Western Heights High School

Western Heights High School Contact information, map and directions, contact form, opening hours, services, ratings, photos, videos and announcements from Western Heights High School, High School, 70 Old Quarry Road, Rotorua.

Taumata Rau - Heights Through Opportunity

At Western Heights, we are committed to creating a supportive, inclusive, and future-focused learning environment where every student is encouraged to grow, achieve, and belong. As a school achieving at the highest levels of academic, sporting, artistic and cultural excellence, Western Heights High School offers its students unparalleled opportunities to succeed in a wide range of endeavours.

Thanks Caltex Te Ngae for supporting our winter sports teams at tournament!
21/09/2026

Thanks Caltex Te Ngae for supporting our winter sports teams at tournament!

For the last 8 weeks, a group of our senior students took on the challenge of CACTUS — the Combined Adolescent Challenge...
20/09/2026

For the last 8 weeks, a group of our senior students took on the challenge of CACTUS — the Combined Adolescent Challenge Training Unit, run by the New Zealand Police.

Three mornings a week (starting at 6am!), they pushed themselves through military-style boot camps: crawling through sand, swimming, running with poles, tyres, and logs, press-ups, burpees… and more running.

It all built up to the legendary Longest Day. Beginning at 5:30 am with a run up Mt Ngongotaha, they carried heavy gear, tackled the Fire and Emergency obstacle course in sweltering heat, hauled logs down Te Ngae Road, and to finish, pulled a fire truck nearly a kilometre down to Sulphur Point. 

Along the way, our students discovered what CACTUS is really about: discipline, resilience, teamwork, communication, and strength. Our CACTUS crew should be incredibly proud of what they achieved. They proved to themselves, and to all of us, just how determined and capable they can be.

The Western Heights Thunderhooves recently competed in the NISS Equestrian Champs and had a successful week. We had four...
20/09/2026

The Western Heights Thunderhooves recently competed in the NISS Equestrian Champs and had a successful week. We had four riders there this year with Boh Gaddum, Charlise Colle, Sylvia Gaddum and Maddy Hamilton-Corban, each representing the school at the National Equestrian Centre in Taupo.

The girls all had an amazing time at the biggest equestrian event in New Zealand, competing across multiple disciplines against nearly 500 other riders. We had multiple top-ten finishes and even a first place for Maddy Hamilton-Corban in the Arena Eventing and 2nd place for Boh Gaddum in the Showhunter. The girls all displayed great sportsmanship and represented the school exceptionally well throughout the week. It was a fantastic opportunity for the team to compete at such a high level, gain valuable experience and enjoy the atmosphere of a major national event.

A huge thank you to the parents, manager Charlotte Hamilton, and sponsors that made this event possible. Congratulations to all four riders on their achievements and the commitment they showed both in and out of the arena. 

From left to Right, Boh Gaddum, Charlise Colle, Maddy Hamilton-Corbyn and Sylvia Gaddum

Last week was Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori!  Our WHHS Active As team and Akoranga Department organised a fun-filled week with ...
20/09/2026

Last week was Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori!  Our WHHS Active As team and Akoranga Department organised a fun-filled week with challenges, prizes, games, and free food! 

On Monday, students competed in a pukana challenge; on Tuesday, they competed in a challenge to name the most Māori place names in 30 seconds. Wednesday’s challenge was to see who could say the longest Māori place name the fastest. On Thursday, students played Ngā Taonga Tākaro (traditional Māori games), and on Friday, to get a free sausage sizzle, students needed to ask in te reo: Hōmai he totiti kōa! 

Ngā mihi nui to our event organisers and everyone who took part in the challenges over the week. Be sure to check out the Active As Instagram page for more! WHHS ACTIVE AS

We are incredibly proud to announce that artwork by two of our very own talented ākonga have been selected for the prest...
16/09/2026

We are incredibly proud to announce that artwork by two of our very own talented ākonga have been selected for the prestigious 11th annual Ringa Toi Student Exhibition!

Coordinated by NZQA,Ringa Toi provides a national platform celebrating artistic excellence, cultural identity, and the voice of young Māori and Pacific artists. This year features 159 stunning artworks from 53 schools across Aotearoa.

Huge congratulations to Ngaire Foster and Mariam Joyce for their incredible work reaching this national stage!

If you are in the Wellington region, go support our future generation of artists!
Where: Pātaka Art + Museum, Porirua
When: 16 – 30 September 2026
Time: 10:00am – 5:00pm daily
Entry: Free

16/09/2026

Our Year 13 Painting, Animation/Design, and Photography students recently spent an inspiring day exploring the visual arts scene in Hamilton!

We kicked off the trip at The Meteor Theatre with a visit to Adym Kohi’s exhibition, Kohi o te Taniwha. We were fortunate enough to meet Adym himself, gaining a real insight into his creative processes, his journey as an artist, and the inspiration behind his work.

Next, we headed to the Hamilton Gardens for a hands-on creative session. Students took photos and sketched their surroundings, drawing inspiration from the vibrant nature and unique garden spaces.

To wrap up the day, we visited Te Whare Taonga o Waikato (Waikato Museum). Museum Educator Yumi Hughes gave us an engaging tour of the current exhibitions, including Levon Biss’s Microsculpture and Robin White’s Te Tuituia / Something is happening here.

It was a fantastic day of visual learning, inspiration, and creative discovery for our senior artists!

This week, our Hunting & Fishing students tried their hand at making venison and pork patties alongside delicious meat p...
16/09/2026

This week, our Hunting & Fishing students tried their hand at making venison and pork patties alongside delicious meat pinwheels! A huge thankyou to Callum Sutherland for once again sharing his expertise and teaching our kids the art of meat processing.

Congratulations to the following students for representing BOP U16s National Hockey team. What an awesome achievement! ...
15/09/2026

Congratulations to the following students for representing BOP U16s National Hockey team. What an awesome achievement!

From top to bottom; BOP U16 Nationals Development Morgan Addenbrooke, Piper Williams, Natasha Sklenars. BOP U16 Nationals Team Kaylee Brake, Jasmine Kemp, Delaney Wrigley

Academic Review Day is next week🗓️ Tuesday 22nd September 8:30-6pmCheck your emails for more details on how to book!! St...
14/09/2026

Academic Review Day is next week

🗓️ Tuesday 22nd September 8:30-6pm

Check your emails for more details on how to book!!

Students will remain at home unless attending an interview with whānau/caregivers

Te Pānui is our fortnightly newsletter highlighting academic and co-curricular success. Check out the latest issue here...
11/09/2026

Te Pānui is our fortnightly newsletter highlighting academic and co-curricular success.

Check out the latest issue here https://tinyurl.com/bdu7ryam

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70 Old Quarry Road
Rotorua
3015

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