Rutherford College, Auckland
History
The school opened in 1961, and 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.
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
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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
 | This article's list of alumni may not follow Wikipedia's verifiability policy. (September 2023) |
Sport
- Ken Carrington – rugby union player, All Black (1971–72)
- Ron Cribb – rugby union player, expelled
- Robbie Hunter-Paul – rugby league player
- Darren Liddel – weightlifter
- Kees Meeuws – rugby union player
- Henry Paul – rugby union and rugby league player
- Garth da Silva – boxer
- Gavin Stevens – cyclist
- Sam Tuitupou – rugby union player
- Ivan Vicelich – association footballer
- Peter Webb – cricketer
- 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
- ^ "New Zealand Schools Directory". New Zealand Ministry of Education. Retrieved 1 January 2025.
- ^ Decile change 2007 to 2008 for state & state integrated schools
- ^ Devaliant, Judith (2009). "History Lessons". In Macdonald, Finlay; Kerr, Ruth (eds.). West: The History of Waitakere. Random House. p. 207. ISBN 9781869790080.
- ^ Rutherford College Prospectus
- ^ rutherfordcollege (20 July 2007). Me Hui Hui - Rutherford Day '06. Retrieved 16 July 2024 – via YouTube.
- ^ rutherfordcollege (1 July 2007). Me Hui Hui - Rutherford College Jipers Choir. Retrieved 16 July 2024 – via YouTube.
- ^ "Ernest Rutherford - Scientist Supreme". www.rutherford.org.nz. Retrieved 16 July 2024.
- ^ Lambert, Max (1991). Who's Who in New Zealand, 1991 (12th ed.). Auckland: Octopus. pp. 178f. ISBN 9780790001302.
- ^ Forbes, Stephen (5 June 2012). "Tribute to Dame's efforts with Maori". Western Leader. Retrieved 19 June 2020.
- ^ Schmidt, Andrew. "The La De Da's – Profile". Audio Culture. Retrieved 28 April 2018.
- ^ Hewitson, Michelle (14 April 2018). "Simon Bridges is on a mission to get people to know (and like) him". NZ Listener. Vol. 263, no. 4062. Bauer Media Group. Retrieved 28 April 2018.