Our College's Mission Statement:
"To provide all students with the opportunity to develop their potential within a caring and supportive environment."

Horowhenua College is a co-educational school of more than 700 students and 60 staff. Established in 1940, it is the longest established and largest of the four colleges in the Horowhenua area.

The College provides for students from Years 9 to 13 and has a wide curriculum aimed at meeting the needs of every student.
There is a strong tradition of participation among the students and the College's co-curricular programme is very strong.

There is a good balance of students in the school which has a socio-economic decile ranking of 3 on a 1 to10 scale.

Our College's General Goals
Recognition for the worth, rights, responsibilities and learning needs of every individual is expressed through the following goals:
To provide a balanced curriculum and system of pastoral care to maximise the learning outcomes for students.
To provide opportunities for social and personal development.
To respond appropriately to the diverse needs of the cultures within our community.
To encourage participation (the ESSAYEZ principle).
To encourage a sense of community through co-operation and respect for others.

Description of the School Community
Levin is a rural town with a population of approximately 16,000. The town is divided into two sections by the main trunk railway line and State Highway 1. The catchment area of the school is bounded to the west by the Tasman Sea and to the east by the Tararuas. The northern boundary is generally accepted to be the Manawatu River and Shannon town, with Ohau and Manakau to the south.

Horowhenua College is the larger, and elder, of the two co-educational colleges in the town and enjoys a close relationship with a strong and supportive community. Levin has an Intermediate school, an integrated Catholic School and five Primary schools (three of which cater for pupils up to Year 8). Students also feed into the College from the six outlying country Primary schools. The town has a Polytechnic, which is a satellite of Manawatu Polytechnic, and a Learning Centre catering for vocational courses.

Levin is seen as a good place to bring up young families. It has a pleasant climate and misses the worst extremes of weather that occasionally affect the lower half of the North Island.
Approximately 18% of the population is Maori with Ngati Raukawa and Mua Upoko being the dominant tribes. There is also a significant number of Pacific Island and Asian families.

Most population growth is occurring in the north-east and north-west of the town with new subdivisions being opened in both these regions. There is a strong horticulture-based industry, some light industry (including textile), as well as a commercial area. The town services a substantial number of people in retirement. Many of the town's industries provide sponsorship to the College and also offer part-time employment to students. Nevertheless, there is a degree of unemployment in the town and many young people leave Levin in search of employment and educational opportunities at the end of their secondary schooling. There is a strong sporting culture in the town and the district has produced many top-ranked sports people.

Brenda Burns
Principal