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Wellington High School is a co-educational (since 1905) secondary school in downtown Wellington, New Zealand. In 2005 the roll was approximately 1100 students. It was founded, as Wellington College of Design, in the 1880s with the intention of providing a more appropriate education for the Dominion than the narrow academic training provided by the existing schools. It is the first co-educational secondary in New Zealand.
Many of the current buldings date from the 1980s and are in the neo-brutalist style pyramidal roofs.
History
Wellington High School, and the institutions from which the current school evolved, have a significant place in the history of public education in New Zealand. It was founded in 1886 by Arthur Dewhurst Riley as the Wellington College of Design. In 1891 the school became Wellington Technical School. It moved to its present site on Taranaki Street from Mercer Street in 1922. Riley was a pioneer of technical and vocational education in New Zealand and his views influenced the Manual and Technical Instruction Act of 1900.
In 1964 the secondary and tertiary education parts separated, the upper part becoming Wellington Polytechnical School. Wellington Poly has now become Massey University's Wellington Campus. Other technical schools have also gone on to become tertiary institutions, including Auckland University of Technology and Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology. The school retains a large community education programme.
The history of Wellington Technical College up to 1961 is described in " The school that Riley built;: The story of the Wellington Technical College from 1886 to the present day" Noel Harrison, ASIN: B0007JSZJ2.
Current affairs
The School was New Zealand Trade and Enterprise Export Awards Education Exporter of the Year 2004 *.
In 2004, the school made the national headlines * when students campaigned for the eviction of the Wellington branch of the Destiny Church, which was using the school hall for its services. Despite over 50% of enrolled students signing their names to a petition, the church still conducts services at the school.
In 2006, in repsonse to research on Wellington High students and an award-winning student video *," target="_blank" >[http://tvnz.co.nz/view/page/411415/710362) and very little controversy. Principal Prue Kelly is confident that this progressive trial in timetable restructuring will "catch on" and other schools will begin to adopt it as well.
Famous alumni
- Dan Weekes-Hannah - actor
- King Kapisi - musician
- Ben Agar - environmental activist and thinker
- Len Lye - artist - attended "evening art classes at Wellington Technical College (now Wellington High School)" see On the Waterfront
- Jon Toogood - Musician - Shihad
Other schools with the same name
There is also a Wellington High School in Florida.
References
"Wellington High School"