Onehunga High School News

Tēnā koutou, e te whānau o Onehunga High School

At the Excellence Assembly this week, we recognised the achievements of students who gained NCEA with Excellence and Merit Endorsements across Levels 1, 2, and 3 in 2024. Strong academic results lay the foundation for future success, and it was great to acknowledge the hard work and resilience that led to these achievements.

NCEA Level 3 is the most challenging of the three levels, requiring sustained effort, critical thinking, independent learning and strong time management skills. As previously reported, the NCEA Level 3 pass rate in 2024 was 82%, a 17% increase from the previous year. The 2024 Level 3 pass rate for Māori learners was particularly notable at 87%—a record for the school and a 27% increase from the previous year. The pass rate for European students increased by 15% to over 90%, while the Pasifika pass rate also saw a 15% increase, reaching 78%. All pass rates were above the national average. It was great to celebrate these wonderful achievements with our students and families.

Our guest speaker, Lefaoali’i Dr. Dion Enari, Senior Lecturer at Auckland University of Technology, spoke about the importance of students setting high expectations for themselves and striving for excellence. He emphasised that “culture is a carrier, not a barrier”, reinforcing the importance of students knowing and embracing their cultural identity as a source of strength. This idea is reflected in the commitment students are showing in their Polyfest practices, with teachers and the community supporting them in their preparations.

The Pasifika NCEA results were shared with the Pasifika Komiti at their first meeting of the year. The Pasifika pass rate was above the national average, and Level 1 results were particularly outstanding, setting new records for the school. Students from the Komiti also expressed a desire for a greater focus on understanding pathways when in the junior school to inform their pathway decisions, particularly understanding university requirements. One way to support this is through our exciting new careers website. It is a valuable tool for whānau to explore future pathways.

Have a great weekend

Ngā mihi

Shameen Hayat
PRINCIPAL

Key dates for 2025 Term 1

10 March - Photolife - Student ID photos
10 March - Blues Youth Leadership Programme
11 March - High Teach Food & Hospitality
12 March - Pre-departure meeting for China Trip from 5.30 to 6.30pm
14 March - Mid-term break (School closed)
21 March - Polynesian Panthers visit
24-28 March - Summer Tournament Week
28 March - Oscar Kightley visit
29 Match - Fiafia day
31 March - 1 April - L1 Geography Trip
2-5 April Polyfest
4 April - Polyfest - (Teacher Only Day with the possibility to supervise juniors)
8 April - Massey High School Senior Sports Exchange
11 April - Last Day of Term 1
9-23 April - China Trip
28 April - Term 2 Begins
6 & 7 May - Subject Teacher & Parent Interviews

Full School Assembly Celebrates Success.

The core business of OHS is to educate students and prepare them for their future successfully.

Prefects Celebrate With Family.

Prefects and their whānau enjoyed an evening to celebrate their success this week.

The Weather was Hot the Competitors Hotter!

The more than 600 students who headed to the Go Media Stadium, to compete in the OHS Athletics Day represented the school with pride and enthusiasm.

2025 Athletics Day Champions.

The results of the OHS Athletics Day events have been finalised, and the champions have been determined.

SAM DAVY WINS ARA FINE ARTS AWARD

We would like to extend our congratulations to Sam Davy on receiving a well-deserved ARA Fine Arts Award.

Fish and Facts Fascinate L2 Bio Students.

A highlight of the year for many Biology students is the Level 2 Bio trip to the University of Auckland, Leigh Marine Lab and Goat Island Marine reserve, New Zealand’s oldest marine reserve.

Drama Students Learn Important Skills.

Year 12 and 13 Drama students were very fortunate to have an opportunity to learn skills that will not only enhance their performances but more importantly keep them safe.

OHS Students' Support Te Papapa Primary.

Te Papapa school held their ‘Back to School Fest’ on Friday. Families came together at Te Papapa school to enjoy an afternoon of fun, games and delicious food.

New weekly award - Shooting Star Award

SHOOTING STAR STUDENT FOR WEEK 5 - Ren Rugahara, Y9

From the Board of Trustees

Welcome to the 2025 school year from the Onehunga High School Board of Trustees. We are delighted to see our returning students wearing their uniforms with pride and taking on the mantle of being role models for our new students and it was a pleasure to see our new year 9 students welcomed into our OHS whanau with a beautiful pōwhiri run by our senior Kapa Haka students.

The Board would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge the remarkable 2024 NCEA results, which saw OHS students, once again, showing improvement at each year level and achieving the highest results outside covid since at least 2010. A huge congratulations to all our remarkable students on all the hard work and accomplishments of last year and we look forward to watching your drive and determination to build on your achievements. Kei ō ringaringa te ao!

OHS students are now consistently achieving above the national average, and this has only been possible thanks to the hard work of our dedicated teaching staff, led by Ms Hayat, and their determination to make sure every student is given the opportunity to achieve their full potential. This will continue to be the focus of the school and Board as part of our Strategic Direction goals.

Preparations are well underway for Polyfest, happening on the 4^th and 5^th of April this year - OHS has an impressive number of groups, each one with an aligned staff member, tutors and student leaders, and it is inspiring to see everyone working together with so much passion. There will be a showcase later in the term, providing an opportunity to see all groups perform and to help raise some funds to cover any extra costs.

Thank you all for a positive start to the year.

Sports News

We have hit the halfway mark of the sporting term and our OHS teams have been performing well.
OHS School Athletics was held last Wednesday at Mt Smart Arena. Over 600 of our students took part in the day. A very strong junior cohort led to some intense competition across all the events. See results in the table below.

Wednesday 5^th March OHS hosted Race 2 of the Central Zone Sprint Orienteering Series. Our school last hosted an event in 2017. 300 Y7-13 students from across the Zone experienced one of the more challenging maps due to the hilly nature of our school. We had a team of 15 runners represent our school, and all improved personal performance. Results can be found here: https://schoolsorienteering.co.nz/results/
Xavier White has been selected for the NZ Youth Orienteering team to contest the 2025 European Youth Orienteering Championships in Brno, Czechia 17^th – 21^st July. Congratulations Xavier!
https://www.orienteering.org.nz/news/eyoc-team-finalised-and-team-management-named-for-jwoc-eyoc-and-woc/
Summer tournament week is approaching and OHS will be well represented across the motu:
- Premier Boys & Girls Volleyball: NZSS National Championships
- Senior A Girls Volleyball: Northern Satellite Championships
- Premier Girls Futsal: NZSS National Championships
- Senior & Junior Boys Futsal: Northern Cup
- Senior Boys & Girls Basketball 3 x 3: Zone 1 National qualifiers
- Girls T20 Cricket: Auckland Girls T20 Division 2 Championships
We have two senior sports teams playing in promotion/relegation games in the coming weeks:
- Senior Girls Basketball @ Mt Roskill Grammar Thu 20^th March
- Premier Girls 1^st XI vs Selwyn College Wed 9^th April

Central Zone Sprint Orienteering Series

Adult Learning

The Adult Learning Centre has had a great start to Term 1 with over 30 classes running both at night, during weekdays and on Saturday mornings. It has been great to see two of our new courses, Watercolours Painting and Critical Thinking proving popular. Over four Saturday mornings throughout the term the workshops in TKW will be busy with students taking part in our popular Woodwork and Upholstery courses. We are also running shorter Saturday workshops with our next course being Aromatherapy on March 22nd from 9:30 to 12:30. Term 2 classes start on the 28th April. Visit www.adultlearn.co.nz to browse what we have on offer and come and join us in learning something new in 2025.

Careers

This week, many of our Year 13 students attended Career Planning workshops designed to help them explore career options and the skills required to thrive in a changing world. Through interactive activities and discussion, students considered potential impacts of AI, automation, globalization and the changing demographic of our population, and how these factors might shape their future careers.

Students were introduced to the new OHS Careers website - ohs.careerwise.school - which serves as a hub for careers-related information, events, and opportunities, and is also a valuable resource for whānau.

Further workshops will be offered in the coming weeks - ‘Uni 101’ in Week 8 for students considering university study and the ‘Tertiary Scholarships’ workshop in Week 9 will cover Scholarships available and the application process.

School TV - Parent Resource

SPECIAL REPORT: Social Media & Comparison Culture

Young people today are growing up in a world where exposure to other people's lives is constant. Through social media and other platforms, they are regularly presented with curated highlights - from flawless holiday photos and academic milestones to the latest fashion trends and fitness achievements. This continuous stream of idealised content fuels what is known as comparison culture, where self-worth is often measured by how someone stacks up against others.

For children and adolescents, who are still figuring out who they are, this culture can be particularly damaging. Constantly comparing their appearance, achievements, or social standing to friends, influencers, and even strangers can lead to unrealistic expectations and a skewed sense of self-worth. This relentless need to measure up can contribute to feelings of inadequacy, self-doubt, and anxiety - undermining both confidence and emotional wellbeing.

It's vital that parents and caregivers understand how deeply comparison culture can influence a child's self-perception and sense of value. Left unchecked, it can foster perfectionism and a dependence on external validation, where a 'like' or comment becomes the measure of their worth.

The good news is, families have a powerful role to play in helping young people navigate these challenges. This Special Report will help you empower your child to build the resilience and confidence needed to navigate today's comparison-driven world and embrace their own unique path.

Here is the link to your Special Report:
https://ohs.nz.schooltv.me/wellbeing_news/special-report-social-media-comparison-culture-nz

SCHOOL TV