Hamilton Boys' High School
Address
Peachgrove Road
Hamilton East
Hamilton 3216
New Zealand
Coordinates37°47′12″S 175°17′47″E / 37.7868°S 175.2964°E / -37.7868; 175.2964
Information
TypeState boys-only, Secondary (Year 9–13) with Boarding Facilities
MottoSapiens fortunam fingit sibi (A wise man carves his own fortune)
Established1955
Ministry of Education Institution no.131
HeadmasterSusan Hassall
School roll2241[1]
Socio-economic decile7O[2]
Websitewww.hbhs.school.nz

Hamilton Boys' High School is a boys' secondary school in Hamilton, New Zealand and is the largest secondary school in the Waikato region. The school was established as Hamilton High School in 1911 but was later split into separate boys' and girls' schools, with the current school opened in February 1955. Its sister school is Hamilton Girls' High School.[3] The school crest features a lion, sash and star, and bears the motto "Sapiens Fortunam Fingit Sibi" which translates to "a wise man carves his own fortune". The school colours are black and red.

Most of the school's approximately 2100 students are day boys from Hamilton and surrounding townships such as Cambridge, Te Awamutu, and Morrinsville. Around 170 boys are housed in an onsite boarding hostel, Argyle House, which forms one of the six houses into which the school is divided. The boarding house is located on the school grounds, but is essentially a private institution, with students paying approximately $13,000 per year to attend.[4]

In 1999, the school appointed Susan Hassall to head the school. In doing so the school became one of the first boys' schools in New Zealand to appoint a female headmaster.[5]

Academic

The school offers both the state run NCEA and external Cambridge International Examinations for students to undertake.[6]

Sport

In rugby, Hamilton Boys’ High School has the best record in New Zealand at the National 1st XV. It has also won the international Sanix World Rugby Youth Invitational Tournament more than any other school.

Hamilton Boys’ High School has won the Maadi Cup for rowing eights 11 times, and the Springbok Shield for fours 16 times.

Hamilton Boys' High School competes as part of the Super Eight group of boys' high schools from eight provincial cities in the central North Island of New Zealand. Their 1st XV Rugby team has won the Super Eight Rugby 1st XV competition twelve times, as of 2019.[7]

Panoramic photo of the school's grounds
One of the school's fields, with the gym and main buildings visible behind.

Houses

Hamilton Boys' High School currently has six houses.[8] All of the day boy houses (all houses except Argyle House) are named after former headmasters of the school.[8]

  • Tait – Red
  • Taylor – Green
  • Wilson – Blue
  • Steel – Grey
  • Baigent – Yellow
  • Argyle – Black

After every House competition, the new scores will be added to the previous scores. The House with the highest number of points at the end of the year gets to have its House name on the yearly House win list.[8] No House has won more than twice consecutively.[8]

Enrolment

Like all previously selective state schools, Hamilton Boys' High School operates an enrolment scheme.

Enrolment was traditionally by academic examination followed by an interview. Alternatively a student might be enrolled if he had a family connection to the school. The school still examines new students but only for the purposes of streaming students.

Notable alumni

As well as a number of All Blacks and All Whites, the following people are Old Boys of Hamilton Boys' High School:

The Arts

Public Service

Sport

Other

Headmasters

Name Term
1 Eben Wilson 1911–1937
2 Harold Tait 1938–1957
3 Aubrey Baigent 1958–1969
4 Richard Taylor 1970–1979
5 Tony Steel 1980–1989
6 James Bennett 1990–1999
7 Susan Hassall 1999–present

See also

References

  1. "New Zealand Schools Directory". New Zealand Ministry of Education. Retrieved 12 December 2022.
  2. "Decile Change 2014 to 2015 for State & State Integrated Schools". Ministry of Education. 29 November 2013. Retrieved 12 February 2015.
  3. "Hamilton Boys' High School – History". hbhs.school.nz. 2008. Archived from the original on 4 February 2012. Retrieved 31 July 2012.
  4. "Boarding Fees". Hamilton Boys' High School. Hamilton Boys' High School. Retrieved 19 May 2023.
  5. "Boys' schools flexing their ABS". Subtext: The newsletter of the Education Forum. May 2004.
  6. "Hamilton Boys' High School – Academic – Qualifications". Hamilton Boys' High School. Hamilton Boys' High School. Retrieved 12 March 2010.
  7. "HBHS 1st XV wins Super 8 Title". Hamilton Boys' High School. Retrieved 12 August 2019.
  8. 1 2 3 4 "House Competition". Hamilton Boys' High School.
  9. "Going for a song". Waikato Times. Fairfax New Zealand. 6 August 2010. Archived from the original on 14 June 2011.
  10. Gray, Wynne (2 May 2014). "100 Greatest All Blacks: Ron Hemi". The New Zealand Herald.
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