Principal’s Welcome

Nau mai haere mai ki tēnei Te Kura Tuarua o Te Awakairangi.

I welcome you to Hutt Valley High School.

We are a vibrant, co-educational and multicultural school with an outstanding reputation for preparing students well for their futures. We offer high-quality education in an inclusive, positive and nurturing environment. Our students are firmly at the centre of all we do – with student wellbeing as important as academic, cultural and sporting success.

Pictured Deputy Head Students - Ezekiel Fata Meafou & Allison Kydd, Principal - Denise Johnson and Head Students - Mikayla Sola & Daniel Williams.
Pictured (left to right) Deputy Head Students – Ezekiel Fata Meafou & Allison Kydd, Principal – Denise Johnson and Head Students – Mikayla Sola & Daniel Williams.

Our school values are:

  • We are WELCOMING – we celebrate culture, difference and each individual.
  • We are KIND – we are respectful, restorative and we look after each other.
  • We PERSEVERE – we learn from our experiences and we don’t give up.
  • We ACHIEVE – we work hard for academic, cultural, social and sporting success.

They sound simple; they’re not. They are aspirational – they are our touchstones and they guide all we do.

People from many different cultures, languages and countries attend Hutt Valley High School, bringing broad and varying experiences – it is what makes this place so unique. We support students to develop the confidence to celebrate their culture, difference, and individuality while at the same time helping them to accept people who are different from themselves.

Our school zone covers the lower half of the Hutt Valley and borders Te Awakairangi (our river) and Te Whanganui-a-Tara (our harbour). Special maunga and landmarks surround us – Pukeatua, Pukeariki, Tararua, Ōrongorongo, Matairangi, and Remutaka. These are also the names of our six Houses.

We are a large school but there is a space and a place for everyone. Our teachers will get to know all their students, especially what makes them happy, interests them and the strategies that work for them in the classroom. Every student starts school in a small mentor class of fourteen students and is cared for over their five years at school by two Deans. These key people will work closely with family and whānau.

We encourage students to become involved in all aspects of school life. You name it – there will be a club or sport or team for them. Or if there isn’t, we can usually help set it up. Not all these teams are about hard-out competition. There are social teams, teams that compete on the national stage, large orchestras and dance crews, a four-person rock band or a quiet club with just five members. Our aim is to provide multiple opportunities for students to grow, connect and experience success.

We look forward to you joining us.

Ngā mihi nui,

Denise Johnson
Tumuaki/Principal