# Piopio College > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Piopio_College > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Piopio_College.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piopio_College > Source revision: 1345152724 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) Co-ed. year 7–13. school Piopio College Location 18 Aria Road, Piopio 38°28′22.84″S 175°0′49.51″E / 38.4730111°S 175.0137528°E / -38.4730111; 175.0137528 Information Type Co-Ed. Year 7–13. Established 1975 Ministry of Education Institution no. 162 Principal Ben Draper Enrollment 154[1] (March 2026) Socio-economic decile 5M[2] Website piopio.school.nz **Piopio College** is a coeducational secondary school in [Piopio](/source/Piopio%2C_New_Zealand), a town in the [Waitomo District](/source/Waitomo_District) of [New Zealand](/source/New_Zealand). ## History The College opened in 1975 when Piopio District High School was separated into Piopio Primary School and Piopio College.[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*] It won the Goodman Fielder Best School of the Year Award in 1999 jointly with [Patearoa School](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Patearoa_School&action=edit&redlink=1).[3] Piopio District High School was formed in 1924. It was the first school in New Zealand to have a [school bus](/source/Student_transport#New_Zealand) service. A combined schools centenary was held in March 2009.[4] ## Enrolment As of March 2026, Piopio College has a roll of 154 students, of which 81 (52.6%) identify as Māori.[1] As of 2026, the school has an [Equity Index](/source/Equity_Index_(New_Zealand)) of 499,[5] placing it amongst schools whose students have many socioeconomic barriers to achievement (roughly equivalent to deciles 2 and 3 under the former [socio-economic decile](/source/Socioeconomic_decile) system).[6] ## Notable alumni - [David Fagan](/source/David_Fagan) – world class shearer - [Jenny-May Coffin](/source/Jenny-May_Coffin) – former [Silver Ferns](/source/Silver_Ferns) netball player, for which she was the vice-captain in 2001; TVNZ presenter - [Hannah Osborne](/source/Hannah_Osborne) – Olympic rower - [Farah Palmer](/source/Farah_Palmer) – former captain of the [Black Ferns](/source/Black_Ferns) - [Rob Waddell](/source/Rob_Waddell) – world and Olympic champion rower; grinder for Team New Zealand in the Americas Cup ## Principals - Bob Ford (1975–1979) - Brian Tegg (1980–2001) - Tim Davies-Colley (2002–2007) - David Day (2008–2012) - Julie Radice (2013–2015) - Johan van Deventer (2017–2021) - Rakesh Govind (2022–2024) - Ben Draper (2024–present) ## References 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-NZ_school_roll_data_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-NZ_school_roll_data_1-1) ["New Zealand Schools Directory"](https://www.educationcounts.govt.nz/data-services/directories/list-of-nz-schools). New Zealand Ministry of Education. Retrieved 1 March 2026. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** ["Decile Change 2014 to 2015 for State & State Integrated Schools"](https://web.archive.org/web/20150124000031/http://www.minedu.govt.nz/~/media/MinEdu/Files/EducationSectors/PrimarySecondary/SchoolOpsResourcing/OperationalFundingDeciles/DecileChanges_20142015.xls). Ministry of Education. Archived from [the original](http://www.minedu.govt.nz/~/media/MinEdu/Files/EducationSectors/PrimarySecondary/SchoolOpsResourcing/OperationalFundingDeciles/DecileChanges_20142015.xls) on 24 January 2015. Retrieved 12 February 2015. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** "Down to earth focus". *Education Gazette New Zealand*. **79** (13). 24 July 2000. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** ["Piopio College and Piopio Primary (ex Piopio District High School)"](https://web.archive.org/web/20071019124927/http://www.edgazette.govt.nz/notices.php/notices.php?action=view&id=62745). *Education Gazette New Zealand*. 22 October 2007. Archived from [the original](http://www.edgazette.govt.nz/notices.php/notices.php?action=view&id=62745) on 19 October 2007. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-NZ_school_equity_index_data_5-0)** ["New Zealand Equity Index"](https://www.educationcounts.govt.nz/__data/assets/excel_doc/0003/243372/School-EQI-numbers-2023-2026.xlsx). New Zealand Ministry of Education. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** ["School Equity Index Bands and Groups"](https://www.educationcounts.govt.nz/data-services/guidelines/school-equity-index-bands-and-groups). *www.educationcounts.govt.nz*. Retrieved 6 February 2025. v t e Schools in Waikato, New Zealand State secondary & composite Cambridge High School Coromandel Area School Fairfield College Forest View High School Fraser High School Hamilton Boys' High School Hamilton Girls' High School Hauraki Plains College Hillcrest High School Huntly College Te Kura Kaupapa Maori o Whakarewa I Te Reo Ki Tuwharetoa Te Kura o Hirangi Mangakino Area School Matamata College Melville High School Mercury Bay Area School Morrinsville College Ngaruawahia High School Onewhero Area School Ōtorohanga College Paeroa College Piopio College Putaruru College Raglan Area School Reporoa College Rototuna Junior High School Rototuna Senior High School Tai Wananga Nga Taiatea Wharekura Tauhara College Taupo-nui-a-Tia College Te Aroha College Te Awamutu College Te Kauwhata College Te Kuiti High School Thames High School Tokoroa High School Tongariro School Tuakau College Waihi College Whangamata Area School Te Wharekura o Rakaumangamanga Te Wharekura o Te Kaokaoroa o Patetere Te Wharekura o Te Rau Aroha State-integrated Hamilton Christian School Lake Taupo Christian School Sacred Heart Girls' College St John's College Waikato Diocesan School For Girls Private St Paul's Collegiate School St Peter's School v t e Waitomo District, New Zealand Seat: Te Kūiti Populated places Āria Awakino Maniaiti / Benneydale Māhoenui Marokopa Mōkau Piopio Rangitoto Taharoa Te Anga Te Kūiti Tiroa Waikawau Waitomo Geographic features Castle Craig Rock Gardner's Gut Lake Harihari Mangapohue Natural Bridge Marokopa Falls Rangitoto Range Ruakuri Cave Waitomo Glowworm Caves Facilities and attractions Kopaki railway station Mangapehi railway station Poro-O-Tarao railway station Puketutu railway station Te Kuiti railway station Wairere Power Station Waiteti railway station Waiteti Viaduct Waitomo Caves Hotel Government District Council Mayor Regional Council Organisations Piopio College --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Piopio College](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piopio_College) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piopio_College?action=history)). 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