Embedded Files
Empowering ākonga to achieve success and fulfilment, for themselves, whānau and community
Message from our Tumuaki
Message from our Tumuaki
He manu hou ahau, he kōrero āku – I am a new bird, I have a story to tell.
Our school theme this year continues to resonate deeply as I reflect on the past few weeks.
At Napier Girls' High School, we believe every young woman has a voice that deserves to be heard and a story worth telling. It has been a pleasure to witness so many examples of this in action recently.
Our Story on the National Stage
We are absolutely thrilled to announce that Napier Girls' High School has been selected as the recipient of the Showquest and ZM Choice Award.
Our performance was selected and featured in the Showquest Digital National Final held this week, allowing the story of "Emma Twigg: Against the Current" to be shared with audiences across Aotearoa.
This recognition celebrates not only an outstanding performance but also the imagination, collaboration and commitment of our students and staff.
The creativity doesn't stop there. Our talented dancers are now preparing for the DanceNZMade Regional Interschool Competition, and we wish them every success afor next week.
A Night of Celebration
Our "The Phantom of the Opera" theme set the scene for an elegant and enjoyable evening at our annual School Ball.
Events like this are only possible because of the extraordinary commitment of so many people. My heartfelt thanks go to our Ball Committee, our Year 13 and Year 12 Deans, and the many staff members who worked tirelessly behind the scenes to create such a special occasion.
The Power of Girls' Education
Our recent Open Evening was a wonderful opportunity to welcome prospective students and their whānau into our kura.
Hawke's Bay is fortunate to have many outstanding secondary schools, and we value the strong relationships we share across our education community. At Napier Girls' High School we have much to offer. Girls' schools create environments where young women are encouraged to find their voice, pursue their passions without limitation, and develop the confidence to lead.
Every leadership position, every sporting achievement, every academic success, and every performance belongs to our young women. They see limitless possibilities because they see themselves in every opportunity.
Enrolment applications for Year 9 2027 are due Friday 4 September 2026. If you have any queries around enrolment please contact Deb McPherson dmcpherson@nghs.school.nz.
Beyond the Classroom
Winter sport continues to provide countless opportunities for our students to challenge themselves, support one another, and represent our school with pride.
Congratulatons to the teams that took part in the recent sports exchange held at Palmerston North. Planning is well underway for our Arts exchange with Napier Boys' High School. We are looking forward to a sucessful exchange.
One of the highlights of the term has been our vibrant Pasifika Quiz Night, where we welcomed students from schools across Hawke's Bay to celebrate Pasifika languages, cultures and identities.
Our diversity is one of our greatest strengths. Every culture enriches our school community and reminds us that every student brings a unique perspective and story that strengthens who we are together.
Student Voice in Action
Our theme, He manu hou ahau, he kōrero āku, reminds us that leadership begins with having the confidence to speak up, contribute and make a difference.
It was great to hear from the Napier Girls' High School representatives on the Napier Youth Council in assembly recently. They informed the school of the 2026 Youth Grant that the Napier Youth Council has accumulated to assist in funding students to pursue their goals, passions, and initiatives. We thank the Napier Youth Council for the leadership they provide.
On the theme of student leadership, nominations will soon open for our Student Representative on the Board.
This is a most significant student leadership positions within our school. It provides an opportunity for students to contribute to governance, assist in shaping the future direction of our kura. I encourage any student with a passion for service and leadership to consider putting themselves forward.
Whether performing on a national stage, competing on the sports field, celebrating culture, serving others, or stepping into leadership, our students continue to demonstrate what it means to live our school values each and every day.
As educators, our privilege is to provide opportunities. As a community, our role is to encourage, support and celebrate. Together, we help every young woman discover her strengths, develop her confidence and write a story that is uniquely her own.
Thank you for your continued support of Napier Girls' High School. I look forward to sharing many more stories of success as the term continues.
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
AUGUST 2026:
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: 1st XV Rugby vs Taupo, Park Island
Sunday 16: Ad Lucem performing with Octavia Choir, St Lukes, Havelock North
Sunday 16 - Monday 17: DanceNZMade Regional Competition, Toitoi, Hastings
Monday 17: Year 10 Self-Defence starts
Wednesday 19: Junior Parent-Teacher Online Meetings (only) 2.00 - 6.00pm
Wednesday 19: School finishes at 1.10pm. Study leave commences for seniors.
Thursday 20 - Friday 28: Derived Grade Examinations
Thursday 20: Board Meeting, 5.30pm in H7
Friday 21: Year 12 CAN Exhibition commences
Wednesday 26 - 31: Big Sing Finale, Christchurch Town Hall
Monday 31 - Friday 4 September: Winter Tournament Week
Derived Grade Examinations
Derived Grade Examinations
The upcoming Derived Grade Examinations (Thursday 20 August to Friday 28 August) are a crucial milestone in preparing our students for NCEA success. As well as serving as essential practice for the end-of-year external exams, these school-based assessments establish the official grade recorded with NZQA if a student is unexpectedly unable to sit their final exams due to illness, injury, or unforeseen emergency. Any students who are selected for national representation during the external examination period in November and December may also be able to apply for a derived grade.
Mr Philipp Otto has emailed all Year 11-13 students with the Derived Grade Exam Timetable and Expectations. This link provides further information from NZQA regarding the Derived Grade process. If you have any further questions please contact our Principal's Nominee rroberts@nghs.school.nz.
Hākinakina - Sports
Hākinakina - Sports
End of Winter Season Dates:
Netball - HB Netball Super Secondary Finals - Tuesday 18 August
Netball - Saturday Secondary Schools - Saturday 22 August
Football - Wednesday 26 August
Hockey, division 1 & 2 - Thursday 20 August
Hockey, division 3 & 4 - Monday 24 August
Basketball - Play Offs - Monday 10 August, Finals - Monday 17 August
Coming Up:
Winter Tournament Week - 29 August to 5 September
Sports Exchange
Continuing from the development exchange in Term 2, we held the remaining games last Friday. Results were:
Senior A Basketball won 32-30, with MVP Kendal Waenga
Senior A Netball drew 29 ALL, with MVP Ruby Kaye
Football 1st X1 loss 2-1, with MVP Nina Giacometti
Hockey 1st X1 win 3-1, with MVP Clara Danckworth
Those results meant NGHS retained the shield after winning 7 fixtures with 5 wins for PNGHS.
To help prepare for the upcoming tournament week, games were also played against New Plymouth Girls’ High School to form double headers. Results were:
Basketball - loss, with MVP Ella Paku.
Football - won, with MVP Pepe Payton
Netball - won, with MVP Emily Crowther
Hockey - loss, with MVP Clara Danckworth
Ngā mihi nui to all teachers and coaches involved in Friday's exchange.
Swimmers Shine at National Championships
Napier Girls’ High School was proudly represented at the New Zealand Secondary Schools' Swimming Championships, held at the Sir Owen G Glenn National Aquatic Centre in Mairangi Bay, Auckland. This year’s event was the largest on record, with an impressive 810 competitors from across the country, making for an incredibly competitive and high-energy four days of racing.
Our NGHS swimmers rose to the challenge, delivering strong performances and representing the White and Blue with pride. As a team, the girls achieved two top 10 placings and five top 20 finishes, an exceptional result in such a strong field.
The relay teams showed great determination and teamwork, finishing 10th in the 4 x 100m freestyle relay, 17th in the 4 x 50m medley relay, and 16th in the 4 x 50m freestyle relay. These results reflect both their skill and their commitment to supporting one another in the pool.
Individually, the swimmers continued to impress. All team members achieved personal bests in the 50m breaststroke during the afternoon session, an outstanding collective achievement. Blanca Fernandez de Castillo delivered a particularly notable performance, recording a remarkable three-second personal best in the 200m breaststroke during the morning session. Tasmin Henricksen also swam a strong and confident 100m freestyle in the evening session, highlighting the depth of talent within the team.
With a young squad and three demanding days of racing, the girls demonstrated resilience, focus, and a willingness to push themselves at every opportunity. Inspired by the recent success of New Zealand’s Commonwealth swimmers, our athletes showed they are ready to make their own mark in the pool.
We are incredibly proud of Tasmin Henricksen, Blanca Fernandez de Castillo, Katelyn Howard, and Georgia Charlton for their efforts and achievements throughout the championships.
A special thank you goes to Erin Henricksen for her excellent management and support of the team across the four days. Her dedication ensured the girls were well prepared and able to perform at their best.
Well done to our swimmers on a fantastic campaign, NGHS is proud of you all.
Cross Country Championships
The Hawke’s Bay/Gisborne Cross Country Championships were held in Crownthorpe on 18 July. Congratulations on the following results and times to all 3 runners who ran under 5 minute kilometres.
In the U18 5km event:
Paige Dobson came first with a time of 22:36
Alyssa Palmer came second with a time of 24:22
In the U16 4km event:
Natasha MacRae won with a time of 19:22
Hockey
Sophia Morris had a very busy July school holiday. In the first week she represented Hawke's Bay at U18s Hockey Nationals in Palmerston North, then in the second week went on to Cambridge to represent the Thunder team in the Hockey Experience U16 Super Challenge. To top off the week she also made the tournament team.
Sophia will join Meela Tamati-Herrick, Rosa Angland, Nikita Harding and Abigail Smith in attending the 2026 U18 Falcons Development Camp in late September. This is based on performance at the U18 National Tournament and serves as a key selection event for the 2026 Futures Hockey League.
Football
Congratulations to Georgia Cameron and Nina Giacometti, who have been selected to represent Central in the girls Youth National League competition for 2026!
The Girls Youth National League programme is expected to run from September through to December 2026.
Football
Congratulations Georgia Cameron along with ex students Charlotte Cameron, Hollie Gee and Abby Oliver who were part of the Napier City Rovers Federation League winning team.
Fuel Up
Thanks to our Sports Prefects, Breeze and Ruby who organised our Fuel Up session, an exciting nutrition talk on Monday.
The Nutrition Clinic covered topics including nutrition for active females, under-fuelling and under-eating, hormonal health and common period concerns, building balanced and nourishing meals, common nutrient deficiencies, and how nutrition can impact your mood and anxiety. It was a great educational session for students and whānau involved in sport, or being active, or simply wanting to feel their best, with lots of key take-aways.
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.
Mrs MJ Durkin - Head of Sport
Toi Whakaari - Performing Arts
Toi Whakaari - Performing Arts
NGHS Ball Musicians
Thank you so much to our fantastic musicians who volunteered their time on Saturday night to welcome all of our stunning seniors into Pettigrew Arena for the 2026 School Ball. Your contribution genuinely made the evening that much more special.
Opening Evening in Nixon Block
We are incredibly proud to showcase the outstanding talent, passion, and creativity within our Performing Arts department. It was wonderful to welcome prospective students and their whānau into our own classrooms, where they could experience first-hand the vibrant learning environment that makes our department so special.
A heartfelt thank you to all the students who generously gave their time and energy to support our Open Evening. Your performances, enthusiasm, and willingness to share your experiences provided an inspiring glimpse into what life in Performing Arts at NGHS is all about. The department was alive with music, dance, and drama and it was clear that our future students were captivated by your talent and the welcoming atmosphere you created. Thank you for being such wonderful ambassadors for our school - we couldn't have done it without you.
AD LUCEM Fundraiser for Big Sing Finale MTG Theatre Thursday 13 August
Film: TENOR My name is PATI and Luxury Hamper raffle
Raffle tickets will be on sale from Monday 10 August. Please pop in and see Liv in the PA office or email music@nghs.school.nz if you would like to purchase a ticket/s
$5 per ticket or 5x tickets for $20
Tickets will also be available on the evening of the fundraiser Thursday 13 August.
Ad Lucem poster (1).pdfNew World Havelock North Busking Opportunity
New World Havelock North is running a community busking programme, and they'd love to fill these slots with local talent. It's a genuine performance opportunity: a full 90 minutes of stage time, a real audience, and koha for every slot played.
For anyone working towards a performance standard, building repertoire, or simply needing time in front of a live audience, this is low-pressure, high-value practice. Singers, instrumentalists, duos, small ensembles, all are welcome.
The slots are: Monday to Friday: 4:00pm – 5:30pm & Saturday and Sunday: 2:00pm – 3:30pm and 4:00pm – 5:30pm
Slot times are agreed in advance, so students can plan around lessons, practices, and other commitments.
Koha rates
Solo buskers: $40 per slot
Duos: $20 each
Trios and groups of four: $40 per slot, divided among the group as they choose
A flat koha is paid per slot regardless of group size, groups sort their own split. Koha is paid at the end of each slot. Maximum 4 performers per slot.
How the tips work
All donations from the public belong entirely to the busker or group.
The store takes no cut and does not count or track tips.
Groups keep 100% of tips and split them among themselves.
Parental consent is required for all performers under 16, and parents may be asked to be on site.
Students can complete the application form here. New World Havelock North will send an email confirmation once an application is successful.
Buskers, we want you!.pdfInter-House Choir Competition
Friday September 25
The excitement is building as our Houses are in full rehearsal mode, polishing their choir performances, perfecting dance routines, and fine-tuning their live band accompaniments. This year's set piece, I'm Still Standing by Elton John, is already proving to be a crowd-pleaser, with each House bringing its own energy and creativity to the performance.
In addition to the set song, every House has selected its own piece, creating a fantastic and diverse programme that is sure to entertain and inspire. We wish all our students, House leaders, and staff the very best as they prepare for their performances for one of the most anticipated and spirited events on our school calendar.
Cultural Exchange with NBHS
We are excited to host our second annual Performing Arts Exchange with Napier Boys' High School on Friday 14 August. Throughout the day, students from both schools will come together to perform, collaborate, and celebrate the outstanding talent that thrives across our Music, Drama, and Dance programmes. It is a wonderful opportunity to learn from one another, build connections, and share the joy of performance. The day will culminate in a special combined showcase for our kura during Period 5, before the much-anticipated Prefect Challenge sees the friendly rivalry between our two schools take centre stage! This exchange has quickly become a highlight of the Performing Arts calendar, strengthening the partnership between our schools while providing authentic and inspiring performance opportunities for our students. We know it will be a day filled with creativity, connection, and plenty of memorable moments.
Solo Singing Competition
It's that time of the year again… the annual Solo Singing Competition is just around the corner! Whether you're an experienced performer or simply love to sing, we encourage everyone to get involved and represent your House.
The competition will be held during the day on September 9 and follow the same format as the past two years:
Online Entry: Earn a valuable House point by submitting a recording from your own space. You can perform a cappella, self accompanied or with a backing track.
Face-to-Face Performance: If you're aiming to take home one of our prestigious Solo Singing Cups, this is the category to enter!
There are three competition categories:
Junior Cup – Year 9
Intermediate Cup – Year 10
Senior Cup – Years 11–13
More information about entries and deadlines will be coming soon, so keep an eye on the daily notices. If you have any questions or would like some encouragement to give it a go, please see Ms Tobin or Liv. We can't wait to hear the incredible talent our students have to share!
Mamma Mia!
Tremains season of Mamma Mia! On stage presented by the Napier Operatic Society, is to be held from 19 November through to 5 December at the Tabard Theatre. We want to say a huge congratulations to NGHS students Rose Jones, Ada Seymour and Lola Brown for being selected in the cast. This is a huge achievement and we hope you are as proud of yourselves as we are!
Alice in Wonderland Jr
Well done to Eden Gibson, Isabella Cristodoulou, Bella Adams, Kaia Carter, Mila Squire, Anouk Linter-Beck and Aria Rogers for performing in the Napier Operatic Society’s Alice in Wonderland Jr last month. We are so proud that so many of our students were selected as cast members. We hope you have caught the musical bug and continue to perform on stage in our local shows.
YouthFest
Good luck to our two Youthfest groups performing next Tuesday at Woodford House. Napier Girls' High School has two scripted comedy pieces, involving 16 senior students. Founded last year by our very own Amy Edwards, this festival is starting to make headway in many regions across the country. This festival will be held on Saturday 15 August, starting at 4.00pm and concluding at 9.00pm. We would love to see whānau at our event, there is a koha entry fee at the door.
Octavius & Ad Lucem Concert
Ad Lucem have been invited to perform as a guest choir with the local choral group Octavius, which counts Mr Atkinson and Mr Shirriffs (from NBHS) among its members. The concert is called ‘A Moment in Time’ and will be Ad Lucem’s final performance before they head to Christchurch for the Big Sing Finale, so it’s a wonderful opportunity to show your support for the choir and hear some fabulous and varied choral music from both groups!
The concert takes place on Sunday 16 August at St. Luke’s Anglican Church in Havelock North at 2.30pm. Entry is $25 for adults, $20 for concessions and Under 18s are free.
Showquest Digital Final
We are so excited to share that Napier Girls’ High School was selected as the recipient of the Showquest and ZM Choice Award! Our 2026 Showquest performance, ‘Emma Twigg: Against the Current’, featured in the Showquest Digital National Final, alongside the other 10 secondary school finalists.
DanceNZMade Tickets
Almost 70 students are in the final stages of getting their teams ‘stage ready’. Alongside our 12 teams there are a range of solos and duos. Please see the ticket links and note that on the Monday night show we are in the Senior Year 9 - Year 13 event. We will showcase the work again at our school dance concert on Wednesday 9 September in the school hall. More information on this will come out soon.
Speech and Drama Lessons - Flaming Mojo
We are lucky to have Emma Bowyer of Flaming Mojo, coming into NGHS every Thursday, offering Speech and Drama lessons to our students. Over the course of 8 weeks per term, students will engage in fun and interactive classes designed to improve their confidence, creativity, and public speaking abilities.
Reach out to Emma directly at emma@flamingmojo.co.nz or through our department at music@nghs.school.nz
If you would like to share any of our students' successes with us, we’d love to hear about it! Please email music@nghs.school.nz.
Ms Tess Tobin - HoLA Performing Arts
The Duke of Edinburgh Hillary Award
The Duke of Edinburgh Hillary Award
Duke of Edinburgh’s Hillary Award Update
It has been fantastic to see so many of our students actively engaged in their Duke of Edinburgh’s Hillary Award journey. At this stage of the programme, all participants should be working towards completing their sections: Service, Skill, and Physical Recreation.
Please ensure that all activities are being logged carefully and accurately. Once you have completed your required hours, your logs will automatically be sent to your assessor for approval. After your assessor has signed off your section, it will then come directly to me for final confirmation.
For those ready to take the next step, please remember to email me if you would like the link to begin your next level of the award.
A reminder that Jen Blackmore and I are available every Wednesday at lunchtime in the library for any students who would like support, guidance, or to discuss any aspect of their award. Please feel free to come along, we are always happy to help.
Upcoming
We have some exciting tramps coming up:
Silver Qualifying / Gold Practice Tramp
Lake Waikaremoana
Friday 11 September – Sunday 13 September
Planning is already underway, with students signed up and preparing well for this challenge.Bronze Qualifying Tramps
Students can choose one of the following weekends:
• 7–8 November
• 21–22 November
Further details will be shared later this term, but please ensure you keep one of these weekends free.Duke of Ed Information Evening (Year 9)
Thursday 12 November
This evening is for Year 9 students and their whānau who are interested in learning more about the award. More information will be sent closer to the date.
Finally, a sincere thank you to the many members of our community who give their time to act as assessors. Your support plays a vital role in making this programme possible, and we are incredibly grateful for your contribution to our students’ success.
Keep up the great work, we look forward to celebrating your achievements as you progress through your Duke of Ed journey.
Mrs Louise Bassett-Foss - Senior Award Leader
Umanga - Careers
Umanga - Careers
Whakapiki Ake MASH Programme
M.A.S.H (Māori Achieving Success in Health), is a four-day outreach programme run by Whakapiki Ake and the Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences at the University of Auckland during the July holidays. The programme supports Year 12 Māori students who are interested in pursuing a career in health, and I was lucky enough to be selected, along with my classmate Jada. Throughout MASH, we got to experience interactive workshops, and took part in hospital visits and cultural activities that gave us a good understanding of the many pathways possible to do with the health sciences. Some workshops allowed us to interact with vital health equipment, like a heart-lung machine that creates a bypass for the heart or lungs in real surgeries. We also got to dissect a pig heart, which was an interesting and captivating experience. One of the most valuable parts of the programme was meeting with students with similar ambitions towards health careers from across the North Island and building friendships that made the programme even more meaningful. We also had many opportunities to hear from current university students and health professionals, who shared their journeys and gave us advice and insight into university life, the process of getting your qualification, and career opportunities. Their guidance gave me a much clearer understanding of what studying health at university is really like. I would highly recommend MASH to any Māori student who is interested in science, and is looking for support and direction towards a future in healthcare.
- Neve Callaghan
Year 10 Future Focus Morning
Our Year 10 students participated in a Careers Morning on Friday 24 July, designed to help them explore future pathways and make informed decisions about their subject choices for next year.
The morning began with a careers lesson focused on building self-awareness and identifying individual interests and strengths. Students then heard from five guest speakers, who shared their career journeys, offered insights into their professions, and spoke about the opportunities and challenges they have experienced along the way.
The programme concluded with presentations from our teaching staff, providing students with valuable information about the subjects available in Year 11 and how these can support a range of future study and career options.
We were especially pleased to welcome back several former students, who generously shared their experiences and advice with our Year 10s. Ngā mihi nui to all our speakers for giving their time and inspiring our students through their stories.
Tertiary Course Planning Sessions
The universities opened their accommodation portals on the 1st August. We encourage our Year 13 students to apply early. Most scholarship websites are open and it is important that students are proactive and organised in order to reap the rewards. We encourage our Year 13 students to attend the following course planning sessions if they are attending to go to these tertiary institutions in 2027:
Thursday 13 August: University of Canterbury Course Planning (Library 9.00-11.30am)
Tuesday 18 August: University of Otago Course Planning (Library at 10.35am)
Thursday 9 September: Lincoln University Course Planning (Library at 10.35am)
Tuesday 15 September: Victoria University Course Planning (Library at 10.35am)
Wednesday 16 September: Massey University Course Planning (Library at 10.35am)
EIT Enrolment and Scholarship Support Sessions
Thursday 13 August at 1:20pm in the Careers office
Tuesday 3 September at 1:20pm in the Careers office
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:
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
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
SchoolDocs
SchoolDocs
To Parents/Caregivers
Reviewing Board Policies, Term 3, 2026
This term we are reviewing policies in the School Community Engagement Policy section, and we are inviting input from parents/caregivers.
Key policies:
· School Community Engagement Policy
· Inclusive School Culture
· Enrolment
· Student Attendance
· Student Uniform/Student Dress Expectations
· Concerns and Complaints Policy
If you wish to be part of this process, please follow these steps below.
1. Visit the website https://nghs.schooldocs.co.nz
2. Enter the username (nghs) and password (adlucem).
3. Click on “Current Review”
4. Follow the link to the relevant policy as listed.
5. Read the policy.
6. Click the blue “Start your review” button near the top right-hand corner of the page.
7. Select the reviewer type - "Whānau".
8. Enter your name (optional).
9. Submit your ratings and comments.
10. If you don't have internet access, school office staff can provide you with printed copies of the policy and a review form.
Thank you and we look forward to your feedback no later than Monday 21 September 2026.
Reporting Absences / Exit Pass Requests
Reporting Absences / Exit Pass Requests
When requesting an Exit Pass or Reporting an Absence via SchoolBridge, please note that this system is not live. We export these requests and import into KAMAR.
In the case of Exit Pass requests, the school office cannot see them until this is submitted.
For Reported Absences, our Attendance Officer needs to manually enter all the absences reported via phone call, email and txt (which takes at least an hour every morning) and then upload the absences from SchoolBridge, to allow us to capture those reported after school begins. This means absences will not be visible on the student's attendance immediately. All are in the system by approximately 9.30am each morning.
If you're requesting an Exit Pass after 9.15am, please ensure you are requesting at least half an hour in advance of when the student needs to sign out. If you have forgotten to do this in time, please call the school office to let them know when and why the student is signing out instead of requesting an Exit Pass.
To report an absence you can either:
click "Report Absence" on the SchoolBridge dashboard (this is the quickest and easiest way to report an absence);
email absentee@nghs.school.nz;
send a text to 021 477 550; OR
call the school number on 835 1069 - please ensure you speak clearly and give the student's name, year and form class (if known) and reason for the absence.
A friendly reminder that the school has over 1,000 students. To help keep things running smoothly, please avoid calling the office to remind students about appointments. If needed, you’re welcome to email your student during the day to remind them to sign out.
In the case of Planned Leave requests, please ensure you apply for this in advance through the "Planned Leave Request" button (not the Report Absence button).
Partnering to Protect Our School Bus Routes
Partnering to Protect Our School Bus Routes
Keeping our five school bus services running continues to be a major challenge, especially with wholesale diesel prices remaining high. To support our families through current cost-of-living pressures, bus fares have been held at their current rates. Raising prices often leads to fewer students using the service, which creates a bigger issue for the whole school community.
For the current financial year, our bus provider is forecasting a loss of approximately $40,000 across these five routes. Following recent Ministry of Education route cuts across Hawke's Bay, the operator is no longer in a position to absorb ongoing losses to keep these services active.
How Local Businesses Can Help
Advertising on the sides and rear of our school buses is a direct way to bridge this financial gap. Revenue from any secured advertising will go straight toward keeping our school bus routes running safely and affordably.
We are asking our school community - parents, alumni, and local business supporters - to help us connect with potential advertisers:
High-Visibility Exposure: Buses travel key daily routes across our local region.
Direct Community Impact: Every dollar directly offsets the operational costs of student transport.
Standard Guidelines: Advertising is subject to standard R18 content regulations.
If you own a business or have contacts in your network who might be interested in advertising on our buses, please reach out to the school office or contact our bus provider directly. Let's work together to keep our buses on the road!
Please contact Mr Otto (potto@nghs.school.nz) or the Tranzit office for more details.
Back of Bus Advertising copy.pdfPhone: 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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