Embedded Files
Empowering ākonga to achieve success and fulfilment, for themselves, whānau and community
Message from our Tumuaki
Message from our Tumuaki
Tēnā koutou katoa.
It has been an incredibly busy and vibrant time here at Napier Girls’ High School, with ākonga embracing a wide range of opportunities across the life of our kura.
Ākonga involved in our school musical production have been hard at work rehearsing, bringing energy, creativity and talent to what promises to be a fantastic show for our community. It is always wonderful to see students stepping onto the stage, building confidence and teamwork as they bring a production to life.
Our Kapa Haka rōpū has also been working with great dedication as they prepare for their national campaign, committing many hours to practices and performances. Their passion, discipline and pride in representing our kura and culture is inspiring to see.
Across the school, students have also been participating in school trips, university liaison visits, and leadership opportunities, making the most of the experiences available to them as they explore future pathways and develop new skills.
The Mataruahou Pasifika Whanaungatanga afternoon held on Thursday was an important opportunity for our Pasifika students to connect with others across our community and celebrate culture, identity, and belonging.
It is wonderful to see so many of our students getting involved, giving things a go and supporting one another, truly reflecting the values of Manaakitanga, Whanaungatanga and Kairangi Whaiaro that underpin life at NGHS.
One of the highlights of this busy period was our recent whole school Athletics Day. It was a wonderful day filled with energy, colour, laughter and plenty of healthy competition.
What stood out most was the incredible level of participation and house spirit. Ākonga gave events a go, supported their friends from the sidelines, and proudly represented their houses. From the sprints and relays to the field events, it was fantastic to see our rangatahi pushing themselves to achieve their personal best while cheering others on to do the same. Our house chants echoed across the grounds and the encouragement from the sidelines captured the true spirit of the day.
Ngā mihi nui to our Head of Sport and her team, and the Health & PE Learning Area, along with the many other staff and student leaders who worked behind the scenes to organise the events and keep everything running smoothly. Events like this take a great deal of planning and coordination, and we are grateful for the time and effort invested to make the day such a success.
I would also like to acknowledge the ākonga who competed with determination and pride, particularly those who have qualified to represent the school at upcoming athletics competitions.
As we celebrate the success of Athletics Day, we also take this opportunity to wish all of our teams heading away to Summer Tournament Week the very best. We are incredibly proud of the commitment, preparation and teamwork that has gone into getting to this point. We know our students will represent Napier Girls’ High School with pride, determination, and sportsmanship.
Days like this remind us that sport plays an important role in school life. It provides opportunities for students to challenge themselves, develop resilience, build friendships and experience the joy of being part of a team.
Congratulations to everyone who took part, and all the very best to our Summer Tournament Week teams. We look forward to hearing about your successes.
Kia kaha
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
MARCH 2026
Friday 20 - Sunday 22: NZSS Canoe Polo Championships
Saturday 21 - Sunday 22: NZSS Kayak Nationals
Monday 23: PTA Meeting, 7.00pm in staffroom
Monday 23 - Friday 27: Summer Tournament Week
Thursday 26: Junior Social at NGHS Gym, 7.00 - 9.00pm
Friday 27: Hostel Open Day
Saturday 28: NISS Athletics Champs
Saturday 28: NZSS Canoe Slalom Champs
Sunday 29: Orienteering - Schools Rural Training Day
Monday 30: Shakespeare Festival
Tuesday 31: Pūhoro Wānanga
Tuesday 31: Student Coach Days
APRIL 2026
Wednesday 1: Gala Day Rugby & Rippa 7s
Thursday 2: END OF TERM 1
Monday 20: START OF TERM 2
Monday 20: PTA Meeting, 7.00pm in staffroom
Wednesday 29 - Friday 1 May: High School Musical (NGHS/NBHS Production)
MAY 2026:
Thursday 7: School finishes 12.15pm - Junior Parent-Teacher Interviews (online and face-to-face)
Tuesday 19 & Wednesday 20: Literacy & Numeracy CAAs
Wednesday 26: Literacy & Numeracy CAAs Catch-up Day
Hākinakina - Sports
Hākinakina - Sports
Dates Coming Up
Summer Tournament Week - Week 8
Good luck to our teams competing in summer tournament week competitions next week:
Canoe Polo, Hastings - Canoe Slalom - Equestrian, Dannevirke - Futsal, Wellington - Rowing, Twizel - Sailing, Taupō - Tennis, Hamilton - Waka Ama & Kayak Racing, Rotorua.
Athletic Sports Results
We had such an awesome day last Friday - amazing participation, amazing weather, amazing athletes 🏃🏿♀️🏃🏻♀️🏃♀
Athletic Champs 2026 Results
Year 9
🥇Tied: Harriet Johnson = Peyton Petera
🥈x
🥉Briar Llewellyn
Year 10
🥇Isabel Gutter
🥈Natasha MacRae
🥉Georgia Plews
Year 11
🥇Alyssa Palmer
🥈Maia Nelson
🥉Olivia Johnson
Year 12/13
🥇Paige Dobson
🥈Zita Meo
🥉Emily Crowther
New records by: Harriet Johnson Y9 Javelin (equalled 19.20) & Discus (29.82),
Olivia Johnson Y11 Discus (27.21), Paige Dobson Y12/13 800m (2.19.55).
House Results
Winners of the house cup were... 🥁🥁 NIWHA (1748)! This was ahead of Māia (1523), Marohi (1481) and Auaha (1392).
Splash and Dash Results
Check out the top individual results from the Swimming Championships:
Year 9
Harriet Johnson
Tasmin Henricksen
Lucia Bushell
Year 10
Blanca Fernandez de Castillo
Paige Roe
Lili Caviale Delzescaux
Year 11
Addy Wairama
Olivia Johnson
Reno Moriya
Year 12/13
Breeze van Veldhuizen
Molly Duly
Paige Dobson
A massive congratulations to Māia house for taking out the win!
House Results:
4th - Auaha 1344 pts
3rd - Marohi 1369 pts
2nd - Niwha 1533 pts
1st - Māia 1589 pts
NZ Track & Field Championships
Congratulations to the following students who represented our province with pride at the New Zealand Track & Field Championships in Auckland.
U18
Paige Dobson – 1500m, 800m - 5th
Zita Meo – 400m - 4th
U16
Isabel Gutter – 80m Hurdles - 8th
Harriet Johnson – Shot Put - 6th , Discus - 6th
Peyton Petera – High Jump - 6th , Long Jump - 10th
Isabel, Harriet and Peyton were also part of the U16 4 × 400m relay team that placed 5th.
Incredible achievements from our ākonga competing at a national level. Ka mau te wehi, koutou!
Tennis
Huge congratulations to Sophia Morris and Kendra Wise who won the HB Lawn Tennis Women’s Open Club Champs Doubles.
Derek Ward Tennis Tournament
The Derek Ward tennis tournament is for the best secondary school tennis players in Hawke's Bay to represent their school. This event is named after Derek Ward who came up with the idea of playing this event as a one-day event. Congratulations to Sophia Morris who placed 2nd in the senior championship, with Gemma Johnson and Kendra Wise placing 3rd & 4th. Big congratulations to Ella Rutherford won the Junior Championship.
Orienteering
The 2026 HB Schools' Orienteering Sprint Champs was on Sunday 8 March, with an Individual Sprint at the EIT Taradale campus for all year levels. By participating, students gained the hands-on experience and "time on map" essential for building navigation confidence and skill.
Well done to Isobel Hodgkinson who placed 3rd in the intermediate girls and Gabriella Brownlie who placed 5th.
Kī o rahi
This year Tamatea Kīorahi will be competing at the very first Tri Nations Kīorahi between Tamatea, Upoko o te Ika and Tamaki Nui a Rua held 14 November (venue TBC). Tamatea will also be competing at Toarahi Nationals, 3 - 6 December in Whakarua Park, Ruatoria.
We will be selecting an Under 16s and Under 19s squad. If you have any kaitākaro that have an interest in Kīorahi and want to trial for either one of these teams, please get them to follow the link and fill out the form to register: https://forms.gle/iALsB7wa1K4ZMnh86
Any questions please feel free to contact Hogan Hynes, He Taonga Tāmata, 021 251 6261, hoganhynes@gmail.com
horse riding school holiday programme (2).pdfWe 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 and on our celebration wall in the gym or held for future consideration for school sports badges and achievement awards.
Equestrian
Pegasus Cup
Congratulations to Hebe Truebridge on Byzance Little Jett who placed 4th in the 90cm Equitation Final. Also to Britta Oliver on Ginger Twist who placed 4th in the 90 to 1m Accumulator.
Bates National Dressage Championships
Congratulations to Zana Crow in Year 9 for Reserve Champion Bronze Preliminary and Chloe Cann in Year 11 Reserve Champion Bronze Elementary at the Bates National Dressage Championships, in Taupō recently. Zana rides Donafire STS and Chloe rides Alpha Tauri. Both of these girls will represent the school in Equestrian events this year, starting with the Dannevirke Interschools on 25 March.
Waka Ama
Our Waka Ama senior and junior teams competed in the HB Regionals Champs at Pandora Pond on Saturday. It was great for our junior team to experience a regatta environment, the first time for some of them. Congratulations to our senior team who won the gold medal in both the girls 250m and 500m races. Ella Paku also won the W1 J19 sprint. Our senior paddlers are now focusing on the next challenge, preparing to travel to Rotorua later this month for the National competition.
Rowing
For the first time in 4 years, we had a NGHS contingent participate at the NISS Rowing Champs in Karapiro. The novice girls were Lucy Porter, Hazel Laurence, Ula Chan, Scarlett Westaway, Pippa Crowther, Meja Mason, and Monique Brown. Huge shout out to parent help from Jessica Scott and Sam Brown.
Results:
U18 Novice C Final: 4th
U18 Novice B Final: 7th
Lucy and Hazel will go on to compete at the National Maadi Cup Regatta in Twizel.
Napier Girls’ High School Crowned 2026 Hawke’s Bay Secondary Schools Swimming Champions!
NGHS delivered an outstanding performance at the 2026 Hawke’s Bay Secondary Schools Swimming Championships, proudly taking home the overall title after a fantastic night of racing and teamwork in the pool.
Our team of 23 swimmers represented the school with pride, made up of 11 senior swimmers and a strong junior team of 12 swimmers.
There were many impressive individual performances throughout the day. Breeze van Veldhuizen, Addy Wairama, Lucia Bushell, Sofia Boucher Taotahi, Harriet Johnson, and Brooklyn Waihua all delivered outstanding swims, finishing in the top three in their races and earning valuable points for the team.
While there were some excellent individual results, this event is very much about team effort. Every swimmer contributed points for the school, and many stepped up to race outside their preferred strokes or events to ensure NGHS had a full team competing in as many races as possible. This willingness to support one another and race for the team was a key part of our success.
A highlight of the day was the strength shown in the relay events. NGHS won both the medley and freestyle relays in the senior and junior divisions, an achievement that reflects the depth of talent and strong team culture within our swimming team.
As the Year 9 Dean, I am particularly excited to see so many talented swimmers in our Year 9 cohort. Their enthusiasm, skill, and commitment promise a very exciting future for NGHS swimming.
Congratulations to all of our swimmers on a fantastic achievement, and a sincere thank you to the parents and whānau who came along to support the team throughout the day. Your encouragement from the stands makes a real difference. Thank you to Ms Buchanan for your time and support with organising our team.
Team members: Matilde Barber, Sofia Boucher Taotahi, Lucia Bushell, Lili Caviale Delzescaux, Ruby Dirks, Ali Edwards, Holly Evans, Blanca Fernandez de Castillo, Hollie Gray, Isabel Gutter, Tasmin Henricksen, Pippa Holden, Katelyn Howard, Gemma Johnson, Harriet Johnson, Olivia Johnson, Olivia Meynell, Reno Moriya, Paige Roe, Breeze van Veldhuizen, Brooklyn Waihua, Addy Wairama, Tessa Webb.
- Mrs Louise Bassett-Foss
🌊NZ Surf Life Saving Nationals
👏🏼Big congratulations to our students who competed in the Surf Life Saving NZ Nationals SLSNZ Nationals (AON) in Ōhope.🏄🏻♀️Competitors race on boards, in ocean swims, and on the beach.☀️
Results:
U19 and Open Womens' Beach relay: 1st place - Lucy Angland (Old Girl), Rosa Angland and Libby Redmond (Old Girl).
U17 - Lucy Kinnear: Ski - 2nd place, Tube Rescue 2nd place, Iron and Board 4th place.
🌊 Hawke’s Bay Junior Surf Lifesaving Champs (for the 2025-2026 season)
Congratulations to Overall U14 placegetters: Lucia Bushell - 2nd place and Amaia Moore - 3rd place 🙌🏼
Winter Sports
Last two weeks of winter sports trials to go. Please note a commitment fee is required prior to attending trials or teams being named🏀⚽️🏑
Please check the trials calendar. It is recommended you go to all trials available for your sport.
Calling all Coaches!
Please note each of our sports teams are dependent on coach and manager volunteers being available - parents and whānau are invited to volunteer within the WINTER SPORTS registration form 🏉🎾🏑🏓⚽️. Alternatively, please contact sport@nghs.school.nz for more information.
Mrs MJ Durkin - Head of Sport
Athletics Day 2026!
Toi Whakaari- Performing Arts
Toi Whakaari- Performing Arts
Choir Camp Friday 6 & Saturday 7 March
Ad Lucem Choir Camp – A Weekend of Musical Excellence
Our annual Ad Lucem Choir Camp, held on 6 and 7 March, was a truly inspiring and rewarding experience for all involved. Under the expert guidance of Chris Atkinson and accompanist Sarah Lee, this dedicated group of singers committed many hours to refining and polishing their repertoire in preparation for the upcoming Big Sing competition next term.
Throughout the weekend, students engaged in focused rehearsals, developing a range of vocal techniques while deepening their musical understanding and ensemble cohesion. It was particularly pleasing to see the strong sense of collaboration, support, and enjoyment shared among the group.
The camp culminated in a polished and confident performance at the Saturday afternoon concert, showcasing the impressive progress made in such a short time. The standard achieved was outstanding and reflects both the commitment of the students and the quality of the tuition they received.
Congratulations to all involved on a highly successful and memorable weekend.
High School Musical NGHS/NBHS Production
Join us on Wednesday 29 April from 6.00pm at the Municipal Theatre for our Opening Night Gala, with the support from our wonderful NGHS PTA committee. This will be an unforgettable red carpet experience, and what a way to introduce this fantastic High School Musical on stage production.
Gala Tickets: $35
Your ticket includes:
• Delicious refreshments and canapés
• A complimentary programme
• Preferential booking
• An exclusive meet-and-greet with our lead cast members
This is more than a performance…it’s a celebration of the extraordinary talent, dedication, and creativity of our students.
Limited tickets available
To secure your place, please complete the Expression of Interest form below. With demand expected to be high, we encourage you to register early.
Sponsorship Opportunities
We are also inviting members of our wonderful NGHS community to partner with us through our sponsorship packages:
Bronze – $100+
• Advertising space in our Production programme
Silver – $500+
• 1 Gala ticket
• 2 Show tickets
• Advertising space in our programme
Gold – $1000+
• 2 Gala tickets
• 4 Show tickets
• Premium advertising space in our programme
Your support helps bring this production to life, every contribution, big or small, makes a meaningful difference.
We are incredibly grateful for the ongoing support of our NGHS PTA and school community. If you have any questions about ticketing or sponsorship, please don’t hesitate to get in touch at music@nghs.school.nz
Let’s make this opening night one to remember!
Expression of Interest Form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1lMkpUOo_8YJqIEUPsjFd8_mewnaT8cCWQleVu0_WFsA/edit
High School Musical
GENERAL ADMISSION TICKETS
will be available through ticketek.
We will advise you when these go LIVE.
Itinerant Music Lessons
By now, your daughter should be settling into her music lessons. We understand that it can take time to see the full benefits of these sessions, and we appreciate your patience during this process. To support continuity and progress, we kindly ask that your daughter commits to the full year, as our tutors’ schedules and hours have now been finalised.
Michael Houstoun in Concert – A Must-See Event!
There is still availability at the MTG Century Theatre, Napier on Sunday 29 March at 3.00pm for an unforgettable afternoon of live piano music with the talented Michael Houstoun.
We want to make sure your daughter doesn’t miss out on this amazing experience, so we are subsidising tickets for NGHS students! That means entry is only $10.
Please let Ms Tobin know by Monday 23 March if you wish to attend so we can sort tickets - email ttobin@nghs.school.nz
If your daughter requires transport from the hostel, please email music@nghs.school.nz
Don’t miss this unforgettable performance... Let’s make it a day to remember!
Please click on https://michaelhoustoun.co.nz/ for more details on the concert.
Speech and Drama
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
NGHS Drama
The excitement is building as the annual Shakespeare Festival approaches, a highlight in our school calendar that promises an evening of drama, creativity, and timeless storytelling. This year, we are proud to have seven teams taking to the stage, with 34 talented students bringing the works of Shakespeare to life.
Under the inspiring guidance of Ms Edwards, our students have been working tirelessly, embracing the challenge with passion and flair. Their performances promise a vibrant, modern interpretation of Shakespeare, infused with energy, originality, and a deep respect for the Bard’s enduring legacy.
The festival will begin at 5.30pm in the Havelock North High School auditorium (please note this updated start time differs from the poster). Tickets will be available at the door - $5 for adults and $2 for children.
We warmly invite you to join us for what is sure to be a captivating and memorable evening of theatre.
Ms Tess Tobin - HoLA Performing Arts
The Duke of Edinburgh Hillary Award
The Duke of Edinburgh Hillary Award
Adventurous Journeys Underway
With training now completed across all levels of the Duke of Edinburgh Award, our students have begun the exciting stage of putting their skills into practice through their adventurous journeys.
Last weekend saw the first group of Bronze Award students head to Makahika Outdoor Pursuits Centre in the beautiful Tararua Ranges for their first practice tramp. A fantastic group of 44 students took part in the two-day experience.
Day one focused on building essential outdoor skills. Students learned how to make fires, build shelters, pitch tents, and cook outdoors. The day ended in perfect fashion around the fire pit, where students enjoyed roasting marshmallows and sharing stories after a busy day of learning.
Day Two saw students heading out into the Tararua Forest to put their navigation training into action. Using maps and compasses, students worked together to navigate the tracks while tramping through this stunning native bush environment.
A huge thank you goes to the incredibly knowledgeable Makahika instructors Adam, Ash, Joel and Allan, who guided and supported our students throughout the experience. We are also very grateful for the support of our parent helpers Erica and Karina, along with teachers Mrs Andrews and Mrs Raggett, whose time and commitment helped make the weekend such a success.
The next group of 44 Bronze students will head to the same area for their practice tramp on 28–29 March, and we look forward to another fantastic weekend of learning and adventure.
Looking ahead, our Silver Award students will complete their Practice Tramp from 8–10 May.
All of these adventurous journeys are booked before November of the previous year, allowing students and their whānau plenty of time to prepare and organise for these important Duke of Edinburgh experiences.
A reminder to all Duke of Edinburgh students to keep their logs up to date for each section of the award. Regularly recording your Volunteering, Physical Recreation, and Skills activities ensures you stay on track and makes the final sign-off process much smoother.
It is wonderful to see our students developing resilience, teamwork, and confidence as they take on the challenges of the outdoors. We look forward to many more successful journeys ahead. 🌿🥾🔥
Louise Bassett-Foss - TiC Duke of Edinburgh
Umanga - Careers
Umanga - Careers
Dairy Industry Day
Our Year 11 Primary Industries class recently had the opportunity to attend the Dairy and Beyond Student Day Out on Farm in Central Hawke’s Bay. This event is designed to inspire young people to explore dairy farming and the many exciting career pathways available within the wider primary industries.
The day provided a well-structured programme where students were able to take part in supervised, hands-on learning within a real working farm environment. Moving through a range of practical stations, students gained valuable insight into the day-to-day operations of a dairy farm, as well as the technology, skills, and teamwork involved in modern farming.
One of the highlights of the day was the chance for students to get involved in practical activities, ask questions, and hear directly from industry professionals. It was a fantastic way for them to see first-hand the wide range of roles available in the dairy sector and related industries.
Our students represented the school extremely well, showing enthusiasm, curiosity, and a willingness to get involved throughout the day. It was both an interesting and enjoyable experience, and a great opportunity to connect classroom learning with real-world industry practice.
A big thank you to the organisers and host farmers for providing such an engaging and informative day. Experiences like this are invaluable in helping our students explore future career opportunities within New Zealand’s vital primary industries.
Year 13 Tertiary Information Sessions
We have held a number of tertiary information sessions during this term. It has been great to see so many of our students’ attending these sessions and exploring their options before the decision making begins.
The remaining sessions are as follows:
IPU Presentation - Wednesday 25 March at 1.30pm (S8)
Defence Force Presentation - Thursday 26 March at 10.35am (Library)
University of Canterbury (UC) – Thursday 30 April at 10.35am (Library)
Māori Tertiary Presentation – Tuesday 26 May at 10.35am (Library)
Pasifika Tertiary Presentation - Victoria University
During Pasifika week, our pasifika students from Year 11, 12 and 13 met with Victoria University liaison officer, Liga Leota and their two student ambassadors, who spoke to our tauira about what life is like at Victoria. During this presentation the student ambassadors shared information about their experiences at Victoria University, commenting on how welcomed they have felt by the pasifika community and that it has been a great place to make connections with others. Studying law and commerce, both ambassadors inspired our current Napier Girls’ Students with ideas of what they may be able to study in the future.
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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