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Waverley High School, New Zealand

Waverley High School was a high school in the town of Waverley, Taranaki, New Zealand. The school, for years 7–13, closed on 20 April 2007.[1]

The Whanganui Chronicle reported that the school opened in 1954, and added seventh form education in 1977.[2] It had mentioned a school of the same name in 1943.[3]

During its last four years, the school had a rapidly declining role and widespread absenteeism.[4] On 3 April 2007, Education Minister Steve Maharey announced that the school was "no longer viable." He said the roll was too low to effectively provide the curriculum.[1]

In December 2006, the school's ability to assess for NCEA was removed, due to the "unreliable" nature of its assessment.[5]

The school was discussed in Parliament on 14 February 2007, when local MP Chester Borrows claimed that half the students were truant every day but not reported; the school had a teacher-pupil ratio of 1:8 and "everyone fails"; teachers only taught 3.5 days per week; the New Zealand Qualifications Authority had evidence of cheating by students and teachers; two-thirds of Waverley children were bussed to schools out of town rather than attend the school; there were are no remedial programmes for literacy and numeracy: "Whose head will roll for letting this community down so badly?"[6]

References

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  1. ^ a b Waverley High School to close, Scoop, 3 April 2007
  2. ^ "Students and parents disillusioned after school closure". 21 April 2007.
  3. ^ "General News". Wanganui Chronicle. 27 January 1943.
  4. ^ "Anger as axe falls on Waverley High School". Whanganui Chronicle. 4 April 2007. Retrieved 18 October 2024.
  5. ^ Stowell, Laurel (15 February 2007), We're not going anywhere: Waverley parents, Wanganui Chronicle
  6. ^ "Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers: Waverley High School—Confidence in Oversight", Hansard (New Zealand), 637: 7319, 2007