Awatapu College

• Name — Awatapu College • Motto — Whai mana, whai oranga • Type — State co-educational secondary (Year 9–13) • Established — 1976 • Motto Translation — Focused on Excellence • Address — 434 Botanical Rd, Palmerston North • Chairperson — Liz Ward • Principal — Gary Yeatman • Enrollment — • Rival — Freyberg High School • Decile — 4K • Moe — 198 • Website — awatapu.school.nz

Awatapu College opened on 2 February 1976 as Palmerston North's fifth state secondary school, with an initial intake of 244 Form 3 (now Year 9) students. The school added year levels annually as the 1976 Form 3 cohort moved through, opening to all year levels in February 1980. The school was officially opened on 1 December 1976 by Prime Minister Robert Muldoon. The area known as "Awatapu" started off as an Oxbow lake on the Manawatū River. It later became a lagoon that provided food and shelter to the local Māori of Rangitāne. It also provided food for a variety of birds, pests and eels. The name "Awatapu" was chosen because the school is located on the site of an ancient lagoon. A book about the school's first ten years said: "It was an ancient name which celebrated a forgotten event in the history of the tangata whenua – the Rangitāne people, whose ancestors had for many centuries padded along the bush tracks or splashed up the creek from the river to enjoy the bounty of Awatapu. Unless the name was used it would certainly soon be lost". • Illustration — Aerial photo of Awatapu College in March 1986. Like most New Zealand state secondary schools of the 1970s, Awatapu College was built to the S68 standard plan, characterised by single-storey classroom blocks with concrete block walls, low-pitched roofs, and internal open courtyards. At the time of opening, the only permanent building complete was the first general classroom block (100 block). The arts and crafts block (200 block) opened in May, followed by a half gymnasium in July, and the administration block in September. Major extensions were a second general classroom block (300 block) and the standalone library in 1978, the gymnasium extended to full size in 1979, the senior studies block (600 block) in 1980, and the auditorium in 1986.

• John Wall 1976–1989 • Mike O'Connor 1990–1996 • Larry Ching 1996–2002 • Tina Sims 2003–2012 • Gary Yeatman 2013–present

The original 1976 uniform had a chocolate brown and gold colour scheme. Founding principal John Wall had issues selecting school colours that were not in use by other local schools, so the outfitters suggested the colours based on the brown suit and gold waistcoat Wall was wearing at the time. The uniform's distinctive appearance led to the informal nickname "Pineapple Lumps" or "Bumblebees" among students and the wider Palmerston North community. In 1995, Awatapu College introduced a black and gold uniform, replacing the previous colours, aligning with a more contemporary and neutral aesthetic. The black and gold uniform remains in use today.

As of, Awatapu College has a roll of students, of which (%) identify as Māori. As of, the school has an Equity Index of, placing it amongst schools whose students have socioeconomic barriers to achievement (roughly equivalent to decile 4 under the former socio-economic decile system).

Awatapu College follows the New Zealand Curriculum. In Years 11 to 13, students complete the National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA), the main secondary school qualification in New Zealand. In 2024, 75.6% of students leaving Awatapu College attained at least NCEA Level 1, 62.9% attained at least NCEA Level 2, and 39.5% attained at least NCEA Level 3. For schools in the same equity index band, the attainment rates were 83.4%, 72.9%, and 47.8% respectively.

Each student at Awatapu College is assigned a house. Since 2011, each house is named after a famous New Zealand person. Each house has two student leaders (Year 13 students). House Names and Colours • Hillary — Named after Sir Edmund Hillary. • Rutherford — Named after Sir Ernest Rutherford. • Sheppard — Named after Kate Sheppard. • Ngata — Named after Sir Āpirana Ngata. Throughout the year, there are various competitions between the Houses called "House Competitions", additional to the annual Swimming Sports, Athletics Sports and Cross-Country. Previously, each house was named after their colours in Te Reo Māori: Kikorangi, Whero, Kowhai and Kakariki, respectively.

Awatapu have a local sporting rivalry with Freyberg High School. Awatapu have been the holders of the Mark Ranby Trophy which is a rugby union competition between these schools. Awatapu has an annual sports exchange with Cullinane College, Whanganui for junior students (Years 9, 10 and occasionally, but rarely 11) generally competing in basketball, netball and rugby union. The exchange has been running as long as Cullinane has existed. For senior students (Years 11, 12 and 13), there is an annual exchange with Makoura College in Masterton.

• Sam Hansen, also known as PNC, New Zealand rapper. • Kris Gemmell, triathlete. • Dan Ward-Smith, former professional rugby union player. • Mariano Vivanco, international photographer. • Haydn Linsley, member of the boyband Titanium.

• Paul Ackerley, Olympic gold medal-winning hockey player. • Waana Davis, Palmerston North city councillor and promoter of traditional Māori arts.