MoE Staff only Day

This Friday, 11 September

To support the successful rollout of curriculum and assessment changes, Whangaparāoa College will be closed for instruction for all learners for a Ministry of Education Staff Only Day on Friday 11 September.

This day will provide an opportunity for teachers to engage in designing and planning the new Curriculum for 2027.

We appreciate your support!

Willow-Jean Prime Visit

As part of her nationwide visits to Māori education pathways, Labour’s Spokesperson for Māori Education, Willow-Jean Prime MP, visited our Māori unit, He Kupenga Rua a Tāne last week. The visit offered a wonderful opportunity to showcase learning in action and connect directly with our ākonga, and staff to discuss our successes, challenges, and aspirations. 

IN2ART Exhibition

Saturday 5 September - Tuesday 22 September 2026

We are excited to have 31 of our talented Year 7 and 8 learners with artwork exhibited in the IN2ART North Shore & Hibiscus Coast Year 7 & 8 Art Exhibition at Mairangi Arts Centre.

This is a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the creativity and artistic talents of our learners alongside other young artists from across the North Shore and Hibiscus Coast.

We encourage our school community to head along to Mairangi Arts Centre, enjoy the exhibition and support our young artists. Congratulations to all 31 learners whose work has been selected for display!

Trades Academy

Written by: Lindsay Bruwer (Year 13)

Recently in Trades Academy, we have been very busy with our studies and have finally completed all of the unit standards we have been working on throughout the year. We usually work together in teams, complete quizzes in class, and have our instructor help us work through the questions and understand the work better.

We recently had Waipapa Mill come in and give us a hands-on demonstration of how timber is stress graded using their machinery. They showed us how a piece of timber could be put under up to 2 tonnes of pressure, and we even got to see one crack under the pressure, which really showed us how strong timber can be. It was a great opportunity to see how what we learn in class is used in the industry.

We also had some Year 12 students visit us in Trades Academy to learn more about the different trades. They asked us questions about our experiences, had a look through the house and floor plans, and spoke with our teachers about what they could expect if they decided to pursue a trade in the future.

Overall, we have been learning a lot through both our classroom studies and hands-on experiences, and it has been great to see our progress throughout the year.

Whangaparāoa College Derived Exams

Year 11 - 13 Learners

Monday 14 September - Wednesday 23 September 2026

During this period, Year 11 -13 learners will be on study leave when they are not required at school for an examination. However, school will continue as per normal for all other learners.

To view the Derived Exam Schedule, click the link below. Please note that this is a live document and is subject to change in the lead-up to the exams.
Derived Exam Schedule

E-Bike, E-Dirtbike & E-Scooters

NZ Police are seeing increasing numbers of young people riding high-powered e-bikes, e-dirtbikes and e-scooters dangerously and illegally, raising serious safety concerns.

With these vehicles becoming increasingly popular among young people, we encourage all parents, caregivers and learners to familiarise themselves with the rules around what can be ridden, where it can be ridden, and when registration, a WOF and a licensed rider may be required.

Of particular importance, an e-bike or e-scooter may be considered a motor vehicle if its motor exceeds 300W, while e-dirt bikes meet the definition of a motorcycle and have additional legal requirements when used on the road.

Please take a few moments to read the NZ Police information poster, which provides helpful guidance for schools, parents, caregivers and young riders.
Our shared priority is keeping our young people safe and ensuring they understand their responsibilities when using these vehicles.

NZ Police Information - E-Bikes, E-Dirtbikes & E-Scooters

Shadow Tech 26

ShadowTech gives Year 9–11 girls an opportunity to explore the world of tech, spark their curiosity and explore tech careers.

Partnering with AoFrio this year, Technology teacher Andy York accompanied our learners on their visit, inspiring them to join Aotearoa’s fastest growing and highest paid sector. Here is their experience:

ShadowTech opened our minds to what a future career in technology can look like by giving us the opportunity to spend a day at the technology company AoFrio. Visiting the company taught us that “your background doesn’t define your future career in tech,” as we gained insight into how employees had taken different pathways throughout their careers to reach their current positions. Through interviewing team members, we discovered that background in areas such as finance and architecture can create pathways into careers in technology. We also learnt the importance of diversity within a company and how people from different backgrounds can connect and work together towards a shared vision.

During the day we developed our problem solving skills and gained a better understanding of how we could expand our ideas by designing a custom freezer in response to a prompt based on common customer wishes which the AoFrio team tackles daily. This activity explored how AI can be incorporated into the design process to develop and strengthen ideas, while still balancing technology with human creativity and passion.