Timaru Boys' High School, West End

Key facts

About Timaru Boys' High School

Timaru Boys' High School (TBHS) is a state secondary school for boys located in Timaru, in the South Canterbury region of New Zealand. The school was founded in 1880 and is currently led by Dave Thorp, who took up the position of Rector in January 2020 as the school's twelfth Rector.

The school is not faith-based or Māori-medium. It describes its curriculum as broad, spanning academic disciplines through to trades-based technologies, and operates a dedicated Learning Centre alongside a boarding facility known as Thomas House.

The school day runs across five periods and follows different timetables depending on the day of the week. Tuesdays begin with a late start, with Form Time at 9:30am and an Assembly at 9:35am, while Monday, Wednesday, and Friday begin at 8:45am. All timetables end at 3:20pm.

Students are organised into four House groups — Dawson (Green), Hogben (Blue), Simmers (Red), and Tait (Gold) — each named after a former Rector. The main inter-house competition is for the Cleland Cup, decided across events including swimming, athletics, rugby, debating, cross-country, basketball, quiz competitions, and the Lovelock relays.

The school maintains international connections with The Judd School (UK, rugby exchange), Winchester College (Mark Parker Memorial Cricket Scholarship), and Kinross School in Australia (Thomas House Exchange).

Curriculum

Year 9

All Year 9 students take a common compulsory programme alongside structured rotations through technology and the arts. Compulsory subjects are:

• English
• Mathematics
• Science
• Social Studies
• Physical Education and Health

Technology is studied as four quarter-year rotations: Food Technology, Technology Mechanical – Metal, Technology Construction – Wood, and Graphics. The arts are covered in trimesters across Art, Music, and Drama. Students also choose Te Reo Māori as a language option, and complete three Future Skills modules from Financial Literacy, Environmental Studies, and Digital Literacy.

Year 10

Compulsory subjects continue: English, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies, Physical Education and Health, and Mana Tangata. Students select four half-year options, at least one of which must come from the arts, and two half-year technology options. Available options include:

• Arts: Art, Music, Drama
• General: Agriculture, Outdoor Education, Economics
• Technology: Food, Digital, Metal, Wood, Design and Visual Communication

Students who studied a language in Year 9 choose two half-year options (at least one from the arts) plus the standard two technology options.

Years 11–13

Senior students work towards the National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA). English is compulsory in Years 11 and 12; Mathematics is compulsory in Year 11. Progression between year levels depends on meeting subject-specific prerequisites. The 2027 Senior Course Selection Information Handbook contains detailed NCEA assessment and course information. Named subjects available in the senior school include:

• English
• Mathematics (including an alternative mathematics programme)
• Science
• Agricultural Science
• Agriculture
• Geography
• History
• Economics
• Accounting
• Digital Technology
• Engineering
• Design & Visual Communication (Graphics)
• Mechanical
• Construction
• Food & Nutrition
• Hospitality
• Design Technology
• Music
• Art History
• Practical Art
• Outdoor Education
• Te Reo Māori
• Foreign languages

Co-curricular Activities

The following named sports, arts, and cultural activities are identified in the school's published content.

• Athletics — inter-house competition held annually at Aorangi Stadium, with events across Minor, Junior, Intermediate, and Senior grades
• Swimming Sports — annual inter-house competition held at the school pool, with Junior and Senior championship grades; the Stevenson Cup is contested between prefects and staff
• Visual Art
• Dramatic Arts
• Music

Student Wellbeing and Pastoral Care

Timaru Boys' High School organises its pastoral care network across several named roles and services, each with a distinct function.

• Deans — Each year level has one or two allocated Deans who support students with pastoral and academic issues. Parents and caregivers are welcome to contact their son's Dean directly. A separate Dean of PACE is also appointed.
• Guidance Counsellor — Available to the school community on a confidential basis. The Guidance Counsellor can discuss concerns related to school or home, and can help families access services in the local community.
• Learning Support Centre — Assists students who need additional help in the classroom, and coordinates Special Assessment Conditions for NCEA examinations, such as reader/writer assistance. The centre is led by a SENCO (Special Educational Needs Coordinator).
• Public Health Nurse — Listed as part of the pastoral care network.
• Careers Advisor — Listed as part of the pastoral care network.

Facilities

Timaru Boys' High School includes the following named facilities:

• Science laboratories — used for biology, chemistry and physics
• Performing arts spaces — including practice rooms, a mixing suite, and a performance and dance area
• Gymnasium — a dedicated physical education and sport facility
• Swimming pool
• John Scott Lodge — located in the Godley Valley, used as a base for outdoor education
• Design rooms, e-learning spaces, workshops, laboratories and kitchens — used for technology and innovation subjects
• Horticultural area — an on-site space used by agriculture students
• Whānau room — used for te reo and tikanga