Hillcrest High School, Hamilton

Hillcrest High School is the second youngest school out of the state and state-integrated secondary schools in Hamilton (the youngest before the opening of Rototuna Junior and Senior High Schools), opening for instruction for the first time in January 1972. Like many New Zealand state secondary schools built in the 1970s, Hillcrest was built to the S68 standard design. The school has three full-sized S68 blocks (B, C, and D blocks) and one half-sized S68 block (western half of E block – the eastern half is a later addition).

At the April 2013 Education Review Office (ERO) review of the school, Hillcrest High School had 1630 students, including 35 international students. The school roll's gender composition was 47% male and 53% female, and its ethnic composition was 52% European New Zealanders (Pākehā), 20.5% Asian, 14% Māori, 7% other European, and 4% Pasifika.{{cite web |url= http://www.ero.govt.nz/Early-Childhood-School-Reports/School-Reports/Hillcrest-High-School-23-08-2013 |title= Hillcrest High School Education Review |date= 23 June 2013 |publisher= Education Review Office |access-date= 7 December 2015 }}{{Dead link|date=January 2020 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}

As of {{NZ school roll data|3=y}}, Hillcrest High School has a roll of {{NZ school roll data|138|y}} students, of which {{NZ school roll data|138m|y}} ({{Decimals|{{formatnum:{{NZ school roll data|138m|y}}|R}}/{{formatnum:{{NZ school roll data|138|y}}|R}}*100|1}}%) identify as Māori.{{NZ school roll data|4=y}}

As of {{NZ school equity index data|203||y|||}}, the school has an Equity Index of {{NZ school equity index data|138|y||||}},{{NZ school equity index data|28|||y||}} placing it amongst schools whose students have {{NZ school equity index data|138b|y||||}} socioeconomic barriers to achievement (roughly equivalent to deciles 5 and 6 under the former socio-economic decile system).{{Cite web |last= |first= |title=School Equity Index Bands and Groups |url=https://www.educationcounts.govt.nz/data-services/guidelines/school-equity-index-bands-and-groups |access-date=2025-02-06 |website=www.educationcounts.govt.nz |language=en-NZ}}

The school examines students using the New Zealand standard, National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA). Cambridge examinations for Mathematics and English are also available for able Year 12 students.

A wide variety of subjects can be taken at Hillcrest High, ranging from Visual Art to Mechanics, international languages as well as standard subjects such as English, Mathematics and Science.

Hillcrest students received a total of 54 scholarships, the sixth highest number of scholarships of any high school in the North Island. Seven Hillcrest students received Top Scholar Awards from the New Zealand Qualifications Authority between 2002 and 2005.{{cite web|url=http://www.hillcrest-high.school.nz/showcase.asp?section=scacademic|title=Recent Academic Achievements|publisher=Hillcrest High School|access-date=29 January 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081014011810/http://www.hillcrest-high.school.nz/showcase.asp?section=scacademic |archive-date=14 October 2008}} A student in 2008 scored 99% in the Cambridge English exam, achieving the highest score in the world.{{Cite news|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090528015107/http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/waikatotimes/4845642a6004.html |archive-date=28 May 2009 |title=Students best in the world |url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/waikatotimes/4845642a6004.html |work=Waikato Times |date=12 February 2009 |first=Rebecca |last=Harper |url-status=dead }}

There are two commonplace Latin pronunciations: in Ecclesiastical Latin the school motto 'Circumspice' is pronounced chir-koom-spee-cheh,{{Cite web |url=http://www.ewtn.com/expert/answers/ecclesiastical_latin.htm |title=Ecclesiastical Latin |access-date=13 October 2010 |archive-date=4 August 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120804081214/http://www.ewtn.com/expert/answers/ecclesiastical_latin.htm |url-status=dead }} in Classical Latin it is pronounced as keer-koom-speek-eh.{{Cite web |url=http://www.shrinesf.org/latin.htm |title=The Pronunciation of Ecclesiastical Latin and Classical Latin |access-date=14 September 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100303131748/http://www.shrinesf.org/latin.htm |archive-date=3 March 2010 |url-status=dead }} It means 'look around you'.

{{main category|People educated at Hillcrest High School, Hamilton}}

• James Baker, first-class cricketer{{citation needed|date=April 2016}}
• Greg Foran, businessman{{Cite web |last=Shaw |first=Aimee |date=11 October 2019 |title=Who is Air NZ's incoming CEO Greg Foran? |url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/who-is-air-nzs-incoming-ceo-greg-foran/TJC6JR2VJVQV7SICAN7U3VB6NM/ |access-date=10 December 2023 |website=The New Zealand Herald |language=en-NZ}}
• Kimbra Johnson, musician based in Melbourne, Australia. Graduated from this school in 2007
• Laura Langman, plays for the Silver Ferns, the New Zealand international Netball team. Graduated from this school in 2003.
• Jesse Mulligan, TV presenter. Graduated from this school in 1992.{{Cite web|url=http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/CU1304/S00524/jesse-mulligan-to-defend-worst-tv-show-ever-made.htm|title=Jesse Mulligan to Defend 'worst TV show ever made' {{!}} Scoop News|website=www.scoop.co.nz|access-date=21 February 2018}}
• Anjali Mulari, New Zealand ice and inline hockey player. Graduated from this school in 2010.
• Phum Viphurit, musician. Graduated in 2013
• Sonia Waddell, graduated from this school in 1991. Represented New Zealand in rowing at the 2000 and 2004 Summer Olympics

{{reflist}}

• [https://archive.today/20130628031439/http://www.ero.govt.nz/Early-Childhood-School-Reports/School-Reports?profileid=138 Education Review Office (ERO) reports for Hillcrest High School]

{{Schools in Waikato}}

Category:Secondary schools in Hamilton, New Zealand

Category:Educational institutions established in 1972

Category:New Zealand secondary schools of S68 plan construction

Category:1972 establishments in New Zealand