Selwyn College was built in 1956[3][4] to service Auckland's rapidly growing suburban sprawl during the post-war population boom[5] and newly developed areas such as Meadowbank–St. Johns and Kohimarama–Ōrākei. Its founding principal was Ngata Pitcaithly.[6] As a multi-cultural school in the eastern suburbs area, Selwyn values its historic connections with Ngāti Whātua-o-Ōrākei.[7]
The college has an annual full-school term-one musical, and other theatrical productions throughout the year.[8] Selwyn has one of the largest theatres in a New Zealand public school. Selwyn also holds an annual multicultural show, featuring performances from the many ethnic and cultural groups represented in the school's community.
Selwyn has featured in the media as the school that educated the refugees who arrived in New Zealand following the Tampa affair in 2001.[9] The school runs a Refugee Education for Adults and Families programme (REAF), providing classes for adult former refugees. Part of the success of the programme is because of the onsite Carol White Family Centre, opened in 2004.[10]
In 2002, Selwyn College hosted the filming of a popular TV3 television documentary series called School Rules which followed the lives of several of its students.[11] On the occasion of the school's 50th anniversary, Radio New Zealand broadcast a programme surveying the high-profile success of the many musicians who had attended the school.[12]
Prior to the appointment of Sheryll Ofner as principal in 2008, Selwyn College experienced a tumultuous few years as some local residents and the local MP Allan Peachey criticised the school for its falling roll and alleged academic and disciplinary failures. Other members of the school community, parents, teachers and students fiercely defended the school in the face of what they saw as unfair criticisms. Peachey was forced to apologise publicly for sending an offensive email to the then co-principal, Carol White.[13]
The Government dissolved Selwyn's Board of Trustees and replaced it with a commissioner on 20 January 2009, due to longstanding differences between board members and some members of the local community.[14] Some level of stability has been restored to the school in later 2009 as the new administration has consolidated itself. A new uniform has been introduced to help 'rebrand' the school. Academic results, while never as bad as the school's critics made out, have noticeably improved since 2008, with a Selwyn year 12 pupil topping New Zealand in one of the 2009 Cambridge International AS Level Examinations.
Following a range of changes, the school had a significant shift in results, lifting the NCEA Level 1 pass rate from 39% to 93% in seven years. In 2013, pass rates had risen to 93% in Level 1, 94% in Level 2 and 90% in Level 3. Education Professor John Hattie described the progress as "stunning" and an example of "what can happen with inspired, passionate leadership with a laser focus on students".[15] In 2016, the principal Sheryll Ofner won the 2017 Woolf Fisher Award for Education and Excellence which included an 11 week trip to Harvard University and across Europe.[16]
On 16 September 2016 four Selwyn College students had won the Auckland Schools Debating Advanced Open Competition.[17] The school is home to the Barfoot & Thompson Stadium, where numerous local, national and international sporting events are held.[18]
