swimming Championships in the Girls 17–19 Years category, placed 10th in 50m Breaststroke, 18th in 50m Backstroke and 19th in 50m Freestyle.
- Hugo Smith (10CNPA) placed 3rd in the Target Shooting National Indoor Championship on 3 August.
- Jacob Williams (10SP) placed 2nd in an epic race at the New Zealand Cross Country Club Championships in the Under 16 Boys race in Christchurch. This followed up on Jacob's recent win in the Wellington Club Cross Country Championships. In a busy term, Jacob was also awarded Regional Champion in the Intermediate Boys Orienteering category in the College Sport Wellington series of races.
A big thank you to all the parents and coaches for their hard work and support of our students. We can’t do any of this without your help!
Luca Marshall (12KG), U18 Wellington Hockey Representative Team
Toby Clancy (9PTNC), NZ Fencing Competiton
Congratulations to HVHS Battalion, our student-led hip hop team, who performed last Sunday at the Hip Hop In Schools competition held at Porirua College. Alia Leitner (11PC) and Patrick Bradley (11PC) led our school team of nine dedicated students who devoted many hours at lunchtime and after-school to choreograph, rehearse, and prepare their routine.
At the competition, they had a great time watching and celebrating other schools and dance studios. They came away with 2nd place in their category, earning a spot at the national competition in Christchurch.
Students in Years 12 and 13 can submit a short story of up to 1,500 words to the Mansfield Short Story Award 2025. Entries close this Monday (11 August). Students can submit their entries online by clicking here.
Our Dungeons & Dragons groups have space for new players. If you know a student who is struggling to find their place here at HVHS or could use a bit of extra social growth, encourage them to come along - or to rejoin if they've been part of the D&D group previously. D&D sessions run in V8 every Thursday after school until 5:30pm. We’ll help new players find a group that suits them.
We’re also looking for student volunteers to run games, which counts as volunteer experience. Interested students can attend on a Thursday to find out more or contact Marcus Blomquist at marcus.blomquist@hvhs.school.nz.
Show off your skills in House Has Talent, happening in Week 6 (Monday 18 August – Friday 22 August). All year levels welcome.
To sign up, click here and get your entry in by Friday, 15 August.
Students can earn house points for entering, wearing house colours, winning, performing with all-house members (bonus points) and mentor class performances (even more bonus points)!
The Music Department is calling out to our school community for ukulele donations to help support our Junior Music programmes. We’re looking for ukuleles of any size and in any condition — new, used, or well-loved — all are welcome!
Anyone who has played a ukulele will know that a group ukulele session is always great fun - and with your help, more students can get involved. If you have a spare ukulele to donate, please drop it off at the School Office (open Monday to Friday, 8am to 4pm during term time) or email the Music Department directly at music@hvhs.school.nz.
A huge thank you to those of you who have supported our students by donating kai in the past to help us supplement our breakfast club we run each day from Te Korowai.During the colder months, we've seen an increase in students coming in for food, and it's been great to offer sandwiches and fruit alongside the regular breakfast programme.
We’re grateful for your ongoing support. If you’d like to contribute by donating sandwich spreads or fillings, please contact Claire Ross (Head of Wellbeing) at claire.ross@hvhs.school.nz, or drop off donations at the School Office (open Monday to Friday from 8am to 4pm during term time).
Contact Information
Email: office@hvhs.school.nz
Website: hvhs.school.nz
Location: Hutt Valley High School Woburn Road, Woburn, Lower Hutt, New Zealand
Phone: 04 566 4584