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.
I continue to be grateful for our ākonga, kaiako and our wider NGHS whānau for ensuring our ākonga have a full and vibrant education.
Congratulations to Ad Lucem choir who were awarded the Tūī award at the recent Cadenza competition. So well deserved.
We hosted the NZ Youthfest last weekend. Congratulations to both entries from our school. Read further of their achievements in this newsletter.
You will read of some of the great sports results in this pānui and will no doubt witness some exciting games ahead as we reach the end of our winter sports season. All the best to our sports teams who are competing in the upcoming secondary school Winter Tournament week.
As if that's not busy enough, our senior ākonga have been busy this week studying and demonstrating their knowledge and skills through sitting their derived grade examinations, which started yesterday and continue into next week. We hope that they are going well for them and that they attain the results that they are pleased with, rewarding their efforts. Please note that the derived grade examinations are crucial in determining a grade should a student not be able to sit their end of year examinations due to the following exceptional approved reasons: misadventure (an event beyond the student's control or an exceptional circumstance), trauma, a temporary acute non-recurring illness, or a sudden significant change to a long-term illness occurring at the time of examinations.
Looking Ahead: The New NCEA Landscape
You may have seen the recent announcements from the government regarding proposed changes to our national qualification system. The plan is to replace NCEA with new qualifications, which will be phased in over the coming years.
While change can sometimes feel uncertain, we want to reassure our school community that we are already looking ahead and preparing. Napier Girls' High School has a long history of adapting to new educational frameworks, and we see this as another opportunity to ensure our students are at the forefront of a modern, rigorous, and relevant education. Our dedicated teachers and leadership team are already engaged in understanding the details of these proposals and will be actively involved in the consultation process to ensure the best outcomes for our students. We are committed to a seamless transition, ensuring every student continues to receive the high-quality education and support they need to thrive.
The proposed changes will not affect our current students - they will complete their NCEA qualifications as planned. The new system is intended to be phased in, starting with a new curriculum for Year 9 in 2026, and the new qualification in 2028. We will provide our school community with regular updates as more information becomes available.
A Glimpse into the Future: A Successful Open Evening
On a celebratory note, we would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to whānau who attended our recent Open Evening for 2026. It was a resounding success, with an impressive turnout of prospective students and their whānau. The evening was a wonderful opportunity to showcase the vibrant and supportive community that is NGHS.
From the engaging displays of our academic departments to the inspiring performances by our talented students, the evening truly captured the essence of what makes an all-girls' education so special. Ngā mihi to our staff and students who gave so generously of their time to give our visitors a taste of life at NGHS.
Enrolment applications for Year 9 2026 are due Friday 29 August. If you have any queries around enrolment please contact Deb McPherson dmcpherson@nghs.school.nz
The Power of an All-Girls' Education
The success of our Open Evening is a testament to the enduring value of an all-girls' education. Research consistently shows that girls in single-sex schools achieve higher academic results, are more likely to pursue subjects like STEM, and develop stronger leadership skills and self-confidence. In an environment free from gender stereotyping, our students are empowered to be themselves, take risks, and aspire to any career path they choose. They are encouraged to take on leadership roles and their voices are always heard.
We are incredibly proud of our students and the supportive, empowering environment we have created here. We are confident that, whatever the future holds for our national qualifications, our commitment to empowering young women to achieve success and fulfillment will remain at the heart of all we do. We look forward to continuing this journey with you all.
Ngā mihi nui
Mrs Dawn Ackroyd
Ad Lucem Choir
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
Thursday 14 - Friday 22: Derived Grade Examinations
Sunday 17: YES groups at HB Farmers' Market, Hastings, 8.30am - 12.30pm
Sunday 17 - Monday 18: DanceNZMade
Wednesday 20: Strike Action - Derived Grade Examinations will continue, Year 9/10 students to stay home (an email has been sent home about this)
Friday 22: Year 12 Art Exhibition Opening at CAN
Saturday 23 - Sunday 24: Theatresports Competition, Manawatū
Monday 25: PTA Meeting 7.00pm in the staffroom, all welcome
Monday 25 - Saturday 30: Winter Tournament Week
Thursday 28: NSSCC (Masterchefs) compete, Auckland
Thursday 28: Road Safe Expo, 8.40am - 11.00am, for all Year 11
Brett Harvey from Tāima Kōrero - Time 2 Talk delivers engaging, honest and sensible information on how to talk about p*rnography with your child or teenager, and why these conversations need to happen.
Backed by the latest statistics and research, Brett’s presentations draw on his first-hand knowledge of the negative effects of p*rnography and provide attendees with an eye-opening insight into the multi-billion dollar industry that is targeting our children. You will leave feeling well-informed, empowered and equipped to have these difficult yet essential conversations with your children.
Toi Whakaari - Performing Arts
Toi Whakaari - Performing Arts
Youthfest
This event marks the beginning of something truly special. Youthfest is designed to give students the chance to express themselves through either devised work or performances of New Zealand plays.
The brief is simple: performances must be between 10 and 40 minutes, and may be either student or teacher-directed. Pieces can be devised or written by New Zealand playwrights, and should use a minimal set design.
This pilot event is taking place in the Massey region, with schools from Manawatū also participating. The most outstanding performances from each region may be invited to a culmination event held at Centrepoint Theatre in Palmerston North. My hope is that this festival grows in reach and becomes a national celebration of young theatrical talent — because we have some incredibly gifted students in this country, and they deserve a stage!
We had two presentations entered. A junior production, The Toughest Animal in the Zoo directed by Stella Edwards and, Water, Please directed by Edie Croad.
The Toughest Animal in the Zoo won Excellence in Technical Design and Edie Croad gained the only Excellence in Acting award.
We are so excited to have been informed that Water, Please has been selected to represent Hawke's Bay in the Regional Finals. The team will travel down to Palmerston North on Saturday 6 September to share our amazing work!
- Amy Edwards
Big Sing Cadenza
After their strong showing at the regional Big Sing in June, Ad Lucem were one of twelve choirs from the East Coast, Wellington, Manawatū-Whanganui and Taranaki regions to compete in the Lower North Island Cadenza. This was our fourth consecutive appearance at Cadenza, a new record for the East Coast!
To prepare, we had to add a new song, ‘Sumer is Icumen In’ to our repertoire, as the Choral Federation were trialling a test piece for the first time. Being a 13th Century English song, we had the option of learning this in modern English or the original Middle English. Never ones to shy away from a challenge, we learnt the song in Middle English and were the only one of the twelve choirs to do so.
The competition took place at Whanganui’s beautiful Royal Opera House. On Sunday 10 August, we performed the test piece, alongside John Rutter’s ‘For the Beauty of the Earth’. We had had a slight setback in the lead-up to the competition, as our usual fantastic pianist, Sarah Lee, was unable to come away with us. Our HoLA, Tess Tobin kindly volunteered to step in and play, but unfortunately injured her hand days before we went away, so we made the decision to use a recording to play with (never ideal for a performance, but all we had available).
After our first performance we had a very kind offer from an accompanist for the second day, so we were delighted to have Thomas Nikora from St. Matthews Collegiate play for us on the Monday session, where he gave a very sensitive accompaniment to Billy Joel’s ‘And So It Goes’, which went down so well it was requested for the Gala Concert.
Our final piece was our Samoan medley ‘Sina Oe/Manu o le Vaveao’. This received a tremendous round of applause from the audience, including many cheehoos from other choirs.
The adjudicator, senior lecturer and vocal consultant Dr. Morag Atchison presented fascinating workshops about the voice, and we were thrilled when she presented us with our third Tūī award, another East Coast record!
Ms Tess Tobin - HoLA Performing Arts
Hākinakina - Sports
Hākinakina - Sports
END OF WINTER SEASON DATES
Netball: HB Netball Super Secondary finals - Tuesday 19 August and Saturday Secondary Schools Netball - Saturday 23 August
Hockey: Division 3 & 4: Monday 18 August
ALL THE BEST to the teams who are competing at regional/national tournaments during Winter Tournament Week.
Netball Senior A - Lower Norths in Palmerston North
Basketball Senior A - Regionals in Hawke’s Bay
Hockey 1st XI - Federation Cup in Wellington
Hockey 2nd XI - Maurice Hulme Tournament in Hawke’s Bay
Football 1st XI - Premier Tournament in Taupō
Football Invitational XI - Jenny Hair Tournament in Hawke’s Bay
Equestrian - North Island Interschool North Island in Taupō
Players have been training hard in preparation for this week. Thank you to all those involved in helping to prepare our ākonga.
Also to our community sponsorship for their support:
Netball - Britkin Hawke’s Bay
Hockey 1st XI - East Coast Lumber, and Grant Property & Construction Limited
Hockey 2nd XI - Titan Buildings Limited
Hawke's Bay Clay Target Club
2025 has seen a new sport to NGHS in the form of clay target shooting. The team includes Emma and Ella McLachlan, and Jemma Haenga, who train every Wednesday at the Hawke's Bay Clay Target Club.
All the girls have taken to the discipline extremely well, showing rapid improvement both in training and competition. Their progress was particularly evident during their first two inter-school events.
In the first event in HB, the girls competed both as a team and individually against more than 80 shooters across 14 teams from the lower and central North Island. Despite it being their debut competition — and nerves running high — they performed exceptionally well, even placing ahead of more experienced teams.
Their second competition took place over the weekend in Gisborne, again drawing over 80 competitors, including several national representatives and titleholders. Emma, Ella, and Jemma performed exceptionally well and would have placed third in the girls’ team division.
There are six remaining competitions in the 2025 season, including events in Wanganui, Woodville, Dannevirke, Hawke’s Bay, and the North Island and National Championships, which will be held in Hamilton.
Table Tennis
This year five teams participated in table tennis, one in B Grade and four in C Grade. We’re proud to share that one of our C Grade teams, the Green Team, achieved an impressive 2nd place finish! It was such a cool experience for everyone involved, filled with fun, new challenges, and great opportunities to meet new people.
NGHS U18 rugby
On Saturday 2 August the NGHS 1st XV travelled to Feilding High School for finals day of the PTS Cup. After impressive 12-10 and 36-29 wins over Feilding and Taupō respectively, NGHS had earned a place in the 1st v 2nd playoff against local rivals Hastings Girls' High School.
Although we didn't come away with the trophy, the girls of the white and blue put in their best performance of the season. Having given our all on the pitch, we finished this campaign with our heads held high. Congratulations to HGHS as the inaugural winners of the competition. Ngā mihi nui to our coaches Alastair Nelson and Ihaka Waerea.
A big thank you to PTS Logistics for sponsoring the competition and giving our girls more games to play. Also, thanks to Feilding High School for organising the tournament and for their fantastic hospitality during the finals.
Get2Go Challenge
Adventure, teamwork and determination were all on show at the Get2Go Challenge on Wednesday.
Our Year 9 NGHS Blue team put in an outstanding effort across orienteering, mountain biking and an inflatable kayak water challenge — finishing 5th out of 14 teams from across the Hawke’s Bay region.
Ngā mihi nui to Shelley McDougal, and also Phillip and Jane from Hawke’s Bay Orienteering Club, Sven, Rob and Buster from Bennelong MTB Club, Kev from YMCA Hawke’s Bay, and Phil from Taradale High School for running the epic challenges.
Netball
In preparation for Winter tournament week, Senior A played New Plymouth Girls’ High School and Palmerston North Girls’ High School on Sunday. They came away with 2 out of 2 wins; vs New Plymouth 45-24, vs Palmerston North 37-29
The game against Palmerston North Girls was a catch up game from our term 2 sports exchange. The win means we retain the trophy.
🔥🔥HB Netball SUPER CLUB Playoffs🔥🔥
Super proud of our Senior A netballers who had a win in their play off game to place 3rd in the HB Super Club competition. 🩵Well done to Coaches Miss Parsons and Jewels Falcon, and Manager Mrs McDowall.
College Day
Well done to our 3 teams; Junior A, 10A and 9A who competed in College Day last week. A fun and positive day for all. Congratulations to Junior A who won their section: Demi Arnold, Greer Hambleton, Olivia Johnson, Rhiannon Jones, Jessie McNally, Logan Pitman, Abby Sivewright, Livvy Trew, Peyton Tuala-Fata, Kendal Waenga. Ngā mihi nui to Coaches Mrs Johnson, Miss Lassen, Miss Parsons and Stacey Bailey.
HB Netball Age Group Rep Prizegiving 2025
Congratulations to our NGHS students for their awards received from their representative campaigns.
U16 White Most Promising Player - Keira Takie
U16 Black Most Promising Player - Kaia Hohaia-Hall
U16 Black Most Valuable Player - Ruby Lilburn
U18 Most Promising Player - Emily Crowther
U18 Sportsmanship Award - Hannah Field
U18 Most Valuable Player - Arna Paewai
Roller Hockey
Keely Flynn and Lexi McIntyre, Year 11 students, have just returned from the World Skate Asia-Oceania Championship held in South Korea. They were proud members of the New Zealand Women’s Rink Hockey team, who finished an incredible 4th place!
Hockey
Congratulations to our Hockey teams who finished on a very successful finals night this week. Fabulous and entertaining levels of hockey played by all.
1st XI beat Iona 2-1 and placed 1st in Division 1
2nd XI beat Karamu 2-1 to placed 5th in Division 1
3rd XI beat Woodford Silver 2-1 placing 2nd in Division 2
Colts lost to Woodford Maroon 1-2 placing 5th in Division 2
Roller Derby
Well done to Kya Boerman who represented New Zealand in the Junior Roller Derby World Cup in Australia recently.
After a strong group stage and advancing through the semifinals, Kya and her teammates battled fiercely in the bronze medal final - an intense Trans-Tasman showdown against Australia, losing by 2 points in the final seconds of the game.
No medal this time, but the mana, the teamwork, and the spirit – that is what we will remember the most. We are incredibly proud of their achievements, both on and off the track. Their commitment, sportsmanship, and passion for the sport are truly inspiring, and they have represented Aotearoa with pride, courage, and heart. Ka mau te wehi, team NZ!
NZ National Cross Country Championships
The NZ National Cross Country Championships was held at Hagley Park in Christchurch. Paige Dobson raced the 5km course in the U18s category in a stacked field on a tough and technical course where she placed 8th.
Football
Congratulations to our four football teams who completed their local season last Wednesday. Our Football 1st XI placed second in a tight final with Taradale HS.
The 1st XI and our Invitational Football teams now turn their attention to preparing for winter tournament week.
Rugby
A huge congratulations to our NGHS players who have made it into the Hawke's Bay Tui Squad for the 2025 Farah Palmer Cup! 🔥Their season kicks off next weekend, Saturday 16 August against Canterbury, 4:35 at McLean Park!
Briar Hales
Allura Holt
Addison Henry
Ka mau te wehi, kōhine mā!
Waterpolo
See Miss Gardner if you are interested in being part of the water polo weekend event below.
Let Us Know Your Sports News!
We love to acknowledge our students’ sporting achievements outside of school. 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.
MJ Durkin - Head of Sport
The Duke of Edinburgh Hillary Award
The Duke of Edinburgh Hillary Award
We are excited to announce that planning is underway for the Silver Qualifying and Gold Practice Tramps to Lake Waikaremoana. This tramp is always a highlight of the Duke of Edinburgh programme — a truly special experience offering stunning scenery, team camaraderie, and the satisfaction of achieving a challenging goal.
With the recent cold snap, this is a timely reminder for all trampers to be fully prepared for the wintery conditions they may encounter. Warm, weather-appropriate gear and thorough preparation are essential for a safe and enjoyable tramp.
It has been wonderful to see so much enthusiasm from our younger students, with many keen Year 9s already asking when they can begin their Bronze Award journey. For those students — and for anyone interested in learning more about the programme — we will be hosting a Duke of Edinburgh Information Evening in November. This will be a great opportunity to find out more about the award, the different levels, and how we run it here at Napier Girls’ High School.
Please keep an eye on the school notices for confirmation of the date. I look forward to welcoming students and their parents to this event and sharing more about the adventures and opportunities the Duke of Edinburgh programme offers.
Mrs Louise Bassett-Foss, Senior Award Leader
Tauiwi - International
Tauiwi - International
This term we have welcomed new students from Japan, Vietnam, Hong Kong, Spain and Germany. The students have immersed themselves into school life and are developing strong connections.
The Pounamu workshop was a success; each student carved their own greenstone taonga.
Our Japanese visitors completed the study tour programme; they got to experience some time in the classroom and local sightseeing. Learning about the history of Napier; the Art Deco City, was the main focus. The students visited the Shockwave exhibition at the MTG.
Of course a trip to the National Aquarium of New Zealand was on the agenda. The Little Blue Penguins were the favourite on this occasion!
We wish our students all the best with the upcoming Derived Grade Examinations. Senior International students not taking NCEA will participate in an Activity Programme.
Ms Jo Stickley - Manager of International Students
Umanga - Careers
Umanga - Careers
Helping with Subject Choices
Subject selection for Year 10, 11 and 12 students can be a difficult process. Students are most welcome to make an appointment with Mrs C Johnson to help them with this process. For more information on selecting subjects have a look at the following link:
https://tahatu.govt.nz/school-and-ncea/explore-ncea-subjects
University Scholarships for Year 13 Students
MoneyHub, a consumer finance website, has published a guide to hundreds of scholarships for any student planning to start university in 2026. 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
Tertiary Course Planning Sessions
The universities opened their accommodation portals on 1 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 intending to go to these tertiary institutions in 2026:
Friday 22 August: University of Canterbury (Library, 10.30am - 12.30pm)
Wednesday 27 August: AUT (Online in Library, 10.30am)
Wednesday 3 September: Victoria University (Library, 10.30am)
Thursday 4 September: Lincoln University (Library, 1.10pm)
Wednesday 10 September: Massey University (Library, 10.30am)
EIT Enrolment and Scholarship Support Sessions
Tuesday 26 August at 1.10pm 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)
22 August: Victoria University
22 August: Massey University (Wellington Campus)
30 August: Auckland University
30 August: AUT
5 September: Canterbury University
Mrs Caroline Johnson & Mrs Debra Verhoeven - Careers Advisors
Port Ahuriri Visit to Napier Girls' High School
Port Ahuriri Visit to Napier Girls' High School
On Friday 1 August, over seventy tamariki, whānau and kaiako from Port Ahuriri School visited Napier Girls’ High School to learn about our whakairo (carvings).
The students and staff of Port Ahuriri School were hoping to gain ideas for their own carvings, to adorn a waharoa to be placed at the entrance to their kura in the near future. They had spent the morning looking at carvings at the MTG. “We were really buzzing about our trip to the MTG and then coming to NGHS, well that was just the icing on the cake,” said Aoraki Hub Leader, Haley Te Paki.
The guests were greeted at the tennis courts by Whaea Grace Heays, Andre Prichard and Caroline Johnson - all members of the Mataruahou Kāhui Ako, our across schools Community of Learning - who helped coordinate the visit. After a brief mihi whakatau, the Port Ahuriri ākonga sang a rousing waiata to everyone present.
The group then walked up to the June Clifford Foyer in the Hall where they met their first carving: our koruru, Tāne-nui-a-rangi, the ‘face of our whare.’ Afterwards, the Year 12 Māori class showed the students around our five pou outside Hague Block. Our ākonga absolutely loved sharing their knowledge with our bubbly and curious visitors.
“We went to the MTG to learn about the significance of Māori carvings, the history and how they tell a story,” Haley said. “So when we came up to NGHS and the girls gave us their kōrero about the meaning behind the pou, well everything came full circle.”
Our guests left better informed and very excited. “Our tamariki wanted to sketch and brainstorm when we got back to school,” Haley enthused. “The sheer excitement about planning our shared pūrākau and weaving that into our Port Ahuriri carving was evident.”
It was a lovely and successful afternoon for everyone present. We at Napier Girls’ look forward to seeing the amazing ideas expressed in the waharoa when it is completed.
Mr Andre Prichard, Assistant HoLA English
NOW is the Time to Set Up Your Kindo Account
NOW is the Time to Set Up Your Kindo Account
Kindo is our new payment platform where you can view and pay for school items and charges.
Please use the following link to set up your Kindo account: https://shop.kindo.co.nz
For all accounts set up before 31 August go into the draw to win a $200 credit for your Kindo wallet. Once your account is set up simply go to the Kindo shop and add the Prize Draw at $0 to your cart (only one entry per student please).
Common situations and questions you may have are covered here.
Summary of what is needed:
1. Set up your account if you don't already have one.
2. You must use the same email address as you have advised school.
3. If you have an existing school automatic payment into the school bank account ensure this has stopped. Existing payments for hostel boarding fees are to continue.
4. If you have a credit balance in your school account our finance staff will be able to load this into your wallet once the account has been set up.
There is a Kindo helpdesk available for support.
helpdesk open 8am - 4pm weekdays
hello@mykindo.co.nz or 0508 454636
Reviewing Board Policies, Term 3 2025
Reviewing Board Policies, Term 3 2025
To Parents/Caregivers
This term the scheduled review focuses on student wellbeing and safety policies within the Health, Safety and Welfare Policy section, and we are inviting input from parents/caregivers:
- Child Protection
- Abuse Recognition and Reporting
- Food and Nutrition
- Safety Checking
- Police Vetting
- Missing Student Procedure
If you wish to be part of this process, please follow these steps below.
Visit the website https://nghs.schooldocs.co.nz
Enter the username (nghs) and password (adlucem).
Click on “Current Review”
Follow the link to the relevant policy as listed.
Read the policy.
Click the blue “Start your review” button near the top right-hand corner of the page.
Select the reviewer type - "Whānau".
Enter your name (optional).
Submit your ratings and comments.
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 Wednesday 10 September 2025.
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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