Orewa College started as a District High School in 1956 with a roll of just 101 students. It officially became a College in 1974 with a roll of approximately 370 students, then in 2005 it became a Year 7 to 13 school. There has been significant property development at the College over the past few years due to strong growth in the school roll. The roll is almost at 2000 resident students as well as a strong international student group.
This was opened in March 2010 by then Prime Minister, Mr John Key. It is used for all school assemblies, school shows, performances and events. It is also used for many community activities.
Named after Dr Dalziell who was Board of Governors Chairman from 1980 to 1989. The Dalziell Block houses the English and Media Studies facilities. A specialist lecture theatre and film editing facility for Media Studies was opened in 2006 by Mr Ian Mune, a well known New Zealand actor and movie director.
On the 18 November 1999 with a blessing from the local Kaumatua Mr Pita Pou, the building was opened by NZ Historian, Mr Michael King with Mr Ian Harvey a past Chairman of the Board. The building was named for him.
The Languages wing was opened on 2 April 2003, by Mr Harvey and the Mayor of Rodney, Mr John Law.
Three trees representing the Spanish language (a Mexican Alder), the Japanese language (a Maple) and Te Reo Maori language (a Titoki), were planted in the adjacent courtyard.
The Languages mural was completed in 2000 by Tim Stephens, a student at the time.
The third wing of the Harvey Block was opened in May 2005 by Professor John Raine, the Deputy Vice Chancellor of Massey University, Albany.
This houses Mathematics and Science and is named after Professor Searle, who was a Geology expert from Auckland University, and was opened in 1976. Professor Searle was Chairman of the Board of Governors from 1974 to 1983.
Opened in 1976 this building was named after Bill Hopper in his capacity as a Trustee of Orewa College. The Hopper families residing on the coast also provided tree planting and work on the school grounds at that time. The Technology Block houses a wide range of modern facilities such as textiles and digital rooms, design classrooms, engineering/carpentry/product development workshops. It also has design classrooms, food technology kitchens and hospitality kitchens for senior students. The food technology kitchens were all upgraded in 2016.
This is the original part of the school and is now home to the Science labs. The Old Main upgrade was completed in 2007.
The brick library was built and opened in 1981. The school library extension was opened on 8 December 1998 by Mr Paul Burrell, a local poet, and is used extensively for both print and digital research.
Our Art Block was opened by Mr Jeff Thomson, Sculptor, in March 2002 and has had three new rooms added to existing ones. It has a dedicated ICT pod for Art use.
Orewa College’s music department is home to a wide range of groups; orchestra, concert band, woodwind, jazz bands, choirs and other small groups. The department moved into a suite opened in October 2003 by then Prime Minister and Minister of the Arts, Helen Clark.
On the 15 May 2013 the hockey turf was officially opened with invited guests from the Hibiscus Hockey Trust. These Astroturf courts and the grounds are extensively used for physical education and sport.
The beach volleyball and petanque courts were all developed in 2010, as was the fitness trail on the edge of the school fields.
This was opened by Shaun Johnson, an ex-student and New Zealand Rugby League and Vodafone Warriors player with Mr Tony Shears, a long serving member of the Board of Trustees on 24 September 2013. The function room has been named The Tony Shears Lounge and overlooks the main fields and holds 60 spectators and sports people.
The gymnasium was built and officially opened in 1976, then the extended Gymnasium complex comprising of seminar rooms, commercial kitchen, function foyer, new offices and changing rooms were opened by The Rt. Hon Don McKinnon on the 19 November 1998. Since that time the gymnasium floor has been replaced with a sprung floor and another extension added for weight training. A second gymnasium was completed in 2006.
The memorial flagpole garden was planted to commemorate New Zealanders who have fought overseas. The garden was blessed by the RSA Padre, Reverend Campbell Jackson and Kaumatua, Pita Pou in a ceremony with all the Year 12 students in June 2001. Several plants represent areas in the world, particularly the Mediterranean, where New Zealanders have fought were planted here. They include cyclamen corms brought back from Crete by Dr Holgate and donated by Mrs Bridgman from Auckland.
This was opened on 6 April 2005 by Professor Stuart McCutcheon, Vice Chancellor, University of Auckland. This building houses administration, staff room and senior management.
The Pickford Plaza is the area surrounding Administration block. It was officially named after the previous Board of Trustees Chair, Mr Phil Pickford, to acknowledge his contribution to the school. It was officially named and a placard unveiled on 27 March 2013. The bronze sculpture, “Whirl”, in the administration courtyard was designed and completed by sculptor, Richard Mathieson in August 2008. It was an Arts in Schools project and Richard worked over the year with twelve of our gifted artists from Year 9 to 12 who learned about the process of designing a sculpture to be site specific and the background skills required to complete it.
The 26 June 2008 saw the opening of the Student Support Centre by Cameron Calkoen the Ambassador for Yes Ability.
Orewa College