Avondale College, Auckland

Story

Avondale College is a state coeducational secondary school located in the central Auckland, New Zealand suburb of Avondale. With a roll of students from Years 9 to 13 (ages 12 to 18), it is one of the largest schools in New Zealand.OverviewThe principal of Avondale College and head of the 180 teachers is Brent Lewis. Many staff members of Avondale College come from Britain, through frequent teacher recruitment trips by the principal. Lewis became principal in 2001 after the death of Phil Raffills, who went to great lengths to reform the school. Raffills oversaw the redevelopment of the school buildings after much of the site was destroyed in a fire in 1990.Brent Lewis took over from acting principal (former deputy principal) Warren Peat, who went on to become principal of Saint Kentigern College.Chair of the Board of Trustees is Dave Erson.Avondale College students wear a black and white uniform with the school crest on it that has variations depending on year level and gender, which changed from an older black, white and grey one in 2004. Formal attire is blazers and ties.Avondale has a sister school in Japan called Daito Bunka, which is a preparatory school for Daito Bunka University, Tokyo.The school has adopted NCEA for assessments and examinations. Cambridge International Examinations have also been adopted as an alternative to NCEA in 2009 and onwards.HistoryThe site and buildings of Avondale College began their life as an American Naval Hospital in 1943: U.S. Naval Mobile Hospital Number 6. At that time the USA was preparing for an extended Second World War battle in the South Pacific and Auckland was chosen as one of a few New Zealand cities for hospitals to tend the wounded army and naval personnel.