Onslow College
 |
This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (January 2012) |
| Onslow College | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Location | |
| Burma Road, Johnsonville, Wellington, New Zealand |
|
| Coordinates | 41°13′51″S 174°47′49″E / 41.2307°S 174.7970°ECoordinates: 41°13′51″S 174°47′49″E / 41.2307°S 174.7970°E |
| Information | |
| Type | State co-ed secondary Year 9-13 |
| Motto | Latin: Levavi oculos meos in montes Māori: Ka anga atu aku kanohi ki nga maunga English: Lift your eyes to the hills |
| Established | 1956 |
| Ministry of Education Institution no. | 269 |
| Principal | Mr. Peter Leggat |
| School roll | 1121 |
| Socio-economic decile | 10 |
| Website | www.onslow.school.nz |
Onslow College is a decile 10 co-educational state 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 new Principal will be Mr. Peter Leggat, and he will begin at the start of the School year 2011. [1]
Contents |
[edit] The Onslow Way
The Onslow Way is one attribute of the College that gives its uniqueness and attraction to students within and outside the Northern Suburbs of Wellington. This is seen in the students attitude, both during and after their school years. The Students show a fresh and open attitude with an openly accepting mentality to accepting new and creative ideas, as well as openly accepting new students from other schools, years and countries. The Onslow Way also 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 occurs in a staff members 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 names forward for nomination for the board of trustees. The student members of the board of trusties 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.
[edit] Uniform policy
Onslow College is one of only three Colleges within the Wellington Region that has no officially enforced dress code.[2] The uniform code was removed in protest of the students during the late 60's and early 70's. Uniforms were seen by the students as a waste of their teachers time and was 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 attributed to the colleges individuality and its unique 'Onslow Way'.
[edit] Prefect system
Onslow College has no Prefect System as well as no Head Boy or Head Girl; as it was seen as anti-democratic. Onslow was also one of the first schools to acquire a Student Council; to push the students concerns and views onto the Board of Trustees.
[edit] Notable alumni
[edit] Academia
- James Belich - Professor of History and writer
[edit] The Arts
- David Beach - poet and winner of the biennial Prize in Modern Letters for his book of poems Abandoned Novel in 2008
- Chris Graham - film director[3]
- Rosemary McLeod - writer
- Emily Perkins (novelist) - author
- Taika Waititi - Oscar-nominated film director, writer, painter, comedian and actor
- William Jackman - Singer/Songwriter and 2009 Play It Strange Singer/Songwriter Competition Winner
[edit] 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
[edit] Public service
- Georgina Beyer - the world's first transsexual Mayor and later MP.[4][5]
- 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
[edit] Science
- Stanley Roache - 2009 Prime Minister’s Future Scientist Prize[6]
[edit] Sport
- Jeremy Coney - New Zealand cricket player
- Gavin Larsen - New Zealand cricket player
[edit] References
- ^ "Onslow College Newsletter". June 2009. http://www.onslow.school.nz/images/CMS_images/Newsletter/Newsletter%204%20T2%202009.pdf. Retrieved 2009-07-03.[dead link]
- ^ Onslow College General Rules
- ^ "Chris Graham - Biography". nzonscreen.com. 2011 [last update]. http://www.nzonscreen.com/person/chris-graham/biography. Retrieved 18 February 2011.
- ^ Georgina Beyer
- ^ The Georgina Beyer story ... how a change for the better came about
- ^ http://www.pmscienceprizes.org.nz/about/winners_2009/future.html
