Rutherford College, Auckland

Coordinates: 36°51′05″S 174°38′47″E / 36.8513°S 174.6465°E / -36.8513; 174.6465
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Rutherford College
Address
Map
Coordinates36°51′05″S 174°38′47″E / 36.8513°S 174.6465°E / -36.8513; 174.6465
Information
TypeState co-ed secondary (Year 9–13)
Established5 February 1961; 63 years ago
Ministry of Education Institution no.40
PrincipalGary Moore
School roll1,435[1] (February 2024)
Socio-economic decile5M[2]
Websitewww.rutherford.school.nz

Rutherford College (formerly named Rutherford High School from 1961 to 2001) is a co-educational state secondary school on the Te Atatū Peninsula, Auckland, New Zealand. It is named after New Zealand-born nuclear physicist and chemist Ernest Rutherford.

History[edit]

The school opened in 1961, and rapidly developed as the farms and orchards of Te Atatū were developed into housing.[3] The school was the first in New Zealand to offer drama and dance as school subjects.[3]

Curriculum[edit]

Rutherford College Information Commons

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.[4]

Tradition[edit]

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 achievements of Lord Rutherford.
  • The official school song is ‘Me Hui Hui’, written by Pita Sharples
  • Another school song ‘The Rutherford Way’ was written by former school music teacher, Mrs Manu Fa'aea-Semeatu.
  • The school has a strong bond with its sister school, Da Tong High School in Shanghai, China.
  • Rutherford Colleges Kapa Haka group 'Te Rōpu Kapa Haka o Te Kōtuku' is also the top Mainstream group in the Auckland region.

Notable staff[edit]

Notable alumni[edit]

Sport[edit]

The arts[edit]

Public service[edit]

Notes[edit]

  1. ^ "New Zealand Schools Directory". New Zealand Ministry of Education. Retrieved 14 March 2024.
  2. ^ Decile change 2007 to 2008 for state & state integrated schools
  3. ^ a b Devaliant, Judith (2009). "History Lessons". In Macdonald, Finlay; Kerr, Ruth (eds.). West: The History of Waitakere. Random House. p. 207. ISBN 9781869790080.
  4. ^ Rutherford College Prospectus
  5. ^ Lambert, Max (1991). Who's Who in New Zealand, 1991 (12th ed.). Auckland: Octopus. pp. 178f. ISBN 9780790001302.
  6. ^ Forbes, Stephen (5 June 2012). "Tribute to Dame's efforts with Maori". Western Leader. Retrieved 19 June 2020.
  7. ^ Schmidt, Andrew. "The La De Da's – Profile". Audio Culture. Retrieved 28 April 2018.
  8. ^ Hewitson, Michelle (14 April 2018). "Simon Bridges is on a mission to get people to know (and like) him". NZ Listener. No. Vol 263, No. 4062. Bauer Media Group. Retrieved 28 April 2018.

References[edit]

External links[edit]