Te Awamutu secondary schooling timeline

Te Awamutu District High School foundation students, February 1920.

1903: The Government of the day provided national funding for free secondary education for students who pass a proficiency exam at the end of Standard 6 (Year 8).

1920: Te Awamutu has the necessary number of 30 eligible students and gains Ministry of Education approval to establish secondary education by forming a district high school and build new classrooms on a Teasdale St site. No quotes within budget are received so classes are held in four locations: Methodist Church Hall, Presbyterian Church Hall, Bank St auction rooms and the existing Te Awamutu School — two classrooms on Roche St (now the site of Te Awamutu Museum, the newer of the two rooms was relocated to the corner of Vaile and Palmer St and is home to Te Awamutu Little Theatre). Conditions for students are unsuitable and parents form a Public Indignation Group and threaten the ministry that they will withdraw their children. This results in more funds being made available and a tender for £4650 ($9300) to build the new school from Buchanan Brothers is accepted.

1921: The district high school building in Teasdale St (Te Awamutu Primary School 'Top Block' site) is completed. 10 acres (4ha) of land on Alexandra St is identified as being suitable for a technical high school as it is close to the railway station for students travelling from outlying primary schools, and is purchased for £1135 ($2270).

1922: A woodwork and domestic training building is completed in May at the current Te Awamutu College site at a cost of £1892 ($3784). It is decided secondary education should continue at the Teasdale St site and that more classrooms are needed.

1928: The secondary roll is 77 and the district high school is sharing space with upper primary aged students, while infants and lower aged primary students attend the Roche St school.

1929: The secondary roll grows to 83 students and once again the Methodist Church Hall is rented for extra teaching space.

Opening of the new District High School block at the Teasdale Street site in December, 1930. The original high school block built in 1921 is in the background.

1930: The Ministry of Education reviews education in the district and approves the purchase of the paddock between the district high school and Victoria Park on Teasdale S for extra classrooms. The land costs £1000 ($2000) and JJ Lee wins a contract to build a secondary block of three classrooms and a laboratory for £4200 ($8400). The block is opened at the end of the year.

Opening of the new District High School block at the Teasdale Street site in December, 1930.

1936: There are ongoing discussions about a consolidated school, bringing all country students to Te Awamutu by bus each day, but not all country schools agree and plans do not proceed. However, it is agreed the Alexandra St technical high school site should be developed as a secondary and intermediate school and the Te Awamutu District High School on Teasdale St become the town's primary school.

1938: J Sanderson is awarded the contract to build the new intermediate and secondary school at a cost of £32,040 ($64,080).

1939: The new school is completed and opened. It has 10 classrooms, a laboratory, domestic science, art, commercial, woodwork, metalwork, drafting and sewing rooms, a hall, two staffrooms, headmaster's office, library, cloakrooms and storerooms.

1959: Te Awamutu Intermediate School in Hazelmere Crescent is opened to cater for a growing population. Vacated classrooms at the Alexandra St site become part of a growing Te Awamutu College.