Our Environmental Group is excited to announce the return of our clothing drive! After a hugely successful first run last year, the group is hoping to make an even bigger impact in 2026 by helping re-home as many clothing items as possible within our community. This initiative not only supports sustainability by reducing textile waste, but also gives pre-loved clothing a second life with new owners who will appreciate it. Every item donated helps us move closer to a more envi

Students are invited to take part in the Avondale College team for World Vision's 40 Hour Challenge - a simple but powerful way to demonstrate Atawhai, and make a real difference! Avondale College has a proud history of supporting this kaupapa, with students collectively raising many thousands of dollars over the years. This year, funds will support families in the Solomon Islands impacted by food scarcity, helping provide the seeds, tools, and skills they need to grow food i

The school gym was transformed into an interactive exhibition space as Year 12 Health students hosted a Health Expo for visiting Avondale Intermediate students on Tuesday. As part of their Year 12 Health Achievement Standard 2.3 assessment, students researched mental health issues affecting youth in West Auckland. They gathered information by interviewing younger siblings, Year 9 students, and other rangatahi to better understand the challenges young people face. Using their

For the fourth year running, Avondale College has won the regional heats of the Shakespeare Festival, qualifying them to perform on the prestigious St James Theatre stage in Wellington. This year, however, marked a special milestone: for the first time in recent years, the scene was directed not by a teacher, but by a student: Year 11 student Milo Wilson-MacLeod. The performers were also joined by Mandara Gamage who entered the Shakespeare essay competition and Abigail Deng w

In this Issue From the Principal Avondale College named national finalist in NZ Education Excellence Awards! Much Ado About Winning: Students triumph at Shakespeare Festival Health students empower young minds How tall is your teacher? 40 Hour Challenge - Go offline, make a difference Dust off & donate your old clothes! Sports Results Notices

Ms Clementine Fraser, Head of History at Avondale College, is celebrating 20 years of service this year. She believes that today, it's more important than ever for young people to have a solid grasp of history. “In a time of conflict, we must understand the past, so we can understand how the present society has come to be,” she explains. “It helps us make sense of the structures of power, social capital, culture, identity, ideas, the things we value, and what makes our commun

AvCol’s Spoken Word Poetry Club may have only formed this year, but they have already competed in the WORD – The Front Line Poetry regionals and qualified for the semi-finals. At the regionals, held at the Auckland Performing Arts Centre, they were up against seasoned teams from MAGS, Northcote, and Diocesan. Our team was drawn to perform last, but managed to hold a tired audience in rapture. The first group of three students to perform consisted entirely of ESOL students, wh

Students in our Year 13 Hospitality class travelled to Manukau Institute of Technology (MIT) recently to complete an assessment, creating complex sandwiches, pickles and preserves in an industrial kitchen. Chef Brian and Chef Fabio were outstanding tutors, and they complimented the students on how they worked efficiently and collaboratively throughout the day. Students were also treated to seeing how the Baking Diploma students were busy in action. It was another enjoyable l

On Tuesday, 12 May, a massive convoy of 106 students, comprising three NCEA Level 3 Geography classes and one Cambridge IGCSE class, swapped their digital screens for the wild, wind-blasted playground of Muriwai Beach! The adventure kicked off as our buses tackled the scenic, winding roller-coaster roads of the Waitākere Ranges, bringing plenty of nervous laughs and wide eyes. While Auckland’s west coast is notorious for fierce storm squalls, the weather worked in our favour,

Last week, a group of Year 9 students stayed after school to begin investigating real-world scientific questions as part of our Junior Scholars Academy. The ten-week after-school programme gives students the opportunity to explore a global issue of their choice through a science and mathematics lens. Working in small groups and supported by senior student mentors, students design research questions, collect and analyse data, and develop evidence-based conclusions through thei

In this Issue From the Principal Scholars Academy a place for our youngest innovators Hospitality's on the menu for 13THO Muriwai trip: where the dunes tell the story Year 11s stitch their ideas into life Anchor gets behind Avcol Sport Spoken Word Club makes their powerful debut 20 years of sharing the past, & shaping the future Cambridge fees due Fri 12 June Sports Results Notices

Our Year 11 Fashion Technology classes have been making bespoke soft toys, and the results are nothing short of gorgeous! Students have created teddies, rabbits, cats, stars, monkeys, penguins and even drinks out of soft materials. "Making these soft toys in Fashion Technology was a really fun learning experience where we got to develop our sewing skills and bring personal and whānau identities into our designs. I loved bringing my cat Pudding's personality out and onto a can

Whaea Bella & Mrs Lyndy Watkinson Kaumātua, special guests, staff and students gathered at Te Puna Aroha, Avondale College’s whare, last week for a special and heartfelt ceremony. On this occasion, one of our Kaumātua Whaea Bella, presented Principal Lyndy Watkinson with a beautifully handcrafted korowai. Made by Whaea Bella herself, the korowai is a significant taonga for our school. Its gifting acknowledges Lyndy’s leadership and the strong relationships within our kura. It

Cambridge International examination fees are due for payment by 4pm, Friday 12 June 2026. Please ensure that payment is received at the College by this date, as required by the University of Cambridge, so that we are able to make entries to the United Kingdom on your behalf. For any Cambridge queries please contact our Cambridge Exams Officer, Mrs C Dale at c.dale@avcol.school.nz

The Careers Department is excited to be hosting our annual Trades Morning on Thursday 4 June, during Periods 2 and 3 in the Stadium. This event gives our Year 12 & 13 students the opportunity to connect with a wide range of local employers and training providers across the trades sector. It’s a valuable chance to explore career pathways and gain real insight into industry opportunities after school. Students will be able to: Learn what apprenticeships involve Speak directly w

Last week, our Garden Group and Environmental Group came together for a shared lunchtime of kai, conversation, and connection — a merging of two teams who care deeply about our whenua. The initiative by Amanda Hookham, Community Gardens Coordinator at EcoMatters Environment Trust in New Lynn, who has been working closely with our Environmental Group. She saw a natural opportunity to bring both groups together to connect over their shared kaupapa. The delicious soup served on

What began as a casual evening of online shopping on Temu has unexpectedly turned into a lucrative side hustle for Year 11 student Asher Carter. After ordering a product that arrived with a bonus set of hair clippers, Asher’s friends encouraged him to give haircutting a try. “My mates said I should attempt a haircut for a joke,” Asher recalls. “I cut my mate’s hair and didn’t do too badly, so they told me I should keep going.” Taking their advice seriously, Asher upgraded his

From the atrium to the turf, students proudly donned pink accessories on Friday to celebrate Pink Shirt Day—a nationwide day that encourages everyone to stand together against bullying. Various activities were set up in the atrium for students to work together and encourage one another. "As a Safe School leader, my favorite part of this day was the cute small pink ribbons that everyone happily wore," says Neha Jaiju (Year 13). "This gesture symbolizes the unity we had as a sc

From the Principal Spelling Bee musical spells success Korowai presentation for Principal Lyndy Watkinson Pink Shirt Day From Temu clippers to buzzing business Groups connect over sustainable soup Build Your Futures Trade Morning Celebrating our Associate Staff Cambridge fees due in 4 weeks: Friday 12 June Sports Results Notices

In this Issue In this Issue From the Principal Building a project made to last Planting for the future Tackling the trickiest Bebras Challenge yet Students inspired at World Vision Youth Conference Solving inequalities with Tarsia Keystone Trust School Leaver Scholarships Sports Results Notices