Read the latest news from Rutherford College
Kia ora te Whānau o te Kōtuku
Celebrating Excellence: Senior Prizegiving 2025
It was an absolute pleasure to celebrate the academic success of our senior students at last night’s Senior Prizegiving. The evening was a truly special occasion — one that acknowledged not only the hard work and dedication of those who have strived for academic excellence but also the strong wairua that binds our community together.
Among the many memorable moments was a stunning performance by Isaac Lee-Sang, accompanied by staff members Josh Tagaloa, Simon Collier, and Jodie Hayes, with support from Finn Boyack and Lui Joe — a true reflection of the creative talent and collaboration that define Rutherford College.
This year, our Year 13 students collectively received $320,000 in tertiary scholarships to support their next steps beyond Rutherford — an incredible achievement that speaks to their hard work and the support of our teachers and whānau.
Top Scholars by Year Level
Year 11 – Neil Mendonca. Neil achieved a perfect GPA in 2025, earning 25 Level 1 Excellence Credits and 25 Level 2 Excellence Credits. He also placed first in Year 11 Geography, Year 12 Chemistry, and Year 12 Physics, and received a Distinction in Year 12 Calculus.
Year 12 – Aayan Ghoshal. Aayan achieved 64 Level 2 Excellence Credits and 20 Level 3 Excellence Credits. He received Distinction awards in Year 13 Physics, Chemistry, and Calculus, with an impressive GPA of 85% in the derived grade exams.
Year 13 – Joint Dux Litterarum: Yashvi Trivedi and Natalia Noone-Jones. For 2025, two exceptional students shared the title of Dux Litterarum, each excelling across different learning areas.
Yashvi Trivedi achieved a perfect GPA in 2025, with all grades at Excellence level. She was awarded a University of Auckland Top Achievers Scholarship worth $25,000, as well as the Terry Laver Cup for Excellence in Science. Yashvi also earned first prize in Economics, Distinction in Statistics, and 63/63 internal Excellence Credits.
Natalia Noone-Jones also earned a perfect GPA in 2025 and a University of Auckland Top Achievers Scholarship worth $25,000. She was the top student in three major Year 13 subjects — Media, English, and Classics — and achieved perfect Excellence results in both internal and derived grade assessments.
Congratulations to all students who walked across the stage last night — and to your families, who have supported you every step of the way.
Staff Acknowledgements
We also recognised two outstanding staff achievements during the evening. Miss Mansfield was celebrated for completing her doctorate — congratulations, Dr Mansfield! — and Mrs Catherine Anthony was awarded the $5,000 Staff Study/Travel Scholarship in recognition of the exceptional work she and her team are doing within the ESOL department.
A Farewell to the Class of 2025
Today, our Year 13 students marked their final day with a high tea, a fun-filled quiz, and the traditional “tongue-in-cheek” Year 13 Awards. Their farewell walk down the driveway was met by our Year 9 and 10 students performing the school haka — a powerful moment framed by the new Administration Building, marking the beginning of a new tradition for future leavers.
As we reflect on this and other recent events, we are reminded that they are more than just celebrations — they are reflections of our school’s culture. They embody a community of people united by passion, purpose, and pride; adults and young people alike, working together, doing the right things, in the right way, at the right time.
“The rung of a ladder was never meant to rest upon, but only to hold your foot while you seek to place the other somewhat higher.”
Strike Action 5 November - 1.15 to 3.15pm
At this stage we also expect NZPPTA members to strike from 1.15 to 3.15 on November 5. This means that Y9 and 10 students are affected and there will be no scheduled classes for the last period of that day. We can provide supervision for a small number of students, but you will need to register your intention via this form, to ensure that we have enough non-union members to offer adequate supervision. Please note that exams for Y11-13 students will run as normal in the afternoon.
013 and 014 Buses on the afternoon of 5 November
Our bus company is not able to run at the earlier time of 1.15pm. This means that on that afternoon all students who would normally catch the 013 and 014 bus will need to find alternative transport home.
We understand that this is inconvenient for parents and caregivers and we thank you for your continued support.
What's Coming Up?
04 November - NCEA Exams commence
21 & 24 November - Junior Exams
05 & 08 December - Wider Living Days
10 December - Junior Prizegiving and last day for students
Gary Moore
