Whitby Collegiate, Porirua

Key facts

About Whitby Collegiate

Whitby Collegiate is an independent, co-educational school in the Wellington region catering to Years 7 to 13. It describes itself as the first independent co-educational school in the Wellington region to span that full year range.

The school operates under a faith-based values framework, expressed through three core values given in te reo Māori, Latin, and English:

• Manaakitanga / Respectus / Respect
• Manawaroa / Robur / Resilience
• Hiranga / Excellentia / Excellence

The school's stated approach places emphasis on individual care alongside academic achievement, with the Chairman's welcome noting a focus on character development as well as academic skills. The school is governed by a Proprietor's Board, with John Fiso ONZM serving as Chairman.

Curriculum

Whitby Collegiate covers Years 7 to 13 and follows the New Zealand Curriculum across eight learning areas. Religious Education is taught as an additional explicit programme. Years 7 to 10 include cross-curricular studies.

The school's learning areas are:

• The Arts
• English
• Health and Physical Education
• Languages
• Mathematics
• Science
• Social Sciences
• Technology

The school operates as a fully BYOD school, with students required to bring their own digital devices for use across all curriculum areas.

At Year 11, from 2026 the school is replacing NCEA Level 1 with an in-house qualification called the Collegiate Diploma, which retains subject endorsements at Merit and Excellence and adds additional endorsements for students who meet both academic and holistic components. NCEA Level 2 is offered at Year 12 and NCEA Level 3 at Year 13. Students typically take six subjects at Years 11 and 12, and five at Year 13. New Zealand Scholarship examinations are available in Level 3 subjects, supported by small group tutorials and online learning outside regular class time.

Provision is made for gifted students, and learning support is available for students with additional learning needs.

Co-Curricular Activities

Whitby Collegiate offers the following named clubs and activity areas:

• Art
• Reading
• Culture
• Chess
• Drama
• Debating
• Environment
• Film
• Gaming
• IT
• STEMM
• Languages

Student Support and Pastoral Care

Whitby Collegiate provides the following named student support and pastoral care services:

• Guidance Counselling — two guidance counsellors offer 50-minute sessions to students on academic challenges, mental health concerns, stress management, and personal development.
• Pastoral Deans — dedicated deans are assigned by year group: Years 7 & 8, Years 9 & 10, Year 11, and Years 12 & 13.
• Enhanced Learning — headed by the Year 11 Pastoral Dean, this service supports students with additional learning needs.
• Learning Support / SENCO — a Special Educational Needs Coordinator provides learning support coordination.
• School Chaplain — a chaplain is on staff, also teaching Religious Education.
• International Students Dean — a dedicated dean supports international students alongside a broader International Students Department.
• Careers Coordinator — a staff member holds a specific careers coordination role.
• Sports Coordinator — a dedicated coordinator supports student sport and physical activity.

Facilities

Whitby Collegiate's campus includes the following named and specialist facilities:

• Ioane Fiso Pavilion
• Bradford Gymnasium — full-sized basketball, netball and volleyball courts, plus four badminton courts
• Library — a dedicated library space
• Science and technology laboratories
• Art and music studios
• Sports field — a large grass sports field
• Artificial turf
• Outdoor basketball courts