Te Puna Wai o Waipapa - Hagley College, Christchurch Central (Christchurch)

Key facts

About Te Puna Wai o Waipapa - Hagley College

Te Puna Wai o Waipapa - Hagley College is a state secondary school located in central Christchurch, adjacent to Hagley Park. It was founded in 1858 by Charles Fraser, a minister of St Andrews Church, originally on the corner of Antigua Street and Hagley Avenue. A later merger with the Technical College led to the establishment of Hagley High School.

In 2015, the Ministry of Education granted the school Designated Character status under Section 156 of the Education Act, recognising that it offers programmes and courses not available in conventional secondary school settings. This status reflects the school's role as a regional hub across Christchurch, serving both adolescent and adult learners, including those who are disengaged from learning or returning to education after a break.

Several features distinguish the school from most New Zealand secondary schools:

• No uniform requirement
• Students address teachers by their first names
• Entry is not restricted to Year 9 — students can join at the level appropriate to their needs
• The school operates between 8:30am and 8:30pm, with evening classes available through the After 3 programme
• Both full-time and part-time enrolment are available

Enrolment requires meeting designated character criteria, including a commitment to the college's stated values of trust, respect, integrity, and personal responsibility, and the identification of a suitable programme of learning.

Enrolment

Year 9 enrolment

Te Puna Wai o Waipapa – Hagley College does not have a geographic enrolment zone. As a Designated Character School, available places are allocated under the school's Designated Character Enrolment Scheme. Places are offered only to applicants who meet, or show the potential to meet, the school's designated character criteria. Families offered a place must sign a Confirmation of Enrolment form acknowledging the school's designated character.

Year 9 has a maximum of 150 places, arranged as six classes of approximately 25 students. The school also operates a priority enrolment process, though the specific priority categories are not detailed here.

The Year 9 enrolment process involves the following steps:

• Submit a completed application before the closing date, including a copy of the student's birth certificate or passport, their most recent school report (showing curriculum levels in reading, writing, and maths, plus a teacher comment), and any relevant learning needs reports.
• The school contacts the student's current school to obtain a Confidential Information Form.
• The Enrolment Committee assesses applications against the designated character criteria. If demand exceeds places, a ballot is held.
• Acceptance notifications are sent following the ballot, with an acceptance slip required in return.
• Accepted students attend an enrolment interview and, in November, an Orientation session for new Year 9 students and their parents or caregivers.

International enrolment

International students enrol by downloading and completing the appropriate form — a separate form applies to adolescents under 19 and to adults aged 19 or over. Adolescent applicants submit the form by email to KeenOnHagley@hagley.school.nz, along with a copy of their passport photo page, current visa if applicable, and school reports. Adults are directed to contact the same email address for further information. The school's International Student Administrator is Sue Quinn (Sue.Quinn@staff.hagley.school.nz). The school had 8 international students enrolled at the time of publication, from a total roll of 1,359. Homestay accommodation is available through Canterbury Homestay.

Curriculum and Subjects

Te Puna Wai o Waipapa - Hagley College is structured across several year levels, from Year 9 through to Year 13, with an additional evening programme for students aged 16 and over. NCEA is offered at Levels 1, 2, and 3, along with University Entrance and New Zealand Scholarship.

Junior College (Years 9–10)

The Junior College curriculum is built on the eight essential learning areas of the New Zealand National Curriculum. All junior students take MAT, ENG, SCI, SSC, TRE, HEA, and PED. Alongside these, students choose six short-course subjects per year from a rotating selection called Kete Wana, each running two sessions per week over a 12-week block. Named Kete Wana subjects include:

• Funmation
• Hard Out (competitive PE/sport)
• Money Makes the World Go Round
• Kapa Haka
• Learn a Language
• Robot Mission
• Kai Pai
• He Rawe – Eat Well, Feel Fantastic
• Digital Groove Lab
• Do the Duke (Duke of Edinburgh Award)
• Fashion – Make It Wear It
• Climate Action
• Ancient Egypt
• Stage Action
• Improv
• Te Ara Matatau – More Reo Māori

The Junior College curriculum is framed around a Transferable Skills Framework developed at Hagley, covering collaborating, communicating, contributing, thinking, maker mindset, and self-regulation — linked to the key competencies of the New Zealand Curriculum.

Year 11 College

Year 11 is a distinct college within the school, focused on transition into NCEA Level 1.

Senior College (Years 12–13 and Adult)

The Senior College covers NCEA Levels 2 and 3, University Entrance, and Scholarships, as well as tertiary pathways. Students may study across multiple NCEA levels simultaneously. Specialist courses are available from Year 12 onwards in areas including Cuisine, Fashion, Dance, Music, and Theatre.

After 3 (Evening Programme)

The After 3 programme is an evening option for students aged 16 and over. Named subject areas include Languages, English, Maths, Science, Cooking, and Photography. NCEA English is offered at Levels 1, 2, and 3 through this programme, with Level 1 offering up to 20 credits, and Levels 2 and 3 each offering up to 18 credits.

Co-curricular Activities

The following named co-curricular activity is identified in the L2 Sport Management programme:

• City2Surf — students participate in this event as part of the course

Student Support and Pastoral Care Services

Te Puna Wai o Waipapa - Hagley College provides a range of named pastoral and support services for students.

• School Nurse – Anne Farrall is available to support students during school hours.
• Wellbeing Team – Comprises Tutors, Deans, a Director of the Junior College and Year 11, led by a Deputy Principal – Student Wellbeing. The team is responsible for ensuring every student is supported and cared for.
• Year Advisers – Individual Year Advisers are assigned to each year group (Years 9–13). They work with students to address barriers to learning and progress, and can be approached directly or via a tutor referral. Year 13 has two advisers: Chris Patalano and Nerida Britten.
• Guidance Service – Provides individual consultations or group work for students seeking wellbeing support.
• Careers Service – Available to all students, offering support such as CV preparation, short vocational courses, and job-seeking techniques.
• Gateway Co-Ordinator – Leanne Buchan supports students with work experience through Gateway placements, and also works as a counsellor two days a week out of Simpson House.
• Attendance and Engagement Mentor – Trent Hiles works with students and whānau to support improved school attendance, offered as a support from the ten-day absence threshold.