It is New Plymouth's only co-educational secondary school, with a current roll of 892 students.[1]
Houses
Spotswood College initially had four houses. In 1969, when the college expanded the education department split the college into two schools, one named East, the other West. In 1980 the college reverted to its original structure and the four house system was re-introduced. The houses were named after the original settlers of New Plymouth. In 2012, the houses were given dual names with the original names added. The house names are based from the Sugar Loaf Islands off the coast of New Plymouth.
1960–1968 and 2012–present
Mikotahi
Moturoa
Motumahanga
Paritutu
1969–1979
East
West
1980–2012
Darnell
Atkinson
Barrett
Richmond
Spotswood College in 1969
International
Spotswood College has hosted international students from Italy, Germany, Brazil, Japan, Italy, USA, China, Russia, New Caledonia, Sweden, Switzerland and Thailand. It has specific facilities and staff members to support them during their time in New Zealand.[3]
In 2009, 22 students from Spotswood College's kapa haka group Te Kura Tuarua O Ngamotu were chosen to represent New Zealand at the tenth annual Te Manahua Maori cultural competition in Laie, Hawaii.[4]
In 2013, Spotswood College provided students learning Japanese the opportunity to visit their sister school Hatsukaichi Senior High School in Hiroshima, Japan. In exchange, 8 students and 1 teacher from Hatsukaichi Senior High School visited Spotswood College and were hosted by local families.
On 8 August 2012, Spotswood College students Stephen Kahukaka-Gedye and Felipe Melo, both 17, and their Taranaki Outdoor Pursuits and Education Centre (TOPEC) instructor Bryce Jourdain, 42, were swept out to sea while climbing around Paritutu rock as part of a TOPEC camp activity.[5] The body of Felipe Melo was later found and identified.[6] The bodies of Bryce and Stephen were never found.
TOPEC pleaded guilty to three charges. A fourth was dropped. TOPEC was charged $250,000 for the incident.[7] TOPEC still runs camps and activities for secondary schools around the Taranaki region, however Spotswood College have never held camps with TOPEC since the incident. Spotswood College now has a stone monument in memory of them outside the entrance of the college.
Principals
Mr Alex L McPhail (1960–1977)
Mr Evan. E Thomas (1978–1987)
Mr Barry P Finch (1987–2002)
Mr Graeme McFadyen (2003–2009)
Mr. Mark A. Bowden (2010–2018)
Mrs. Nicola Ngarewa (2018–present)
In mid 2018, it was announced that Mr. Mark Bowden would be retiring from his position as Principal at the end of term two. After a selection process, the Board of Trustees selected former Patea Area School Principal Nicola Ngarewa to take over the position at the beginning of term four,[8] and become the school's first female principal. Mr. Daryn Shaw became acting principal for the entirety of term three while Mrs Ngarewa transitioned from Patea Area School.
Notable staff and alumni
Staff
Link Abrams-American born-basketball player, taught maths.[9]
SW - locality that was formerly part of the defunct South-West Ward until 2022; NPC - locality that was formerly part of the defunct New Plymouth City Ward until 2022; nonCB - area not within a community board
