Reviews

2.2
Based on 16 reviews and 144 answers
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Other
Jun 25, 2024

elo to the max

This school needs to pipe down that's what #likewhatinthesigma
Former Student
Oct 7, 2023

no dont go please.!

Title: A Critical Review of Henderson High School

Rating: 2/10

Henderson High School, unfortunately, falls short in several crucial aspects, making it a challenging environment for students seeking a diverse and inclusive education. This review highlights some key points that need serious improvement.

Islamophobia (0/10):
One of the most concerning aspects of Henderson High School is its apparent issue with Islamophobia. It is unacceptable for any educational institution to foster an environment where discrimination and prejudice are allowed to persist. Addressing this problem should be a top priority for the school administration.

Lack of Diversity (2/10):
Diversity is a fundamental aspect of a well-rounded education, and Henderson High School disappoints in this regard. A school that lacks diversity fails to prepare students for the real world, where they will encounter people from various backgrounds and cultures. Encouraging diversity and inclusion should be a priority to provide a more enriching experience for all students.

Rude People (3/10):
A negative atmosphere of rudeness and incivility can be detrimental to the learning environment. It is crucial for the school to implement anti-bullying programs and promote respectful behavior among students, teachers, and staff to create a more welcoming atmosphere.

Uncharismatic Teachers (4/10):
Effective teaching often requires a certain level of enthusiasm and charisma. Teachers who lack these qualities may struggle to engage students and make the learning process enjoyable. The school should invest in teacher development programs to improve the quality of education and foster a more positive learning environment.

Racist Students (1/10):
The presence of racist students is a serious concern that needs immediate attention. It's essential for the school to take a proactive stance against racism by implementing anti-racism programs, fostering inclusivity, and addressing incidents of discrimination promptly and decisively.

In conclusion, Henderson High School faces significant challenges in creating a welcoming and inclusive educational environment. Addressing these issues should be a top priority for the school administration to ensure that all students can receive a quality education free from discrimination and negativity. Improvements in diversity, teacher quality, and the promotion of respectful behavior are crucial steps toward making this school a better place for learning and personal growth.
Former Student
Oct 7, 2023

DONT GO!

STAY AWAY FROM THIS TERRIBLE SCHOOL!
This school is terrible when it comes to education, not only is the education terrible but the students there are worse. They are extremely Islamophobic and racist.
I regret going to this school everyday 0/10
Parent
Aug 13, 2023

Parents beware

I would give this high school a zero if I could, my child was assaulted in the first couple of months at this school by a bunch hood rats that attended the school , the teachers then proceeded to try and blame my child like it was her fault that the assault took place, as for that piece of work of a principal she will talk down to parents and try and blame your parenting for why your child is been bullied and assaulted and not take responsibility that Ros cannot control the ferrel students and turns a blind eye especially when bullying involved. Not to mention is very pro-Māori and racist towards European decent. Only ever send your child here as a last resort. My child now has mental health trauma from this school which has caused irreversible damage due to the teachers and administrators negligence. Also some of the teachers bully students as well and get away with it
Other
Jun 14, 2023

amazing schools

my other son joined and he loves it
Other
Jun 14, 2023

good school

great school nice teachers good privileges
Former Student
Mar 14, 2023

Bullying is accepted here.

False advertising. This school will support bullying and will suspend the victim. Don’t expect any credibly support from the principal. They’re delusional. After suspending victims, they expect them to return to a school that won’t protect them. Safety is not at the forefront of this schools standards. Don’t bother sending your children here. They won’t be protected from bullies.
Student
Feb 12, 2023

Could be a lot better

Henderson could definitely be worse, but it could be a whole lot better.

The good things I have to say is I have made some amazing friends at HHS, and a lot of the teachers are good teachers and/or cool people overall.
The way the school day is set up is also useful, having form time to start of the day gets you settled in and makes it less likely for you to miss class time.

However there are still many negatives
.
To start off the Senior Management team is nothing short of discriminatory, LGBTQ+ students are treated extremely unfairly or if they're lucky they're simply ignored. Same sex couples at the school are told off for showing any form of physical affection while straight couples can basically do whatever they like with little to no consequence.
People of colour at our school are treated as tokens or as tools to seem inclusive and diverse but are treated very differently than their white peers any other time.
And neurodivergent students who aren't part of the "Supported Learning" class are given little to no support or accommodations, especially so if they aren't officially diagnosed, and they are often expected to learn in the same conditions as neurotypical students.

On top of that the uniform is incredibly uncomfortable both in the fact it's itchy and feels terrible to wear and in that is designed badly, especially if you're a AFAB student. The neckline on the girls polo shirt is a weird mess, the skirts are an awkward length and are made that way to cover our knees as to not "distract male students and staff" because knees are attractive? And even in year 13 both the girls and the boys shirts are completely see through so even in summer we all have to wear multiple layers as to not flash anyone, which is absolutely ridiculous, because obviously knees are distracting but nipples are totally acceptable. And yes, this has been brought up to try change, with no success, in fact we were told it was on purpose, for some weird confusing reason I can't remember.

Then there's the learning and classes itself. Although there are some great teachers there are also some bad ones, often that the school refuses to get rid of despite the fact that students in those classes are having to teach themselves because the teacher is useless. Timetables are set up in a very flawed way making it so many people miss out on important subjects and often they are unable to change.

Finally, other smaller things.
There is no shelter for lunchtimes and it often takes a full storm for teachers to consider opening classrooms.
The tuck shop food has not been very good since the menu change and is overpriced so not worth it at all in my opinion. Which is unfortunate seeing as it's the only avaliable food at the school.
We aren't allowed to be out of the classroom for the bathroom for more than 5 minutes so if you're not actually doing anything bad it's extremely inconvenient. We're told to go at break times but that is near impossible because they are always full of students vaping. Also the taps are always broken and leaky.
The school is harsh on all the wrong things, such as punctuality, uniform and use of headphones, and handles things such as bullying and harassment with little effectiveness.
The school spends its money on all the wrong things, they can't afford any form of shelter but they can afford to move stairs and throw concerts and expo days that are often pretty rubbish.
Finally more of a silly thing, but our principals speeches rely on cringy clichés and analogies which are often not as related as she thinks, such as Michelangelo painting that ceiling as a way of saying that we should be resilient, however Michelangelo was imprisoned by the church and many times tried to escape or kill himself to give up, so not exactly the best story to use.

Overall even though HHS isn't the worst school on the planet, I have had many friends leave or consider leaving because of how terribly the school handles certain things especially the wellbeing of its students.
So if you're reading this to consider it as an option, perhaps look at other schools first.
After 4 years here going into my 5th, the only reason I stay is friends and the price of a new uniform.
If you want to pick a high school based on how it treats it's students, don't pick Henderson.

Sorry for the long rant.
Former Student
Dec 2, 2022

Take it as you will

Firstly, what I will say about the school is they are quick to try resolve issues between students and I have had help with this first hand from the current principal.
I will say with other problems such as in class help it is hard to find a teacher who can adequately explain things due to the wide array of learning styles I have viewed in all my classes. It usually results in high anxiety and adds to the additional struggles on a lot of students mental health. I really have to push the point of students mental health because the councillors available are not the finest. I have found a lot of students don't trust them due to the lack of confidentiality that the councillors exhibit and that is really unprofessional. Unrelated I would like to say however that there is good access to items in a lot of subjects such as some creative departments (excluding art), science department and pliable. There is also construction being done which I think is great because the school is putting money back into the school. They falter in supplying basic stationary at times, many substitute teachers and regular teachers pay for extra stationary such as whiteboard markers and extra exercise books out of their own pocket. This should not even be a problem because it should be supplied by the school. It's not right for teachers to have to cut into their salaries to help students out.
Over all I will say my experience here wasn't the greatest but it wasn't the worst.
I personally do not believe that the school environment was a healthy place for me but I cannot say so for others.
Student
Dec 1, 2022

Henderson high school

Overall the school in my perspective is not too bad but also not great which is why I rated it 3 stars. Some of their teachers are amazing and some aren't nearly as good. They have some that are really interested in their subject and good at passing on that knowledge in a fun way. While others just drone on to the point where everyone in the class is bored out of their minds. As well as the attitude of the students which really puts a damper on the otherwise ok school. Everyday day in classes you hear words thrown around that really shouldn't be said. But it is possible to just ignore it all thankfully.
Student
Nov 11, 2021

crap school, needs to be better

this school has shown me a pretty bad time, things are terribly organized, there are odd rules and when students have problems with teachers and bring it up to deans or something the student in the wrong, I marking is slow and some of the teachers are unhelpful or don't actually know how to teach their subject's. shelter is lacking and there are many other problems
Student
Nov 11, 2021

Not great.

Another problem is that the school wastes their money so much on random useless unnecessary products, such as recently over lockdown they spent a lot of money on useless modifications. For example in the food room stairs were removed from the left side and then put into the middle, which provides no benefit at all.
Student
Jun 15, 2021

needs better teachers

some of the teachers are horrible and need to retire
Student
May 29, 2021

could be better, could also be worse.

as a student form this school, i can say that the staff needs an improvement. a large majority of the teachers there either don’t care about teaching the kids or don’t want to be there. there are a few that do look like they genuinely enjoy being there, this is usually the younger female teachers. the school has a very limited variety to what classes you can take and only offers maori if you want to learn a different language. the school does not handle bullying well and if you complain about it, senior management will metaphorically laugh in your face and do nothing about it. the school lacks a good support system, if you’re struggling they’ll most likely push it away. the uniform is ugly and the staff complains when the girls shorten their skirts, even though they’re an awkward length. personally, i have been told to lengthen my skirt even though it is sitting right above my knee, no thigh being shown. half the teachers are also incredibly racist and/or homophobic. i really do not recommend. go to green bay or avondale instead.
Student
Aug 28, 2020

Insight Into Henderson From A Year 13

Starting with the negatives, I'm in my last year of school and Henderson High has not been the best. They spend their money on unnecessary things like new sports uniforms every year instead of shelter for students when it rains, better learning equipment, etc. Half of the teachers are good but half of them can't teach or are old and grumpy and should have retired many moons ago. There is no school spirit, or sense of community for a lot of us students. Henderson High is very bad at organising events in terms of time (always last minute) and the events are not usually very exciting. We only have 2 school events throughout the entire year (athletics and swimming sports). Mufti days aren't allowed, the uniform is ugly and not that comfortable especially for girls. They don't have any other languages on offer to learn except for Te Reo so if you're looking to learn other languages, Henderson isn't it.

As for the positives, there a couple of good teachers that have made my time at high school bearable, and it's small (about 1000) so if you want less people then it's good (although everyone knows everyone and information spreads quickly). They are really into their hockey and have a range of sports available, they have a few groups around the school in various areas and offer some okay subjects. Senior management are pretty decent people, the ball is okay. Henderson isn't the best but it's got the basics.

Overall I wouldn't recommend attending Henderson, and I think a lot of students would agree with me. But ultimately if you think it's the right choice then by no means, go ahead.
Student
Aug 21, 2020

I should have moved school, but it’s too late now.

A really lazy idea of a school, a principal who never knows what he’s talking about, and deputy-principal’s all over the place fanning fires and throwing water onto drowning students. The school has made no effort to engage with a Ministry of Education suggested program to find out what Henderson High School is lacking in when it comes to the support of Māori students. Henderson High has a limited range of classes, and a hilarious alpha system that not only shamelessly puts students with higher marks on a pedestal but also segregates them from the other students. The “alpha” students go on to receive more opportunities throughout their high school career (especially the favourites who then become head boy/head girl in their last year).
Henderson Valley Road, 0612, Auckland
Michael Purcell
09 838 9085

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