Kia ora e te whānau,
With Term 2 well underway, seeing the start of our winter sports season last weekend was fantastic. I had the pleasure of watching netball and rugby, and I was incredibly proud of how our students conducted themselves on and off the field. They looked sharp in their sports uniforms; they represented HVHS with pride, skill, and excellent team spirit—a big thank you to all the coaches, whānau, and supporters who cheered our teams on. Well done to the Rugby Boys 1st XV on an impressive win against Rongotai College.
This week, we welcomed many of you to our Year 9-10 Learning Conversations. Thank you for making the time to engage in these important discussions. These conversations add vital context to the fortnightly Attitude to Learning reports and provide a fuller picture ahead of the mid-year reports, which will show progress against curriculum expectations. In the meantime, please do check the KAMAR portal regularly for updates on assessment results and learning progress.
Thank you also to our Year 11–13 students for their independence and self-management during the recent Learning Conversations days. We know that working independently, without the supervision of a teacher, can be challenging, but it is an essential skill that all students must develop. Learning is about improving yourself, growing your understanding, and becoming a more capable version of yourself, not just doing work because someone is watching. We appreciate the effort many of you made to engage meaningfully with your learning from home.
A reminder that we are holding our Year 11 NCEA Information Evening on Tuesday, 13 May at 6.00pm - 7:00pm in the Hall. This is a great opportunity for both students and caregivers to better understand the NCEA system, particularly as Year 11 is the foundation year before students begin the full NCEA programme in Year 12. We strongly encourage all Year 11 families to attend.
A new Ministry of Education webspace is available that provides practical videos, activities, and resources to support whānau to take a more active role in their child’s education. The section on NCEA literacy and numeracy co-requisite guide is particularly useful. Click here to access the Parent Portal.
Coming up on Friday, 16 May, we mark Pink Shirt Day—a national movement to celebrate kindness, inclusion, and standing up to bullying. HVHS is a school that believes in looking after each other. While it’s natural for conflict to occur between teenagers, true bullying is deliberate, targeted, and ongoing. Pink Shirt Day is a powerful reminder of our collective responsibility: Kōrero mai, kōrero atu, mauri tū, mauri ora – Speak up, stand together, stop bullying.
The "speaking up" part is crucial. Bullying thrives in silence, and we all have a role in stopping it before it escalates. Whether you're a student or a parent, know that we have a strong network of support available: mentor teachers, subject teachers, guidance counsellors, youth workers, sports coaches, deans and the Senior Leadership Team. If we know something is happening, we can help.
Let’s continue to build a culture of courage, compassion, and connection - and enjoy the Pink Shirt Day video from our Student Leaders.
Ngā mihi nui,
Denise Johnson, Principal
Join us on Tuesday, 27 May for Hutt Valley High School’s Annual Open Evening, 6–8pm. The evening begins at 6pm with an introduction from our Principal, Denise Johnson.
After this, student-led tours will depart from the School Hall, giving parents, caregivers, and students interested in attending in 2026 the opportunity to walk around our school and see learning areas in action.
No registration required - everyone is welcome!
- by Cara Penfold (Assistant Head of Technology Learning Area)
On Wednesday 30 April, Year 11, 12 and 13 FTEC (Furniture and Construction) students had the opportunity to meet Ulli Köhler from My Joiner Ltd, visiting as part of a connection through Master Joiners. Thanks to Amanda Walters (Careers Advisor/ Gateway Coordinator) for making the connection with Master Joiners and organising Uili’s visit.
Ulli generously shared his journey into the trade, brought in examples of his craftsmanship, and offered real-world advice on how to get started in the joinery industry here in Aotearoa.
He spent time speaking one-on-one with students, sharing insights and even passing on industry contacts to help them take their next steps. George Xie-Jenkinson (13SM) said the visit helped him realise that joinery could be a realistic and exciting career option—something he hadn’t considered before.
Alex Williams (13CW) shared, "On Wednesday, when Miss Penfold got Ulli from Master Joiners into our class, I found it very helpful for my future career in Joinery. He suggested ways for me to get into the joinery industry which I am really excited to try and even has a contact of someone I can get in touch with to start progressing while I’m still at school."
Jamie Putter (11HR) said, "It was really cool to see the work he gets to produce, and it is now something I would be interested in looking into in my future."
Ethan Trustham (11FE) added that there was "plenty of creativity involved."
A huge thank you to Ulli for taking the time to speak with our ākonga and helping them see new career possibilities.
- by Mark Oates (Head of Physical Education, Food & Health Learning Area)
It’s been a full-on but awesome year so far for our Learning Area, with heaps of activities that have got students fired up, learning, and connecting. We kicked things off with the Year 9 Meet & Compete tabloid sports day, a total blast where kids teamed up for fun, creative challenges. It was all about building teamwork, school spirit, and just having a good time, helping set the vibe for the rest of the year.
We then teamed up with the Sports Office to pull off the school-wide Athletics Day, a massive event that let every student show their skills and grit. It was a real buzz seeing everyone, from sprinters to throwers, give it their all, and we made sure it was a day everyone could be part of and remember.
For our Year 11 students, we took things deeper with an overnight trip to Battle Hill, focusing on Kotahitanga - working together as one. The activities there really brought the group closer, helping them see what it means to support each other and build a tight-knit community.
Our Year 12 students, on the other hand, tackled a tough two-night hike in the Ōrongorongo Ranges (pictured below). It pushed them physically and mentally, teaching them to lead, keep going when things get hard, and respect the environment—skills they’ll carry beyond the trails.
Our year 12 Hospitality students have been running their own ‘in-house catering company’, they have been designing, cooking and delivering a full lunch menu to staff, lunches that have everyone raving. They’ve shown serious professionalism and creativity, as well as gaining a better understanding of costing and ordering. It's been really rewarding for both the students and their teachers to receive so much positive feedback from our customers.
Right now, we’re getting Year 13 PE students ready for their Tararua Ranges trip, where they’ll focus on managing safety in the outdoors. It’s all about learning to assess risks, make smart calls, and lead in tricky situations. We look forward to the rest of the year as helping students grow, connect, and take on new challenges.
For any questions on the PE, Health and Food Learning Area, please email me at mark.oates@hvhs.school.nz
This week, we launched our Learning Community Hub. On Thursday, Year 10 and 11 students from diverse ethnic backgrounds attended a seminar run by the Ministry of Education about NCEA and the literacy and numeracy co-requisites.
Next week, we start our parent seminars. These sessions are open to any migrant parent within our school community, especially those parents of our English language learners, most of whom have arrived in New Zealand in the last few years. The topic for the first seminar is NZ's education system at high school and the basics of NCEA. The session will be held on Tuesday 13 May in the staff room from 6:30pm - 8:30pm. Food is provided, and translators are available for Vietnamese, Chinese, Tagalog, and Arabic-speaking parents. We look forward to welcoming the parent community of our many ethnic communities.
Congratulations to Kezia Cooper (13WB), Sam Jiang (11TT), Katrina Schaff-Ede (12BH) and Zoe Rae (12IN) for completing their Bronze Duke of Edinburgh Award! We continue to have lots of students expressing interest in starting their Duke of Edinburgh journey. If you'd like to learn more about the programme at HVHS, click here
For those already working towards their award, don’t forget to check out the Clubs and Groups page , on the HVHS website - many of these activities can count towards your Skill or Service sections. For any questions, please contact Sarah Coales (Duke of Edinburgh Coordinator) at sarah.coales@hvhs.school.nz
Image: Katrina Schaff-Ede (12BH), Zoe Rae (12IN) and Rosie Dungey (12IN) completing their Duke of Edinburgh expedition.
Each year, we see students arriving at school who haven't had breakfast and are without kai for the day, and this year is no exception. Unfortunately, some of the charities that previously provided support are no longer able to do so. As a result, we are reaching out to our school community to see if whānau can help.
Donations of spreads for sandwiches, grab-and-go foods such as muesli bars and food items students can easily put in their school bags would be greatly appreciated. If you’re unsure what to donate, grocery vouchers are also a fantastic way to contribute. If you’d like to help, please contact Claire Ross (Head of Wellbeing) at claire.ross@hvhs.school.nz
Please don't pick up or drop off students in the staff car park. Space is very limited, and parent/caregiver cars further restrict access. We need to ensure that over 2,000 students and staff can safely move around the school grounds and that mobility vans transporting students with additional needs can safely use the staff car park. Construction is also underway, reducing the available space in the staff car park. We appreciate your cooperation.
If the Office has contacted you to pick up your unwell student during the school day, they will advise you of the best place to park to collect your student.
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