Onslow College

Onslow College
Onslow College and surrounds Latin: Levavi oculos meos in montes Māori: Ka anga atu aku kanohi ki nga maunga English: Lift your eyes to the hills
Address
Burma Road, Johnsonville, Wellington, New Zealand
Coordinates	41°13′51″S 174°47′49″E / 41.2307°S 174.7970°E / -41.2307; 174.7970Coordinates: 41°13′51″S 174°47′49″E / 41.2307°S 174.7970°E / -41.2307; 174.7970
Information
Type	State co-ed secondary Year 9–13
Established	1956
Ministry of Education Institution no.	269
Principal	Mr. Peter Leggat
School roll	1255[1] (March 2015)
Socio-economic decile	10Z[2]
Website	www.onslow.school.nz

Onslow College is a state co-educational secondary school located in Johnsonville, a suburb of Wellington, New Zealand. The school opened in 1956 to serve the city's rapidly growing northern suburbs. The current principal is Mr Peter Leggat.^[3]

The Onslow Way

The Onslow Way differentiates Onslow College from other schools in that the college does not have prefects, Head Boys or Girls or college houses.

To replace the 'responsibility void' left by lack of a prefect system, Onslow College has championed the peer mediation system, where trained students talk to their peers about incidents that have occurred at school, such as bullying, isolation or drug use. This allows students to feel more comfortable while discussing these issues, without fear of retribution which invariably arises in a staff member's presence.

Students also have a large say in the running of the school. Each form class elects one or two representatives to a year level council, which then in turn appoint representatives to the school student council. Students can also put their own names forward for nomination for the board of trustees. The student members of the board of trustees are appointed by a vote by the entire student body.

Students also sit on panels for job applicants, property matters, and many other facets of the running of the school.

Uniform policy

Onslow College is one of only two state secondary schools within the Wellington region (the other being Wellington High School) that has no officially enforced dress code.^[4] The uniform code was removed after protest by the students during the late 60s and early 70s. Uniforms were seen by the students as a waste of their teachers' time and were slowly but eventually removed in stages; with the gloves and hats being the first to be removed. A school‑wide student strike was the major turning point in the removal of the uniform, an event which was attributed to the college's individuality and its unique 'Onslow Way'.

Prefect system

Onslow College has no prefect system as well as no Head Boy nor Head Girl: it was seen as anti‑democratic. Onslow was also one of the first schools to acquire a Student Council; to promote the students' concerns and views onto the Board of Trustees.

History

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. Woodman was strangled, had her throat slit, and stabbed 32 times. Hawker was sentenced to life imprisonment with a 10-year non-parole period.^[5]

Notable alumni

Academia

• James Belich – Professor of History and writer

The Arts

• David Beach – poet and winner of the biennial Prize in Modern Letters for his book of poems Abandoned Novel in 2008^[6]
• Chris Graham – film director^[7]
• Rosemary McLeod – writer
• Emily Perkins (novelist) – author
• Taika Waititi – Oscar-nominated film director, writer, painter, comedian and actor

Broadcasting & journalism

• Tamati Coffey – TVNZ's roving Breakfast weather presenter and 2009 Dancing with the Stars winner
• Andrew Mulligan – television host of The Crowd Goes Wild and SKY TV Sports Presenter
• Warwick Slow – radio DJ
• Ian Wishart – editor Investigate magazine
• Rocky Wood – non-fiction author and freelance journalist

Public service

• Georgina Beyer – the world's first transsexual Mayor and later MP.^[8][9]
• Catherine Delahunty – Green Party MP
• Sandra Lee – first Maori woman to win a general seat in Parliament
• Trevor Mallard – current Labour Party politician and former Cabinet Minister

Science

• Stanley Roache – 2009 Prime Minister’s Future Scientist Prize^[10]

Sport

• Jeremy Coney – New Zealand cricket player
• Gavin Larsen – New Zealand cricket player
• Richard Ussher – New Zealand multisport athlete & World AR champion 2005/2006
• Alan Isaac – International Cricket Council President

References

External links

• NZQA Provider Details – Onslow College
• School 50th Reunion website
• A Brief History of Onslow College
• Education Review Office (ERO) reports for Onslow College