See all schools in College Estate, Whanganui 4500
Whanganui High School
High School · State · Whanganui
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Racist and homophobic.
Up the swamp
First off the principal here is so outdated he cares so much about 'non regulation clothing ' , like why does it matter if I'm wearing a hoodie I'm cold he doesn't do anything about things that actually matter . Also the bathrooms are terrible they always stink and they're packed with people at breaks the mirrors are so bad as well and then the teachers walking in every five seconds like I'm tryingto go toilet and your makingme uncomfortable, The canteen is so overpriced no wonder people go to the dairy i don't blame them. The teachers are quite hilarious worrying about people going out of school at lunch times like its the end of the world and all the shit they talk about students it sad actually.
Toilets
The bathrooms there are horrible. Especially the D block bathrooms. There's people vaping and skipping classes there, and it's annoying. Those mirrors in there are plastic and are probably for safety, but come on, you can do better than that
Awful
I went to WHS from 2016 to 2020.
Paedophilic teachers were allowed to teach for MULTIPLE years before any intervention happened. Staff members also knew about a certain teacher long before he was fired. Risking student welfare for having a good High School reputation is disgusting.
The deans do not care about mental health in the slightest, nor do they believe students who are having mental health crisis’.
I had a math teacher who made a sexually inappropriate comment about a student disguised as a ‘joke.’ She told us not to record what she was going to say about him. (I have this on video).
My science class had asbestos in the cupboards, and instead of demolishing the block or even moving us elsewhere, they just put locks on the cupboards.
Scholarships and awards regularly given to the same students every year. It did not seem like any other students were cared about or given the same opportunities. I also don’t think it’s a coincidence that the majority of those students came from privileged backgrounds. Not to mention those same students regularly came to class on drugs.
Senior students, including prefects were not allowed to sit in classrooms during break times, even if they were given permission by the teacher of that room. This includes when it was raining/cold and there was no where else to go. This school always preached how we were ‘young adults’, yet quiet senior students with leadership roles couldn’t even sit in a class during break on their own?
The only good thing about this school was (most) of the teachers. Many genuinely cared about their students learning and wellbeing, and I find it sad that a lot of these teachers were not treated well by the senior staff.
Don’t send your kid here unless they’re smart, privileged, or if you care about their safety.
Paedophilic teachers were allowed to teach for MULTIPLE years before any intervention happened. Staff members also knew about a certain teacher long before he was fired. Risking student welfare for having a good High School reputation is disgusting.
The deans do not care about mental health in the slightest, nor do they believe students who are having mental health crisis’.
I had a math teacher who made a sexually inappropriate comment about a student disguised as a ‘joke.’ She told us not to record what she was going to say about him. (I have this on video).
My science class had asbestos in the cupboards, and instead of demolishing the block or even moving us elsewhere, they just put locks on the cupboards.
Scholarships and awards regularly given to the same students every year. It did not seem like any other students were cared about or given the same opportunities. I also don’t think it’s a coincidence that the majority of those students came from privileged backgrounds. Not to mention those same students regularly came to class on drugs.
Senior students, including prefects were not allowed to sit in classrooms during break times, even if they were given permission by the teacher of that room. This includes when it was raining/cold and there was no where else to go. This school always preached how we were ‘young adults’, yet quiet senior students with leadership roles couldn’t even sit in a class during break on their own?
The only good thing about this school was (most) of the teachers. Many genuinely cared about their students learning and wellbeing, and I find it sad that a lot of these teachers were not treated well by the senior staff.
Don’t send your kid here unless they’re smart, privileged, or if you care about their safety.
mainly good, but it's like most schools
I've been here a year (started y12 and currently y13) and it's honestly not bad. Kids are rowdy but they always are, and honestly if you, as a senior, talk to juniors like they're people, they're lovely (because they're not awful ppl, they're just kids.)
The teachers are pretty good too. In my experience, they often seem to really cater to individual students' needs.
I don't like some of the hygiene. Sometimes (often) people spit in the soap dispensers. The water fountain's not great either.
Also the canteen is expensive
But it's a school and ultimately the atmosphere and education is really important and like, I just bring my own soap so I'm fine
I preferred it over WGC.
The teachers are pretty good too. In my experience, they often seem to really cater to individual students' needs.
I don't like some of the hygiene. Sometimes (often) people spit in the soap dispensers. The water fountain's not great either.
Also the canteen is expensive
But it's a school and ultimately the atmosphere and education is really important and like, I just bring my own soap so I'm fine
I preferred it over WGC.
honestly...
eh its okay, not amazing not terrible
Subliminally racist
I don't recommend this school for Polynesian students. They do not care about your culture if they are not making money out of it which is just plain rude. Do better your an Educational facility in the pacific islands… remember where you come from.
What a "wonderful" school
Everything is either vandalized or straight up broken, some of the classrooms even had asbestos. Fighting and abuse towards students and teachers daily, topped off wonderfully with a principal who does nothing about anything that's actually important. Send your kids here if you want them to suffer through the "best years" of their life.
no good
I hate it here i don’t feel safe
An unhealthy school in need of demolition
You want a proper, real review from a student perspective? Here’s mine.
I was enrolled from Year 9 - Year 10 (2019-March 2020) at Whanganui High School and will never ever recommend anyone this hole.
I have quite obvious ADHD and so I am prone to being distracted easily or can act out, the teachers, instead of trying to help with this simply made it worse.
I had been strangled by a teacher and had to hit him to get him off of me and the schools response was to stand me down (after my parents and I had gone to police and the ministry).
I have voice recordings and video recordings of the incident with the teacher assaulting me, recordings of deputy principals and the principal insulting me and my mother and much more.
I recently tried re-enrolling at WHS late 2021/early 2022 and was told by Ms. Spooner that because I was working and I was supporting myself (I had my own house, job etc, not interfering with school hours) that I should not come back because her “personal opinion” is that I shouldn’t. Mind you I still needed my NCEA 1 and up.
After fighting with the school and getting the ministry involved they still refused to give me an enrolment.
I gave up and went to Te Kura, where the staff care and you actually get an education.
For the teachers at this horrible school that told me I would amount to nothing, I am now managing an IT store and am doing better off than I ever expected.
So long story short,
Unless you’re a perfect high achieving student, this school doesn’t care in the slightest about you. The bullying from both teachers and students is unmatched and chances are if you’re a parent wanting your child to enrol here, don’t, they will never come out the same. This school ruined me and my education and many others previously and to come.
I was enrolled from Year 9 - Year 10 (2019-March 2020) at Whanganui High School and will never ever recommend anyone this hole.
I have quite obvious ADHD and so I am prone to being distracted easily or can act out, the teachers, instead of trying to help with this simply made it worse.
I had been strangled by a teacher and had to hit him to get him off of me and the schools response was to stand me down (after my parents and I had gone to police and the ministry).
I have voice recordings and video recordings of the incident with the teacher assaulting me, recordings of deputy principals and the principal insulting me and my mother and much more.
I recently tried re-enrolling at WHS late 2021/early 2022 and was told by Ms. Spooner that because I was working and I was supporting myself (I had my own house, job etc, not interfering with school hours) that I should not come back because her “personal opinion” is that I shouldn’t. Mind you I still needed my NCEA 1 and up.
After fighting with the school and getting the ministry involved they still refused to give me an enrolment.
I gave up and went to Te Kura, where the staff care and you actually get an education.
For the teachers at this horrible school that told me I would amount to nothing, I am now managing an IT store and am doing better off than I ever expected.
So long story short,
Unless you’re a perfect high achieving student, this school doesn’t care in the slightest about you. The bullying from both teachers and students is unmatched and chances are if you’re a parent wanting your child to enrol here, don’t, they will never come out the same. This school ruined me and my education and many others previously and to come.
Principal has 1950 mindset
School has some very good staff who genuinely care about learning and if your thinking about sending you child here it may be a good choice but the principal lets the school down. His inability to enforce covid safety and the lack of communication with parents leads them to distrust the school. The principal can also be creepy at times and his obsession with correct uniform is so extreme that it takes away from students learning. Who cares if a student is wear a hoodie if it doesn't affect anyone's learning there shouldn't be a problem. The fact that "non regulation items of clothing" can be confiscated for over a week is robbery. Don't get me started on how other staff are treated by the principal. I don’t have any hatred toward him he just needs to step up and get out of his old fashioned mindset that isn't helping anyone and progress into someone that is fit to do his job. - I am a year 13 student at the school.
Last resort...
It's not a terrible school, pretty average. A few of the teachers would cater moreso to the
higher-achieving students and somewhat ignored students who were having trouble.
higher-achieving students and somewhat ignored students who were having trouble.
Good school
The majority of teachers here are lovely and incredibly supportive, especially in the science department. I have loved my years here
shit.
shit. not like how the school is run, sports are shit and made to look inclusive but get gatekeeped. shit school wouldn’t recommend, honestly would skip all of wanganui. let’s be real palmy isn’t too far aye? Even New Plymouth, Wanganui high schools are ass.
Awesome in sciences
Excellent school, all my teachers really cared about me doing well. Especially in the sciences.
School
this school is ok, not the best not much more to say
*Whanganui low school
Worst literally, I left that school
70 Purnell Street, 4500, Whanganui
Martin McAllen
06 349 0178
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There's only 2 bathrooms, mind you. Always broken, always filled with kids at break, always vandalized. It's genuinely horrible and unusable at times. No, there's no gender neutral bathrooms unless you ask to use the staff ones (which is usually met with no).
Now, a personal anecdote. When I came out as bisexual and non-binary, I got treated noticeably worse by staff and students when the topic arose. Name calling, elicit actions, and exclusion by other students, while most teachers never bothered to help, and one even joining in. I felt completely unsupported, and had considered re-hiding this aspect of myself at times.
I personally got sexually harassed, twice. First, when other students tried to break through the stall door while I was in the bathroom, forcing me to hold it shut, and the second, when a group of kids chased me around school asking me if i want to kiss them while trying to grab me. If you come out, the best thing you can do is be quiet. Because the school will not support you.
...alright, a bit of a downer. Here's something positive. A few of the teachers are cool, and do want you to pass. Ask for assistance (on your work), and they'll more then likely help you (on your work). Education-wise, it's... whatever. If you want your academic education to be consistently "not bad", enjoy.
They are very... lenient on rules? For better or worse. For example, they "permanently" banned phones 9 separate times during my time here. Each time, the teachers would try a little for maybe a week, and then just don't care. I bring this up because it aligns with how most policies that are implemented end up. Unenforced and ignored, no helpful changes left over. Because that's how all rules are here. Anyone can do anything and consequences won't come, and new rules are not enforced at all. This has lead the school to naturally only have old, traditional policies.
So, to sum up, if you're diversely in the majority, such as NZ European, cisgender, and straight, then this school is 3 stars, and good enough for a decent education. If you consider yourself a diverse person, and are open about it, then I would rate the school 1 star, 0 stars if I could, and please, for your own safety and mental health, go somewhere else.