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Empowering ākonga to achieve success and fulfilment, for themselves, whānau and community
Message from our Tumuaki
Message from our Tumuaki
Tēnā koutou katoa. Nau mai haere mai. Nau mai hoki mai.
Welcome to Term 3. I do hope you have all had a restful break over the holiday period.
Welcome to new staff - Mrs Baillie Burgess joins our learning support team, and Ms Parris Petera as our Sports Co-ordinator.
Welcome back to Whaea Grace from maternity leave, and to Vanessa Fraser from her science study award leave.
The beginning of a new term is a reminder that growth rarely happens in giant leaps. More often, it comes through the small choices we make each day – showing kindness, asking for help, trying again after a setback, encouraging a friend, or taking that first step outside our comfort zone.
As we return this term, I encourage every member of our school community to focus on making progress. Every lesson learned, every challenge embraced, every connection made and every act of kindness contributes to who we become.
Our world is changing rapidly, and while knowledge will always matter, qualities such as resilience, curiosity, empathy and the ability to work alongside others are becoming just as important. At Napier Girls' High School, we are committed to nurturing not only successful learners, but confident and compassionate young women who are ready to make a positive difference in the world.
As we celebrated Matariki this week, may we carry forward its message of reflection, hope, and new beginnings. Here's to a term filled with opportunity, growth, and the courage to keep making progress.
There are just four weeks until our seniors sit their derived grade examinations. These are important for our ākonga as the results are used if a student is unable to sit their NCEA external examinations at the end of the year. They are also an opportunity to provide valuable feedback as to where students are in their learning, and provides the next steps for them. I wish our ākonga all the best as they prepare for these examinations. A reminder that if you have any concerns about your daughter's wellbeing or academic progress, please do not hesitate to contact her dean or a member of the senior leadership team.
Many of our students will be looking ahead to next year, as they begin the process of choosing their subjects for 2027. The senior course booklets will be emailed to students prior to the subject selection information evening being held on Thursday 30 July, 4.00 - 6.00pm. We remind students to select what they are passionate about and to keep as many pathways open as possible.
Finally, all the very best to our seniors for an enjoyable night at 'The Phantom of the Opera' School Ball.
Ngā mihi nui
Mrs Dawn Ackroyd
Phone: 06 835 1069 Web: www.nghs.school.nz Main Office email: nghs@nghs.school.nz Principal's PA Email: dmcpherson@nghs.school.nz
Important Dates Coming Up
Important Dates Coming Up
JULY 2026:
Saturday 25: NGHS School Ball
Tuesday 28: Pasifika Quiz Night
Wednesday 29: Study Skills for Seniors - Patrick Sherratt
Thursday 30: Subject Information Evening
Friday 31: PNGHS Exchange (premier teams)
AUGUST 2026:
Monday 3: Fuel Up Nutrition Talk, 7.00pm, school hall
Wednesday 5: NGHS Open Evening, 6.30pm
Sunday 9: Waseda Group arrives from Japan
Monday 10: PTA Meeting, 7.00pm, staffroom
Friday 14: Arts Exchange with NBHS
Saturday 15: Youthfest, Woodford House
Sunday 16 - Monday 17: DanceNZMade Regional Competition
Monday 17: Year 10 Self-Defence starts
Wednesday 19: Junior Parent-Teacher Online Meetings (only) 2.30 - 6.00pm
Wednesday 19: School finishes at 1.10pm. Study leave commences for seniors.
Thursday 20 - Friday 28: Derived Grade Examinations
Friday 21: Year 12 CAN Exhibition commences
Choosing Subjects for 2027 – Subject Information Evening
Choosing Subjects for 2027 – Subject Information Evening
Students and their parents/caregivers are warmly invited to our Subject Information Evening on Thursday, 30 July, from 4.00pm to 6.00pm. This informal drop-in event provides an opportunity to discuss subject options, course content, and suitability with teachers from each Learning Area. Families are welcome to arrive and leave at any time during the session. Parking will be available on the lower courts, accessed via Coote Road. All Learning Areas will be based in the Spencer Building.
Study Skills Seminar for our Senior Students
Study Skills Seminar for our Senior Students
We are pleased to offer an after-school Study Skills Seminar for our senior students. The session will be presented by Patrick Sherratt, an experienced educational speaker known for his engaging and practical approach to helping students maximise their learning and academic success.
This is an excellent opportunity for students to develop effective study strategies and build confidence as they prepare for our upcoming Derived Grade Examinations. There is no cost to attend.
The seminar will be held in H1 and H2 on Wednesday 29 July, 3.20 - 4.50pm. Students can register via this google form:
Toi Whakaari - Performing Arts
Toi Whakaari - Performing Arts
Term 3… And We're Back!
We hope everyone enjoyed a wonderful winter break, taking the opportunity to rest, recharge, and spend quality time with family and friends. While the holidays may be over, the excitement certainly isn't! Term 3 promises to be another vibrant and action-packed term for Performing Arts, and we're already hitting the ground running.
Week 1
Tickets are LIVE for Big Sing Finale
Tickets for The Big Sing Finale gala concert (6:30pm on Saturday 29 August at Christchurch Town Hall) went on sale 9:00am on Thursday 23 July through Ticketmaster. If you haven’t got your tickets yet please do so as these move incredibly quickly.
TBS Finale 2026 Poster (1).pdfSetting the Stage
This weekend, five of our junior and middle school ensembles, along with several solo performers, will provide the entertainment at the Napier Girls' High School Ball as the seniors arrive in all their glory. We are incredibly grateful to these students for generously giving their time and talents to help make this special evening a memorable one for our senior students. Thank you for being such wonderful ambassadors for our department.
Week 2
Ad Lucem Choir Camp
The following weekend, Friday 31 July to Saturday 1 August, Ad Lucem has their second Choir Camp. Under the expert direction of Mr Chris Atkinson, the choir will be refining and polishing their programme for the prestigious Big Sing Finale in Christchurch next month.
The coming weeks are incredibly busy for Ad Lucem, and we couldn't be prouder of the commitment, passion, and professionalism shown by every member of the choir. A huge thank you also goes to Mr Atkinson, whose dedication and musical expertise continue to inspire our students to perform at the highest level.
Looking Ahead to Week 3
Open Evening
On Tuesday 5 August, we look forward to welcoming prospective students and their families to our annual Open Evening. Thank you to all of the students who have volunteered to perform throughout the evening.
There is nothing quite like seeing the Performing Arts block alive with music, dance, and drama. It's always a wonderful opportunity to showcase the creativity, talent, and opportunities available across our three Performing Arts disciplines here at Napier Girls' High School.
Week 4
A Celebration of the Performing Arts
Week 4 is shaping up to be one of the busiest and most exciting weeks of the term!
As many of you know, Ad Lucem has earned the incredible honour of performing at the Big Sing Finale in Christchurch. This is a remarkable achievement and one the choir is immensely proud of.
Our school community has rallied behind these talented young musicians to help make this opportunity as accessible as possible. We are especially grateful to a group of wonderful parents who have generously organised a special fundraising evening at the MTG Theatre:
Ad Lucem Big Sing Finale Fundraiser
Thursday 13 August, 6.30pm, MTG Theatre, Napier
The evening will feature the inspiring New Zealand film My Name is Pati, (an outstanding story of the opera music world) preceded by an exclusive performance from Ad Lucem as they present their award-winning Big Sing Finale programme.
There will also be a raffle featuring a quality grocery hamper, so don't forget to bring some cash to purchase a ticket or two.
We warmly invite our entire Napier Girls' High School community to join us for an evening celebrating outstanding choral music, New Zealand storytelling, and community spirit.
Tickets for this event will be available through Humantix or MTG theatre @ $30. Watch this space! We would love to see you there.
Ad Lucem poster (1).pdfPerforming Arts Exchange - Napier Girls' & Napier Boys' High Schools
The excitement continues on Friday 14 August as we host our second annual Performing Arts Exchange with Napier Boys' High School.
Throughout the day, students from both schools will share performances, collaborate, and celebrate the incredible talent that exists across our 3 disciplines in the Performing Arts programmes. The day will conclude with a special combined performance for our kura during Period 5, featuring Kotahitanga Choir, Chamber music ensembles, the Barbershop Quartet, Pasifika and Kapa Haka groups… and of course the Prefect challenge between the two schools!.
This exchange has quickly become a highlight of the Performing Arts calendar, strengthening the relationship between our two schools while providing invaluable performance opportunities for our students.
YouthFest - Celebrating Student Theatre
On Saturday 15 August at 6pm, our Drama students will take to the stage at YouthFest hosted at Woodford House.
Napier Girls' High School will present two student-directed productions as part of the festival, and we wish all involved every success. We would love to see you there supporting our extremely talented students.
A special congratulations goes to our Drama teacher, Amy Edwards, whose vision and initiative were instrumental in bringing this wonderful festival to life. We are incredibly proud of Amy and grateful for the opportunities she continues to create for young performers across Hawke's Bay.
DanceNZMade Regional Competition
The following Sunday and Monday (16–17 August) 70 Dance students will compete at the DanceNZMade Regional Interschool Competition.
Under the guidance of Emma Dolley, our extremely dedicated dance teacher, students have been working tirelessly to perfect their routines, preparing costumes, props and every detail needed to bring their performances to life. 12 dance teams have been entered with a range of jazz, hip-hop, lyrical, contemporary, Bollywood and cultural dance to make up 4 junior teams, 5 open teams, and 3 senior teams plus a range of solos and duos. If you can not make this event, then make sure you keep an eye out for our Dance Concert ‘Rewind - A Decade of NGHS Dance’ on Wednesday 9 September 7.30pm - 9.00pm in our school hall.
Here is the ticket link for solos/duos/trios: https://www.trybooking.com/nz/events/landing/20394
Here is the ticket link for the Interschool Regional Teams event: https://www.eventfinda.co.nz/2026/dancenzmade-interschool-regional/hastings.
NGHS Dance Hoodie
NGHS Dance Hoodies have arrived. They are $65 for any dance student who would like one. These can be purchased on Kindo under Performing Arts then collected from Emma Dolley.
Balancing Your Commitments
With so many exciting events packed into the coming weeks, we encourage all of our students to remember the importance of balance. Term 3 is always one of the busiest on the school calendar, so take care of yourselves, stay organised, and don't forget to make time to rest between rehearsals, performances, assessments, and competitions.
We are incredibly proud of everything our students continue to achieve and can't wait to share another fantastic term of music, dance, and drama with our school community.
Please feel free to send us any of our students achievements, we love to share their successes.
Ms Tess Tobin - HoLA Performing Arts
Hākinakina - Sports
Hākinakina - Sports
Coming up:
Exchange games with Palmerston North and New Plymouth Girls' High School - Premier teams, Friday 31 July
Lifesaving
Congratulations to Lucy Kinnear, who has been selected as one of 12 athletes to represent the NZ Junior Black Ferns at the Lifesaving World Championships in Port Elizabeth, South Africa, this December.
Rugby League
Congratulations to Addison Henry, who has been selected to attend the @harveynormannz Heartland Women in League camp, in Auckland. Ka rawe.
Congratulations to our students involved in representative teams competing at NZ U18 Championships over the holidays!
HB U18 Hockey finished 4th
HB U18 Netball finished with a top 10 placing.
Well done to our 6 ākonga who competed in the recent U16 North Island Representative Tournament held in New Plymouth in the first week of the school holidays. JaydenMae Thomson-Cole, Kendal Waenga, Kaia Hohaia-Hall, Demi Arnold, Greer Hambleton and Midnight Edmonds.
We love to acknowledge student achievements!
If you have any representative selections, results, information or photos from external sporting events that occurred over the holidays or during the term, please send them to sport@nghs.school.nz. This information may be placed in the school newsletter, on social media and on our celebration wall in the gym or held for future consideration for school sports badges and achievement awards.
Clay Bird Shooting
Congratulations to our clay target shooters, Emma McLachlan and Georgia Mabin, on an outstanding performance at the North Island Secondary School Championships in Hamilton, over the holidays.
Competing against 169 shooters from across New Zealand, the girls demonstrated exceptional skill, focus, and composure, earning some fantastic results:
Friday
🎯 Georgia Mabin – Total 86-90
1st Overall Girl
Emma McLachlan Total 70-90
🎯 Combined - 1st place Girls team (Georgia and Emma 156/180)
Saturday
🎯 Emma McLachlan
- 3rd Single Rise 18/20
- points score 50/60
- Single Barrel - 8/10
Total 76-90
🎯 Georgia Mabin - 3rd overall Junior
- 3rd Single Barrel Junior - 8/10
- Single rise 18/20
Points score 46/60
Total 72-90
Rugby
Congratulations to the 4 NGHS students, who have become truly valued members of the Napier Tech Women's rugby team that won the HB Big Barrel Women's Championship Cup, on Saturday. Haide Wilson, Allura and Ashla Holt, and Harmony Conrad’s Tech team were down 3 tries at half time but the girls dug deep to come back from being the underdog to securing the win over MAC.
Congratulations to the players named in the Hawke’s Bay Tui Wider Training Squad!
Allura Holt
Haide Wilson
Addison Henry
Also ex students Pippa Giddens and NGHS rugby coaches Briar Hales and Kaya Whitiri Dee.
Fuel Up - Live Nutrition Talk
Next term, Sports Prefects Ruby and Breeze are hosting the Nutrition Clinic to present an exciting nutrition talk where you'll discover practical tips on:
Nutrition for active females
Under-fuelling and under-eating
Hormonal health and common period concerns
How to build a balanced, nourishing meal
Common nutrient deficiencies and their impact on health
Anxiety, mood, and the connection with nutrition
Whether you take part in sports or just want to feel your best, this is a great opportunity to learn from an expert and ask any questions you have. This is open to everyone and their whānau. We hope to see you there!
Please sign up for free via this link or scan the QR-Code below, for food and handouts purposes:
SHC Talk Poster (5).pdfNGHS learn to row.pdfFree Live Online Q&A
Most young athletes are willing to put in the work.
What many don't get is the opportunity to hear directly from athletes who have recently been in their shoes and are now living the dream of playing professional sport.
Invitation to all your students, families and staff to a free live online Q&A with New Zealand Warriors players Leka Halasima and Jacob Laban.
Although Leka and Jacob play rugby league, the lessons they'll be sharing far beyond one sport.
One of the things we're most excited about is that they're still early in their NRL careers. Their journey from school and junior sport to the professional game is recent, making their experiences, challenges, and advice incredibly relevant to young athletes today—whether they play rugby league, football, netball, basketball, hockey, athletics or any other sport.
This won't be a highlight reel or a motivational talk.
It'll be an honest conversation about what it really takes to succeed—the habits they've built, the setbacks they've overcome, the pressure they've faced, and the lessons they've learned along the way.
Event Details
Wednesday 5 August
6:15pm – Log in and tech check
6:30pm – 7:30pm – Live Q&A with Leka Halasima & Jacob Laban
Online (Zoom – link sent after registration)
FREE
Why student athletes should join
Hear what it really takes to progress from junior sport to professional sport.
Learn the habits and mindset that helped Leka and Jacob earn their opportunity.
Discover how they dealt with setbacks, pressure and self-doubt.
Hear how they balanced school, training, recovery and life outside sport.
Find out what they wish they'd known when they were at school.
Ask Leka and Jacob your own questions live.
These sessions are interactive, giving students the opportunity to hear honest insights and ask questions directly to athletes who are living the journey.
Mrs MJ Durkin - Head of Sport
Umanga - Careers
Umanga - Careers
The universities open their accommodation portals on 1 August. We encourage our Year 13 students to apply early. Most scholarship websites are now open and it is important that students are proactive and organised in order to reap the rewards. We have all the universities and EIT visiting our school this term and we encourage students to attend these sessions to help plan their course for 2027.
Tertiary Open Days
Tertiary Open Days give students and parents the opportunity to explore the campus and experience first-hand what the tertiary environment is like. You are invited to visit special displays and presentations and explore the various facilities students use. We recommend that the students go to the tertiary open days as it is an important part of the decision-making process.
Below are the dates of the Tertiary Open Days for this year:
5 August - Massey University (Manawatu Campus)
15 August - Massey University (Auckland Campus)
21 August - Victoria University
21 August - Massey University (Wellington Campus)
28 August - Canterbury University
29 August - Auckland University
29 August - AUT
Careers Website
Tahatū is Aotearoa New Zealand’s new career website. It has been designed to give your rangatahi an easier way to explore careers, advice, and information.
Here is an information leaflet to help parents, caregivers and whānau learn more about Tahatū and support rangatahi using the website.
University Scholarships for Year 13 Students
We have a number of Universities coming into school this term to provide information on Scholarships. Additionally, MoneyHub, a consumer finance website, has published a guide to hundreds of scholarships for any student planning to start university in 2027. The comprehensive list includes scholarships offered by every university as well as those specifically available to local students. A list of privately-funded, Māori, Pacific and International university scholarships completes the list.
Applications close throughout the year, with tens of millions of dollars available. MoneyHub has also published a list of tips for scholarship success.
For more details and to find suitable scholarships, visit the MoneyHub Scholarship page
Caroline Johnson, Jess Radich, Deb Verhoeven - Careers Advisers
Phone: 06 835 1069 Web: www.nghs.school.nz Main Office email: nghs@nghs.school.nz Principal's PA Email: dmcpherson@nghs.school.nz
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