Important Dates
- Friday 22 August: Mid-term break
- Monday 25 – Friday 29 August: Winter Tournament week
- Tuesday 2 September: Sports Awards
- Wednesday 3 September: Te Whānau a Taraika whānau hui 6.00pm
- Thursday 4 – Friday 5 September: Writing CAA exam
- Monday 8 – Friday 12 September: Derived grade exam week. Numeracy and Literacy Reading CAAs and DCAT exams
- Monday 15 September: Board meeting 6.00pm
- Thursday 18 September: Music Evening
- Friday 19 September: Term 3 ends
What’s Happening
New inductees on WHS Wall of Fame
Have you ever seen the WHS Wall of Fame? Located outside the Riley Centre, the Wall depicts a few of the many WHS alumni who have made a professional name and significant contribution to the arts, sport, politics and many other areas, in Aotearoa New Zealand and around the world.
The wall was proposed by alumnus Tony Bartley and it was Principal Prue Kelly who launched the wall for the school’s 125th Jubilee in 2011. Each year nominations are received and new inductees added to the wall.
This year, we are proud to announce four new Wall of Fame inductees:
John McCready – Record Producer
Ngā Mahi a Ratana Potiki – Sports Broadcaster
Wellington High Battle of the Bands 2025
Sunday 31 August from 4-7pm at Meow, 9 Edward Street
Get your tickets for an unforgettable afternoon of music and energy as Wellington High’s talented bands take the stage to battle it out! This is more than any school gig – it’s a chance to see our creative akonga step confidently into Te Whanganui-a-Tara’s vibrant music scene.
Last year’s event, held at the professional music venue Meow, was a complete sell-out. This year promises to be just as electric. With original songs, crowd-favourite covers, and the passion of our young musicians, it’s the perfect opportunity to support our rangatahi as they light up a real stage. Don’t miss it!
Achievements
Mathswell Competition
Teams of six students from years 9, 10, 11 & 12/13 competed against other schools from around the Wellington region at VUW on Monday 18 August.
There were two rounds of problem solving and multichoice questions.
Our school performed amazingly well with the following results.
- Year 9 team came 1st in the plate final.
- Year 10 team came 4th in the cup final.
- Year 12/13 combined team came 2nd in the plate final.
Maths was the winner on the day!
New Zealand Maths Olympiad Competition (NZMOC)
Congratulations to Elijah Michel who competed in the first round of the New Zealand Maths Olympiad who has made it through to the second round which is a 3 hour exam.
Wellington Regional Japanese Speech Contest
Four students represented our school at the Wellington Regional Japanese Speech Contest last week: Fiona Lin (Y10), Lorna McDougall (Y11), Malachi Matheson (Y11) and Frances Williams (Y13). All delivered polished speeches that showcased their impressive language skills. Congratulations to Fiona (2nd, Y10), Lorna (3rd, Y11) and Malachi (Year 11 Special Award) for their outstanding achievements.
Sports
Sporting Achievements
We kindly ask all students, staff, and whānau to inform the Sports Office of any sporting achievements, whether within school or outside of school, in preparation for the upcoming Sports Awards on Tuesday, 2 September.
Please ensure that all submissions are emailed to the Sports Office (sport@whs.school.nz) by Tuesday, 26 August.
Careers
Pathways
Please read this week’s Pathways Newsletter!
Please note that from this week onwards, the Pathways Newsletter will solely be posted on Careerwise. You can subscribe to our newsletter on the Careerwise page and receive regular updates.
Get your Learners Licence for Y11-13 students
There are lunchtime sessions on Wednesdays for the rest of the term to help students get started on their Learners Licence. The goal is for them to pay for and sit their test here at school in the last week of this term.
VTNZ will come with staff and tablets for students to sit their Learners test without having to go off site.
Interested students can register here.
Gateway work experience
2026 applications for Gateway are now open for Year 12 and 13 students.
For information on the work experience programme you can find out more in the Gateway presentation (here)
And the Expression of Interest form to apply that needs to be signed by a parent or caregiver (here)
Gateway work experience is one day a week for a term/10 weeks or over a school holiday period. Being on Gateway, students will achieve a minimum of 10, up to 20 credits on a Health and Safety course, a Work Ready course, or Industry-based unit standards.
Gateway is not a timetabled class; successful students will have to catch up on the school work they miss due to the work placement. they can choose a day that works best for them and that least impacts their school timetable.
Some areas our students have completed their work experience in are:
Animal care
Aviation/Airport work
Baker
Beekeeping
Butcher
Cafe/barista
Chef
Childcare
Computer Repair
Corporate office work
Hairdressing
Horticulture (WCC)
Landscaping
Live sound, Event management
Physical fitness trainer
Predator control
Radio host
Retail
Police prep
Trades: building, electrician, plumber, mechanic, panel beating, metal fabrication & Joinery
Youth Services
Community
Webinar – Residence Pathways for migrants and students
If you are eligible for residence or seeking clarity on your long-term future in Aotearoa there will be a complimentary live webinar on Tuesday, 26 August at 7pm NZT, which is designed to support people in making informed decisions and feel confident about their next steps and immigration pathways in New Zealand.Arunima Dhingra will talk about:
- Skilled Migrant Category
- Green List Residence pathways
- Work extension & Variation Of Conditions
- Study Opportunities
- Q&A