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Established in 1926, Hutt Valley High School (HVHS, Hutt High) is a school in Lower Hutt, New Zealand.

The origins of the school are in Petone, near Lower Hutt. In 1905, a secondary school, Petone District High School was added to Petone (primary) School which served a growing population employed in the Gear Meat Works and Railway Workshops. From 1910, as flood protection and communications in the Hutt Valley improved, urban growth encouraged a group of citizens to lobby the council for a local school.

18 acres of land was purchased in 1915 by the Education Department and finally in 1926, the school moved to its current site on Woburn Rd, as an amalgamation of Petone District High School and Hutt District High School, with a roll of 142 foundation pupils.

The first principal was Mr H. P. Kidson and the school comprised nine classrooms and one laboratory. It retained a rural feel with the grounds being grazed by sheep, loaned by local farmers. The first caretaker, Mr H. J. M. Stirling, died while in the school’s employ and a sundial for his memorial was unveiled by the then Prime Minister, Walter Nash. Today, this sundial is maintained as a memorial to those students who have died during their time at the school.

In the 1930’s, girls were expected ‘by voluntary labour, to keep the flower beds in order’ and boys planted trees and had the opportunity to join the Cadet Company, which involved rifle drill parades and provided the guard of honour at the opening of the nearby Riddiford Baths.

The 1940’s saw the building of air-raid shelters in the grounds and the effects of polio outbreaks with the early closure of the school for the year in 1947.

The school’s first Rhodes Scholarship was awarded to D. Vere-Jones in 1957, who had been Dux in 1953. He represents the school’s reputation for scholarship and the many academic honours that past pupils have been awarded over its history.

Public speaking, debating and drama productions, such as ‘Oklahoma’ and ‘Bless the Bride’ are some of the wide range of cultural activities associated with the school. The annual French Evenings have become the popular Multi-Cultural Evenings where food and entertainment from different cultures are sampled and celebrated.

A wide range of sporting pursuits are part of the school’s tradition and success continues in local and national competitions. Many old boys and girls have gone on to represent New Zealand in their chosen code. The local Tararua mountains have been explored by many groups from the school as part of the Tramping Club and the Duke of Edinburgh's Award. Tragically, in the 1940’s a teacher’s life was lost in a snowstorm and several other students have since lost their lives in these mountains.

Music has also been a rich part of school life and the early ‘Girl’s Choir’ and ‘Dance Band’ have given way to a range of choirs, bands and musical groups of many different styles.

The 1980’s saw further growth and expansion of the school and when Petone Memorial College closed in 1998 (this school, located close to HVHS, was a former technical school whose roll had steadily sunk after the removal of strict zoning) its pupils were incorporated into Hutt Valley High School.

Hutt Valley High School has continued to expand and now has a diverse school population from over 60 different national and cultural backgrounds. It also hosts many international and exchange students from around the world. The current roll is 1761 students.

Hutt Valley High School has recently built two new facilities catering to Physical Education, Art and Drama. Future plans are in the process of being approved to expand the new Physical Education building further.

Notable alumni

• Bernie Fraser, former All Black
• Alan MacDiarmid, Nobel Prize laureate
• John Campbell, TV news presenter
• John Richard Reid, former New Zealand cricket captain
• Sir Thomas Eichelbaum, former Chief Justice of New Zealand
• Ronald Jarden, former All Black and Sportsman of the Year, 1951
• Alan Hewson, former All Black
• John Bevan Ford, artist
• Nick Willis, Olympic Bronze Medalist
• Mike Clamp, former All Black

Bullying Allegations and Controversy

Although bullying is officially not condoned, the school’s definitions of serious assault have come under question in the news media after acting principal Steve Chapman did not expel or suspend five students accused of forcibly lowering the underpants of a 14 year old student and violating him with an object on December 6 2007.

In January 2008, acting principal Chapman argued that the act did not constitute a serious case of assault, as there was no blood, and stood by his decision at the time to stand down the pupils instead of referring them to the board for disciplinary action. This is despite the incident being labelled by the local police as extreme bullying.

The school’s ability to provide a safe environment for learning was further brought into question by board chairwoman Susan Pilbrow’s response. Pilbrow is reported as saying that a series of assaults preceding the main attack were minor, and did not warrant being referred to the board, even though scissors and cell phones were being used as weapons.

Sex, Drinking and Drug Report

Chris Carter, Minister of Education, asked for an urgent report into allegations of underage sex in bushes, drinking and drug-taking at the school. The report found that there was no evidence of ongoing serious problems apart from the December incidents. However, the report found that while the school had clear expectations of its students' behaviour, there was "a lack of clear procedures in dealing with incidents" (in particular, with the managing and reporting complaints and investigations of abuse) and that some management policies needed brought up to date.

Notes

1. "Board of Trustees Announcement". Hutt Valley High School. 12 May 2008. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
2. Decile change 2007 to 2008 for state & state integrated schools
3. School attacks blamed on 'pack mentality' - from The Dominion Post January 2008(Archive)
4. "Schoolyard sex inquiry". The New Zealand Herald. January 28 2008. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
5. "Bullying at high school isolated - report". The New Zealand Herald. 17 April 2008. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)

• Educational institutions established in 1926
• Secondary schools in New Zealand
• Schools in Wellington