  Tēnā koutou, e te whānau o Mount Albert Grammar School.
Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.
– Winston S. Churchill.
Recent weeks have seen the whole school battened down with end-of-year examinations for all students.
Our NCEA and Scholarship examinations are coming to a close while Year 11 have completed their MCEA school-based exams. Junior students have been receiving their results from recent examinations, and the next generation of MAGS students have been on-site completing Year 8 testing ahead of next year.
As a school we place high value on testing and examinations as a critical part of the learning process. When administered well, examinations enhance the learning process and complement other forms of assessment.
The exam period can be a time of heightened stress and worry for students – and even more so when the results card eventually arrives.
Yet it is important to remember that today’s exam result (good or bad) is just a stepping stone towards tomorrow’s learning. Sometimes you might even need to take a couple of academic steps backwards to get where you want to be in the end ... and that’s okay.
Our school motto aligns beautifully with the wonderful quote above from Winston Churchill. Courage and persistence – and playing the long game – that is what really counts!
Have a great weekend.
Patrick Drumm
Headmaster
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Click here for the Calendar
Sunday, December 1 to Wednesday, December 4
Prefects' Camp
Tuesday, December 3
Year 10 Prizegiving – 9.30am
Year 10 Prizegiving – 12.30pm
Last Day of Classes for 2024
Photo Essays  Cricket Open Girls v Baradene College
Click here  NISS Water Polo
Junior Boys Click here
Junior Girls Click here
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Trials and Registrations
Click here Fixtures and Results
Click here |
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Our Lion Fund programme aims to provide financial support to allow every MAGS student to access the breadth of opportunities we offer at our school.
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High Spirits at Interform Finals |
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Our Junior School students showed great teamwork and sportsmanship despite the intense competition in the Interform Finals on Wednesday and yesterday.
Points gained in the finals day challenges were added to those gathered throughout the year and the winning form classes announced.
 The year-long competition is a fun series of challenges, with classes gaining points depending on their placings in each event. Extra points are earned for participation, support, fair play and teamwork.
Interform Finals Day winners got a pizza lunch while the overall champions for the year enjoyed a trip to the movies.Thanks to Ms Inwood, the PE Department and some of our senior students for organising and running the finals day fun.
Overall Junior School winners were: Year 9 Girls – 09LND (pictured top), Year 9 Boys – 09RBS (pictured below), Year 10 Girls –10MIS, and Year 10 Boys – 10HBN.
Finals Day winners were: Year 9 Girls – 09UFT, Year 9 Boys – 09HOD, Year 10 Girls – 10DEB/RWA, and Year 10 Boys – 10FER.
You can see many more photos from the finals days here
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Top Sportspeople Recognised |
A fantastic year of sport was topped off with the College Sport Young Sports Person of the Year awards last night.
It proved a great celebration of MAGS Sport with 19 finalists across 11 codes, celebrating the top three students in all of Auckland school participants.
Winners on the night were Anika Todd (Allrounder), Sam Carryer (Orienteering), Max Jarvie (Rowing), Olivia Tattersfield (Rowing) and Marlin Toloa (Waka Ama)
College Sport CEO Mark Barlow announced that there was a record 75,000 participating in Auckland Secondary School sports so it was an exceptional result for all those nominated. |
At a special Arts Assembly this morning, our top Junior Arts students were recognised and awarded Arts badges and trophies.
The Junior Arts Duces will be announced at Junior prizegivings next Tuesday.
You can see the list of badge recipients here and the trophy winners here
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Chesspower Online Team National Champions, left to right: Nguyen Bui, Victor Coen (Junior Master), Jacob Miller (Junior Master), Felix McElwee, Janice Shi and Matthew Clement.
The MAGS Chess Team are the Online Chess Team National Champions for 2024.
This tournament is for the top teams in New Zealand, as entry to the event is by winning a regional tournament or an online event.
MAGS went through by coming first in an online tournament and second in the regional tournament. This allowed MAGS to enter a team of six players at the National tournament. The team consisted of Junior Master Victor Coen, Junior Master Jacob Miller, Matthew Clement, Nguyen Bui, Janice Shi and Felix McElwee.
Each player had nine games and scores for the four top players counted to the team score for the team tournament. Going into the last round, MAGS had a narrow lead of half a point, with Hillcrest High School and Hamilton Boys within striking distance. MAGS needed at least three points to clearly win. Jacob Miller and Victor Coen won their games, so it was down to Matt Clement, with a rating of 1062 playing against a player rated 1419 from Hillcrest High School. He managed to win, helping us to win our first chess national team title.
Jacob was one of top three players with eight wins out of nine. So, he shared the Champion title with two other players. As a result of his performance, Jacob was awarded the title of Junior Master for this fantastic effort. Matthew Clement gained the highest upset badge when he beat one of the top players.
In a separate national event, Nathan Bailey took part as an individual in the Championship Trophy in Wellington, coming 14th out of 55 players.
The chess club still shows strong growth with eighty members across all year levels. Of these, about thirty regular players come in every Monday and Friday to play socially. These players often learn new moves by watching and playing other players.
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2025 Stationery Available From Monday |
 Parents can beat the rush and order stationery for 2025 from next Monday, December 2.
We’ve teamed up with OfficeMax to make getting ready for school easier!
Students' class lists will be available here
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Time to Plan Holiday Reading |
Students are being encouraged to take out at least three books for holiday reading to avoid the “summer slide”.
The due date for books issued for the last two weeks of term will be the first day back – Friday, 31 January.
If they don’t read for pleasure over the holidays, research shows that students will spend most of Term 1 getting back to their current reading levels.
Students also have access to great reading online. They can use the MAGS e-book library here, signing in with their school email and password.
If not already using Auckland Libraries, they can join online for free for the online eCollections here
This page also gives guidance on how to obtain a library card to borrow printed books and magazines from Auckland Libraries.
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 1924 was the third year of the school and it began with a roll of 378.
For the first time the school had students in “6A”, now known as Year 13. There was a teaching staff of 14 and there were 10 prefects. The hall was yet to be built and the main block went from what is now the Commerce workroom (formerly A1, and before that the Lab Classroom) around to what is now the International Office (formerly A8 and before that A6). The hall was to be built in 1926 and four extra classrooms were added to the main block in 1928.
The fields were yet to be developed although the headmaster’s report mentions a playing field that may be ready for use by the middle of 1925.
Despite this, the school had a very successful sporting year with the 1st XV winning the premier competition for the first time. In September the team travelled to New Plymouth to challenge New Plymouth Boy’s High for the Moascar Cup. Mount Albert went down 12-6 and it was not until 1975 that the school won this prestigious trophy.  The premier cricket team came second in its competition. Sadly, there is no good quality photograph of this team but two of its members went on to successful sporting careers. The captain, Vic Butler, became an All Black, and Lindsay Weir represented New Zealand in cricket for many years.
Early in the year a group of boys approached the Headmaster, Mr Gamble, for permission to establish teams in “Association Football”. This was the term used to distinguish it from “Football”, which at the time was the usual term for Rugby. Four teams were formed and they completed in various club competitions.
There was no school tennis competition but the school championships were held at the Mount Albert Club’s courts. The swimming sports were held at Shelly Beach Baths (demolished for the building of the approaches to the Harbour Bridge). The athletic sports were postponed three weeks by an influenza outbreak and were held in the Domain – Vic Butler set a record for throwing the cricket ball more than 104 yards.
The annual prizegiving was held in the Auckland Grammar School Hall on December 17. Prizes were presented by the Minister of Education, the Hon C.J. Parr who noted “…those who have won prizes are not merely good ‘swots’ but also able to hold their own on the playing fields.” The same applies to our students today.
Our archives do not have any class photos from 1924 but a photograph of the whole school of 1924 hangs in the W.O.H. Gibbs Room.
– Greg Cave, Archivist
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Reminder to Empty Lockers |
Please be aware that student lockers must be emptied and locks removed before students leave for the year.
Any remaining locks will be removed during the holidays and any contents will be stored at the Student Centre for collection next year.
Students will need to purchase a new locker next year if they want one. |
 We are excited for 2025 and our new cohort of international students.
We have students arriving from the Philippines, China, Hong Kong, Japan, Chile, Argentina, Germany and Italy. Stays vary from one term through to a full year.
A host is expected to provide a clean and comfortable bedroom with bed, wardrobe (built-in or free-standing) and drawers, linen and towels, desk and lamp, heating in room and three meals a day plus snacks and laundry.
The application process involves police vetting for all family members over 18 and the completion of an application form.
This is followed by a home visit from the school. This helps us to know a little more about your family’s interests and lifestyle and enables us to make a well-informed student match.
If you would like some further information, or to receive the application forms, please email [email protected] |
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On March 22 at 3.30pm, Olivia Tattersfield lined up in the A final of the Under 17 Girls Single Sculls at Maadi Cup.
Eight minutes and eight seconds later she made school history by winning the first girls gold medal in a national rowing regatta. She fought hard, pulling in front for the last couple of meters of the race, showing her incredible resilience and determination.
 Just two hours earlier Olivia and Lily Curnow had won a silver medal in the Girls Under 18 Pair.
In a tradition started by AON and Lazlo boats in 2018, the winner of the Boys and Girls Under 17 Single Sculls each win a single skiff for their school. This is unique to this race and is designed to help schools provide top quality boats for their athletes. The small boat events are often very competitive and top equipment is scarce.
Assistant Director of Rowing Holly Chaafe said, "Olivia’s win is an incredible achievement for both her and the MAGSROW program. Olivia has been a role model for her peers and younger rowers in the program both on and off the water and this boat stamps her legacy on the girl’s squad.
"We thank Olivia for all the time and hard work she’s given to the MAGSROW program, and wish her all the best in her future rowing endeavours – both at North Shore this season, and in the United States next year, when she commences her rowing scholarship."
Last Sunday, the boat was christened by Olivia and at her request has been named ‘Otat’, which is what she is called by her crewmates.
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