Papanui High School (PHS) is a co-educational state secondary school located in Papanui, Christchurch, New Zealand. It is situated on Langdons Road, in a rapidly growing commercial area. It was formerly bounded by Northlands Mall, and Firestone.
Papanui High School | |
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Address | |
30 Langdons Road Canterbury Christchurch New Zealand | |
Coordinates | 43°29′29″S 172°36′25″E / 43.49139°S 172.60694°E |
Information | |
School type | State co-educational secondary (Year 9–13) |
Motto | Latin: In Opere Felicitas (Be happy in your work) |
Established | 1936 |
Ministry of Education Institution no. | 316 |
Chairman | Shane Watson |
Principal | Robert Gilbert |
School roll | 1,548 (February 2024) |
Average class size | 28.5 |
Campus type | Suburban |
Houses | Ngaru Nui, Ahi Ka, Ruu Whenua, Taa Hiko |
Colour(s) | Navy blue Green |
Socio-economic decile | 7O[1] |
Website | papanui.school.nz |
The school opened as Papanui Technical College in 1936 with an informal opening on 26 May 1936,[2] and held an official opening in September 1936.[3] It operated under the control of the Christchurch Technical College.[4][5] The first principal of the school was Joseph Bell McBride.[6] In the late 1940s educational changes[7] transferred the control of the technical colleges[8] from the Technical College boards to new school boards. The school continued to be known as the Papanui Technical High School. Debate about the name of the school led to a name change to Papanui High School in 1954.[9]
In 2011 a new community and school shared gymnasium and pool complex was introduced to the school's campus.[10] It was opened in association with Christchurch City Council and was named in honour of Paralympian Graham Condon.[11]
Papanui High School site-shared[12] with Shirley Boys' High School for 26 weeks following the 2011 earthquake.[13]
It is the fourth largest school in Christchurch with a roll of 1,548 students in February 2024.[14] The school plays a large part in the wider community. The standard school pathway follows the NCEA (National Certificate of Education Achievement) curriculum with many subjects ranging from sciences such as Biology and Physics, to arts and history subjects such as photography and geography. The school also features the Kimi Ora department, a unit of the school designed in aiding and schooling students with an intellectual or behavioural disability, with each Kimi Ora student working on their individual education program designed with assistance from the family, specialists, and the teaching staff.[15]
The current principal is Jeff Smith.[16] In 2006 66% of Year 11 students gained NCEA Level 1.That figure lowered to 62% 2012, but increased to 82% in 2015. NCEA performance in Level 2 also reached the national average.[17]