Henderson High School (Auckland)

Henderson High School
Address
Henderson Valley Road, Auckland, New Zealand
Coordinates	36°53′00″S 174°37′38″E / 36.8832°S 174.6271°E / -36.8832; 174.6271Coordinates: 36°53′00″S 174°37′38″E / 36.8832°S 174.6271°E / -36.8832; 174.6271
Information
Type	State, Co-educational, Secondary
Motto	A Mind Aware Of Right
Established	1953
Ministry of Education Institution no.	45
Principal	Mr Mike J. Purcell
School roll	683[1] (March 2015)
Socio-economic decile	3I[2]
Website	hhs.school.nz

Henderson High School is a co-educational secondary school in the west Auckland suburb of Henderson, New Zealand, catering for students from Year 9 to Year 13. In May 2013 the school will celebrate its 60th Jubilee, with top New Zealand Fashion designer Trelise Cooper, who is a former pupil of the school.

Course Information

Henderson High School (HHS) offers a range of subjects at the senior level (Year 11 to 13), which lead to the National Certificate of Educational Achievement (formerly School Certificate). The qualifications are recognised qualifications for tertiary institutions and employers alike. The junior level subjects (Year 9 & 10) are broad based courses and are used to prepare students for their specialised study when they progress to their senior level. The school also offers a dedicated adult education centre and options for inclusion into mainstream classes.

International Students

Henderson High School has 15 years experience of catering to international students, a long tradition which has seen an increase in the numbers of international students visiting from various countries. The school recognises the effort and contribution each international students makes to the student body. Students are encouraged to make use of the school's wide activities including the strong performance arts, music, and art departments. International students are accommodated with homestay families, specially chosen through a Homestay Services Company.

Henderson High School each year welcomes students from different countries, which include Brazil, China, Germany, Hong Kong, Iran, Japan, Korea, Macau, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam.^[3]

The Alpha Programme

The Alpha Programme is a specifically designed learning programme used to extend the capabilities of classroom knowledge. In its second year of inception, the programme gifts students an environment where they can develop skills and knowledge faster, and in a more global fashion. Students are provided with a mini laptop, of which they use to enhance their learning and interactions with the subject matter. The course covers the basic subjects:

• English
• Mathematics
• Science
• Social Science
• Health
• Physical Education

The programme aims to provide students with the essential skills needed to achieve higher at the senior level.^[4]

Facilities

Henderson High School was the first school constructed to a new common design plan, which were used during the post-World War II period to speed up secondary school construction. The "Henderson type school" was a single-storey all-timber school design, with long wings of classrooms facing onto corridors, fanning out from a central spine. It was a derivative of the "Naenae type school" (after its first use at Naenae College in Lower Hutt), which with two stories and mixed concrete and timber construction was too slow for a major school building programme. The Henderson school design lasted four years, 1953 to 1956, before it was replaced in 1957 with a new design centred on self-contained classroom blocks. Other school in the Auckland area built to the Henderson design include One Tree Hill College, Rangitoto College and Selwyn College.^[5]

The school's continuing modernisation programme provides students with ever improving facilities, including an architecturally designed administration building, together with a spacious entrance-way complemented with plenty of parking. The ongoing $5M school enhancement project includes an upgraded swimming pool and gymnasium. The school has been fully refurbished and upgraded to a very high standard. Classrooms are equipped with the latest technology for teaching and learning including internet access. The school has an excellent library with online computer services, new computer laboratories, music and drama facilities, a new dance studio, AV suite, art and photography rooms. New science, technology and mathematics faciilties have been recently completed as well as a modern International Students’ support centre. Construction of a national hockey turf complex has partially been completed.

The school has a small independently owned and operated tuck shop. Students are able to buy food and beverages during internal and lunch times using cash or EFTPOS.

Notes