New Plymouth Boys' High School is a single-sex boys' state secondary school in New Plymouth, Taranaki, New Zealand. The school currently caters for approximately 1300 students, including 210 boarders, on its site. The school often collaborates with the very close-by New Plymouth Girls' High School. For example, the Hillary Challenge team for New Plymouth always draws students from both schools and the jazz band and concert band include musicians from both schools.
History
New Plymouth Boys' High School was founded in 1882 and celebrated its 125th Jubilee in 2007. Thomas Shailer Weston was for some time a governor of the school.
New Plymouth Boys' High School currently has four houses. Students are sorted alphabetically into their houses, with the exception of Hatherly, which consists of boarders only.
Huia Ropū is a class attended by all students on a Wednesday period 4. In the class, students learn about a variety of topics, including time management, mindfulness, anti-bullying, goal setting and careerpath planning, among others. Students stay in their Huia group throughout their time in school. There are 15 ropū per house, and each ropū is referenced by the first letter of its house followed by its number.
Facilities
In 2008, the school acquired a new wing with facilities for administration, science and mathematics. The wing incorporates modern architecture to add a new flavor to the traditional school. The wing was opened by the Prime Minister at the time, Helen Clark. The school has a boarding hostel, providing accommodation for up to 200 boys.
New Plymouth Boys' High also had their own radio station named "Gully FM", as the school's "Gully Grounds" are a major part of New Plymouth Boys' High. Gully FM broadcast locally to New Plymouth on 87.9 FM. Gully FM was founded in 2011 after a small group of students got together and put forward a proposal to the headmaster. Gully FM mainly broadcast pop, modern rock and dubstep aimed at the students of the school.
United Space School
New Plymouth Boys' High School and New Plymouth Girls' High School are the only New Zealand schools to take part in the Foundation for International Space Education's which is held in Houston, Texas each year. One student from each school, is selected to attend.
Exchange programme
A student exchange program has been established with a Chilean High School, Colegio San Nicolás de Myra, so that every year students alternate exchanges between New Plymouth and Santiago. In 2006, NPBHS travelled to Chile for the first time, and the next year students from Chile came to NPBHS in return. This exchange has continued into the present, and is run through NPBHS by Tineka Twigley. The school also associates with schools in New Plymouth's sister cities in Chinaand Japan.
After an incident in 2008 when a boarder was beaten by four other students the school's board of trustees commissioned an independent report on bullying in November 2008. The report, released in late January 2009, identified a culture of bullying amongst students in the school's hostel, although the school's board of trustees disputed some of the report's findings. A 2010 Education Review Office review of the school did not highlight any bullying issues, and gave the school a positive report.
