Shirley Boys' High School

Shirley Boys' High School (known as SBHS) is a single sex state (public) secondary school in Christchurch, New Zealand. It was originally situated on a 6 hectare site in the suburb of Shirley, but in April 2019 moved, along with Avonside Girls' High School, further east to the former QEII Park, 8.6 kilometres from the city centre.[3]

Shirley Boys' High School
Shirley Boy's High School
Address
209 Travis Road
Christchurch
New Zealand
Information
TypeState single sex boys secondary
MottoLatin: Interest Omnium Recte Facere
(In everyone’s interests to act rightly)
Established1957
Ministry of Education Institution no.321
ChairmanIaean Cranwell
HeadmasterTim Grocott
Grades9-13
School roll1313[1] (April 2023)
Color(s)Blue and Gold    
Socio-economic decile6N[2]
Websiteshirley.school.nz

Brief history

Parents in the eastern and northern suburbs of Christchurch had wanted single-sex education for their sons. In 1957, this finally became available when the school opened under its first Headmaster, Charles Gallagher.

Established on a swampy paddock formerly used for grazing horses to the west of North Parade, the School grew rapidly. Within a few years it became a self-confessed and proud rival to Christchurch Boys' High School as well as to St. Andrew's and St Bede's College.[4]

A detailed satirical portrait of the school as it was in the late 1960s can be found in The Shining City, a novel by former student Stevan Eldred-Grigg[5]

On the Easter weekend (April) of 2007, Shirley Boys' High School celebrated its 50th Jubilee. Commemorative events included an Old Boys' XV playing the current 2nd XV and the 1st XV playing in historic uniform against St. Andrew's College; as well as a golf tournament, formal black-tie dinner, staff luncheon and 'meet-and-greet evening'.

Controversies
  • In 2022 a Shirley Boys High student was punched 30 times in an attack that took place on the school grounds. Police have confirmed no one has been arrested.[6]
  • More than 3000 instances of sexual harassment have been reported at Shirley Boys' and Avonside Girls' high schools in the first two terms of 2022. A survey collected the answers of approximately 800 students across both schools. Over 150 students reported at least one or two instances of sexual harassment at the school since the start of 2022. [7]

2011 earthquake

During the magnitude 6.3 quake on 22 February the school suffered extensive damage[8][9] and had to close. At least two classroom blocks were expected to be demolished, and all of the concrete areas of the school, including the new tennis courts, were badly damaged.

The students did not attend school for almost a month afterwards, before the decision was made to shift its pupils to Papanui High School[10] – with Papanui High School's students changing to attend classes from 8 am until 1 pm, while the Shirley Boys' High School students entered the school at 1.15 pm and finished at 5.45 pm. After about 6 months of this arrangement[11] pupils were able to return to the re-opened school in early September 2011.[12]

Move to new site

Education Minister Hekia Parata announced on 16 October 2013 that the school would move, and be co-located with Avonside Girls' High School at a site in east Christchurch.[13] On 12 February 2015 the site was announced to be the former QEII Park site.[14]

The move to the new site was completed in April 2019.[3]

Houses
Shirley Boys' High School Houses
AorakiNamed after Aoraki / Mount Cook, the largest peak in New Zealand.
MullinsNamed after Mr. Mullins, Former Deputy Headmaster.
SnellNamed after Peter Snell, New Zealand athlete.
BlakeNamed after Peter Blake, New Zealand sailor and conservationist.

Notable alumni

References
  1. "New Zealand Schools Directory". New Zealand Ministry of Education. Retrieved 12 December 2022.
  2. "Decile Change 2014 to 2015 for State & State Integrated Schools". Ministry of Education. 29 November 2013. Retrieved 12 February 2015.
  3. Law, Tina (10 April 2019). "Two Christchurch secondary schools say goodbye to original sites". Stuff. Retrieved 15 May 2019.
  4. Amodeo, Colin (March 2007). On Parade!: Shirley Boys' High School – The First Fifty Years. Caxton Press. ISBN 978-1-877303-08-1.
  5. Eldred-Grigg, Stevan (1991). The Shining City. Penguin Books. ISBN 014014935X.
  6. Lynch, Chris. "Christchurch high school student punched over 30 times in vicious attack". Chris Lynch Newsroom. Retrieved 1 July 2023.
  7. Morton, Nathan (21 July 2023). "Thousand of sexual harassment incidents at high schools - survey". NZ Herald. Retrieved 20 July 2023.
  8. Jo Gilbert and Tracey Cooper (1 March 2011). "Minister visits earthquake damaged Christchurch schools". The Press. Retrieved 9 November 2011.
  9. Amodeo, Colin (2020). On Parade!: at Ōrua Paero. Caxton Press. ISBN 978-0-473-54455-3.
  10. Ben Heather, Jo Gilbert and Charley Mann (2 March 2011). "Schools on the move". The Press. Retrieved 9 November 2011.
  11. Gilbert, Jo (7 April 2011). "Some schools plan to return to their sites". The Press. Retrieved 9 November 2011.
  12. "Shirley Boys High back in business", 12 September 2011, ONE News
  13. O'Callaghan, Jody (16 October 2013). "Two schools to share site in city's east". The Press. Retrieved 16 October 2013.
  14. "Avonside Girls, Shirley Boys to be built at QEII". Stuff.co.nz. 12 February 2015. Retrieved 4 July 2016.
  15. "BYUCougars.com Men's Volleyball Athlete Profile (Hugh McCutcheon)". Archived from the original on 25 June 2007. Retrieved 7 June 2007.
  16. "Lawyer's bid to reclaim former staunch seat for Labour". NZ Herald. 2 August 2023. Retrieved 1 August 2023.
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