Rutherford College, Auckland

History

Rutherford High School opened in 1961, with Eric Clark as the first principal. The school rapidly developed as the farms and orchards of Te Atatū were developed into housing. The school was the first in New Zealand to offer drama and dance as school subjects.

Like most New Zealand secondary schools built in the 1960s, Rutherford High School was built to the Nelson two-storey standard plan. The Nelson two-storey is characterised by its two-storey H-shaped classroom blocks, with stairwells at each end of the block and a large ground floor toilet and cloak area on one side. The school has two Nelson two-storey blocks: B block and C block. A third Nelson two-storey block, known as D block, was destroyed by fire on 24 January 1975, reportedly caused by a teacher preparing for the new school year leaving a science demonstration unattended. More than 40 firefighters from Henderson, Glen Eden and Auckland fought the blaze, with the cost of damage estimated at $750,000 ().

Eric Clark was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire in the 1983 Queen's Birthday Honours, and retired as principal the following year.

Enrolment

As of , Rutherford College has a roll of students, of which (%) identify as Māori.

As of , the school has an Equity Index of , placing it amongst schools whose students have socioeconomic barriers to achievement (roughly equivalent to deciles 5 and 6 under the former socio-economic decile system).

Curriculum

Rutherford College is a New Zealand Qualifications Authority accredited co-educational Year 9–13 State Secondary school. It caters for students from year 9 to year 13, as well as providing adult education, special education and night courses. It offers well-qualified, professional staff are very successful in challenging students to achieve academic success in national assessments. The school teaches core subjects such as English, Mathematics and Science, and helps senior students pass NCEA (National Certificate of Educational Achievement). As well as core subjects, specialist subjects such as Chinese Mandarin, Japanese, Māori and German are taught as a second language, as well as aviation, environmental science and biochemistry, arts, physical education, technology, accounting and economics.

Tradition

The College encourages student participation in a wide range of extracurricular activities, again challenging students to reach their full potential in all areas.

• The school celebrates annually, Rutherford Day, to commemorate the history of the school.
• The official school song is ‘Me Hui Hui’, written by Pita Sharples
• Rutherford Colleges Kapa Haka group 'Te Rōpu Kapa Haka o Te Kōtuku' is also the top Mainstream group in the Auckland region.

Notable staff

• Chris Carter (born 1952), politician
• Cliff Edmeades (born 1941), principal (1989–2006)
• Jack Elder (born 1949), politician
• Dame June Mariu (born 1932), community leader

Notable alumni

Main article: People educated at Rutherford College, Auckland

Sport

• Ken Carrington – rugby union player, All Black (1971–72)
• Robbie Hunter-Paul – rugby league player
• Darren Liddel – weightlifter
• Henry Paul – rugby union and rugby league player
• Yvonne Willering – netball player and coach

The arts

• The La De Da's – 1960s/70s rock band, including Kevin Borich, first formed at Rutherford High
• Oscar Kightley – TV personality, actor (Bro' Town, Sione's Wedding)
• Pio Terei – TV personality, actor and comedian

Public service

• Simon Bridges – Former Minister of Transport and former National Party leader and MP for Tauranga. (Also the former Head Boy of the school)
• Dame Cindy Kiro – children's commissioner, academic, governor-general
• Tim Shadbolt – Mayor of Invercargill, former mayor of Waitemata City (one of the founding students of the school)
• Rawiri Waititi – Current Member of Parliament for Waiariki (New Zealand electorate), Co-Leader of Te Pāti Māori.

Notes

References

• Te Kete Ipurangi
• Education Review Office report

References

1. [http://www.minedu.govt.nz/web/downloadable/dl7698_v1/decile-changes-2007-2008-web-state-s-integ.xls Decile change 2007 to 2008 for state & state integrated schools]
2. (2009). "West: The History of Waitakere". Random House.
3. (August 2013). "Catalogue of Standard School Building Types". Ministry of Education.
4. "Our Story".
5. (25 January 1975). "$750,000 fire at school". [[The Press]].
6. {{London Gazette. (11 June 1983)
7. (11 June 1983). "Varied services gain reward". [[The Press]].
8. (22 February 1986). "Wealth of experience". [[The Press]].
9. "School Equity Index Bands and Groups".
10. [http://www.rutherford.school.nz/files/Rutherford%20College%20Prospectus%202007_0.pdf Rutherford College Prospectus]
11. rutherfordcollege. (2007-07-20). "Me Hui Hui - Rutherford Day '06".
12. rutherfordcollege. (2007-07-01). "Me Hui Hui - Rutherford College Jipers Choir".
13. "Ernest Rutherford - Scientist Supreme".
14. (1991). "Who's Who in New Zealand, 1991". Octopus.
15. Forbes, Stephen. (5 June 2012). "Tribute to Dame's efforts with Maori". Western Leader.
16. "Ken Carrington".
17. "New Zealand Herald Insights".
18. "Darren Liddel {{!}} New Zealand Olympic Team".
19. College, Rutherford. "Our Story".
20. "Netball: Only as good as your last game".
21. "The La De Da's – Profile".
22. Manhire, Toby. (2022-08-18). "Osa and the insides: Oscar Kightley on the return of Dawn Raids, 25 years on".
23. Husband, Dale. (2015-10-31). "Hinewehi Mohi and that anthem at Twickenham".
24. (14 April 2018). "Simon Bridges is on a mission to get people to know (and like) him". Bauer Media Group.
25. Husband, Dale. (2021-11-06). "Dame Cindy Kiro: A pōhara kōtiro from the wop-wops".
26. Team, Management Editorial. (2008-11-30). "Top 200 : Designworks Visionary Leader Tim Shadbolt – Bold and different".
27. Husband, Dale. (2020-09-26). "Rawiri Waititi: Unapologetically Māori".