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Friends of Howick Primary
Phone - (09) 534-6082  Email - office@howickprimary.school.nz

Howick Primary School was founded in 1964. Our 50th Jubilee was celebrated at school on April 11th and 12th 2014.

Looking back
In December 1847, there were 386 children in Howick from the first three ships that brought the Fencible soldier-settlers to the area. An Anglican school opened up in All Saints Church in 1848. A number of other local church-run schools opened between 1848 and 1874.

In 1874, a state-funded secular school was opened by parents in the old Catholic School in Picton Street. Relations between religious groups were strained. The school moved to the Courthouse-library building in Moore Street. A curtain separated the Catholics from the Protestants.

In April 1878, a new Howick School opened in Picton Street on what is now known as the Fencible Way Reserve. This building was moved to a four-acre site in Cook Street, between Rodney Street and Gibraltar Street in 1884.

Howick School closed in 1937 and the pupils moved to Howick District School. The school started with 240 students in the Primary Department and 18 in the Secondary Department. It was situated on the site of the current Howick Intermediate School.

In the 1940s there was a free bus for students who lived more than three miles from school. Most students who lived closer than three miles walked and some rode their horses. These were grazed in the school’s pony paddock during the school day.

Howick District High School closed at the end of 1959 and Pakuranga College opened in 1960. The primary and intermediate continued to use the Howick District High School buildings. Howick Primary’s new buildings in Willoughby Avenue were built and the school opened in 1964 with the primary and intermediate students. After renovations to the Howick District High School buildings, Howick Intermediate opened in 1965.

Bibliography
La Roche, Alan. Grey’s Folly A History of Howick, Pakuranga, Buckland-Eastern Beaches, East Tamaki, Whitford, Beachlands and Maraetai. Auckland, 2011.

Through the years…

1960
Howick Primary School operated on the site of Howick District High School (on the Howick Intermediate site). Howick Primary School retained the name, badge and colours of the original school.

1962
Mr B. F. Shepherd started as principal at Howick School.

1963
Earth-moving equipment moved onto the site of the new primary school.
The school closed to allow staff to pack in preparation for the start of the new year in its new buildings on Willoughby Ave.

1964
Howick Primary School opens.
Although it is the oldest school in the area it moves to a new site of 10 classrooms, a library and a dental clinic on an 8 acre site in Willoughby Ave, parallel to Ellerslie-Howick Highway.  There are 2 levels, one for buildings and the other for sports fields. Excavations for the swimming baths commenced
Roll: 352

1965
Work started on formation of Willoughby Ave.
The baths were filled. This took a week with the levels being 2’ 5¾” at the shallowest end and 2’ 8⅛” at the deepest end. There were problems with seepage.  Children were allowed to use the upper part of Willoughby Ave and the new unnamed road connecting it with the main highway. This road was later named ‘The Link’ Standard 4 children went on a field trip to the Port of Onehunga and the new Mangere Airport.

1966
After much delay, sorting out leakage, the school baths were used by 6 classes.

1967
The swimming pool was officially opened by Mr R. J. Tizard, MP for Pakuranga.
Malcolm McMurray, a young teacher at the school, died from injuries received in a car accident. In honour of his memory, his parents donated a cup. This is still awarded annually at Prize Giving.

1968
Roger Whatman, Probationary Assistant (first year teacher), was selected to play for the Auckland Rugby Team.

1969
With funding from the Education Board and PTA fundraising, the HPS School hall was built.

1984
The music room and upstairs back stage room were added to the hall.

1991
Study Centre was built. This is now known as The Hub.

1992
New library ‘The Lyn Fischer Library’ was built and named after the first Board of Trustees chair. The Library was opened by the Mayor of Auckland, Dame Catherine Tizard

1994
Willoughby Preschool was opened by the Right Honourable John Luxton.

1997
Georgie Pie ship was donated to the school and put in the library, which was next to Room 8. It was relocated the Lyn Fischer Library, then in its current position in the new library.

1998
Swimming pool changing shed were destroyed by fire and rebuilt.

1999
Computers were put into all classrooms. Teachers started using laptops.

2000
Willoughby Preschool closed.

2001  
New school library and information centre built adjoining the Lyn Fischer Library, which became a teacher resource area. The Willoughby Preschool building was incorporated into the information centre. This was opened by local MP, Maurice Williamson

2003
The Montessori Academy opened with one class in Room 17. This has increased to 2 classes and has moved to an open space in Room 9 and 10.

2005
The Junior Playground was removed and the Senior playground was installed in its place.

2006
A new Senior Playground, designed by a group of students, was installed.

2008
Manukau City’s mayor, Len Brown opened the newly renovated classrooms in the Room 1-4 block.

2010
Danyon Loader brought the Commonwealth Games baton to school and the school took part in the Baton Relay.

2014
A beehive was put in the unused area at the top of the hill behind the swimming pool.

2018
A new sign was installed in front of the school and the PTA raised funds and was able to install a new Junior School Playground.

2019
New shelters were put up outside Rooms 5 – 7 and the outside of the office area.  This also serves as extended learning areas to current classrooms. A Native tree area was established with 1000 trees supplied by “Trees that Count”. The hope is a legacy area to showcase trees that were part of the landscape prior to houses being established.

2020
A turf was installed in our Senior School/Tui area.  This allows for all-year-round use of our courts. “Garden to Table” began with the establishment of more raised garden beds with the help of working bees and PTA donations.

2021

The Junior school/Kea area had turf installed and a new PE Shed was build beside the library. Bronze Enviroschool status was granted for the school’s efforts towards zero waste and Enviro initiatives.

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