The Green Striped Blazer, 28th August 2026

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The Green Striped Blazer -
Friday, 28th August 2026

Dear parents and caregivers,

The music and sporting excellence continues!

The 1st XV's win against Rosmini College in the North Harbour 1A Rugby final last Saturday
was a fantastic result. It was a close game that came down to the final few seconds. With
thousands of our Westlake community there to support the team, the match televised on
Sky Sport, and our student spectators turning out in their Number Ones, it was a great day
for our school.

Last night, our Premier Basketball team played Auckland Grammar in the College Sport
Auckland Premier Boys Basketball Final at Eventfinda Stadium. It was another fiercely
contested match between the two sides, with our boys winning 107-95 to claim the
Auckland title for the first time in 14 years. It was an excellent showcase of school spirit
and secondary school sporting excellence from both schools. The team has maintained an
unbeaten record all season and now sets its sights on the regional qualifying tournament
and the NZSS tournament later this year.

Tomorrow, our 1st XV plays Kelston Boys' High School at home, with a 12.00pm kick-off in
the Blues region play-off game. With Kelston the Auckland 1A champions and Westlake the
North Harbour 1A champions, the two teams will compete for the opportunity to progress
towards qualification for the National Top 4 competition in the coming weeks. I encourage
all members of our community to come along, embrace the Westlake spirit and support our
team. We are anticipating a big crowd.

Finally, our premier choirs, Voicemale and Choralation, are currently competing in the
national Big Sing Finale in Christchurch. So far, their performances have been exceptional
and reflect the high standards they continue to achieve. On Saturday, the event culminates
in a gala concert where all participating choirs will showcase their talents. We will keep you
updated via our social media channels, and there is also a livestream for those who would
like to tune in from afar.

My message in assembly today focused on the importance of maintaining balance. This is a
time when co-curricular pursuits can easily absorb a great deal of students' attention and
effort, but these commitments need to be balanced with their academic progress. The end
of the year will arrive very quickly, and for our senior students, end-of-year examinations
begin in just seven school days.

We will continue to remind and support them here at Westlake, but your efforts to help
them at home are now more important than ever. We appreciate that this is very much a
team effort.

Have a great weekend, and I hope to see you on the sidelines.

Regards,

Paul Fordham

Headmaster

IN THIS ISSUE:

Important Dates
Auckland Basketball Champions
North Harbour Rugby Champions
Swans of the week: Kris, Connor and Noah
School closed on Friday
PTA Meeting on Monday
Choirs perform at the Big Sing Finale
Join us for our Father Son Breakfast
UN Youth National Conference Australia
Guess Who?
Career News
AI Worskhop with Will
Rugby players earn higher honours
Football 1sts third in Auckland
2nd Football XI win Auckland title
eam Time Trial finals day at Pukekohe
Good luck to our U15A team in their final
Water Polo players compete in Rotorua
A season worth celebrating
Brothers place second in dance comp
Second-hand uniform shop pop-up sale
Paid readers/writers needed for NCEA exams
Inspire the Future. Start Here.
Swan Song
Follow WBHS on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn
Contact us
Our Sponsors and Supporters

Important dates

Important Dates

Our Major Diary Dates are shown above. Please note, these are subject to change if
necessary, throughout the year.

Auckland Basketball Champions

Our Senior Premier Basketball team claimed the Auckland Championship title on Thursday
night, defeating Auckland Grammar 107-95 at Eventfinda Stadium.

The final was played in front of a strong Westlake crowd, with students lifting the team
with chants of "Swan City".

It was a physical contest, with neither team giving an inch. After a slow start, Westlake
worked its way into the game and built a narrow lead. The boys held their composure in
the final quarter to secure the win and cap off an outstanding season where they were
unbeaten.

The result marks Westlake's first Auckland Championship title in 14 years. Congratulations
to the team and coaching staff on a memorable milestone for Westlake basketball.

We would like to thank partners Vitamin C Lipo and North Shore Toyota for their support of
our basketball programme.

Kings of North Harbour

Westlake Boys' High School claimed the North Harbour 1A Rugby Championship on
Saturday with a 45-43 win over Rosmini College.

The final was a close contest throughout. Full credit to Rosmini College for another tough
encounter.

The win sees Westlake progress to this weekend's Blues Final against Kelston Boys' High
School, with a place in the National Top Four at stake.

The match kicks off at 12 noon, and we encourage all members of the Westlake community
to come along and support the team.

The rugby programme would also like to thank its partners JG Civil, Gavin Roberts -
Auckland House & Properties, Archibald & Shorter North Shore, Exedy New Zealand and
SAS Sport for their support throughout the season.

Swans of the week: Kris, Connor and Noah

Kris Hollings, Connor Gaul and Noah Chaplin are our Swans of the Week.

The Year 13 students play a key role in promoting school events through the Mighty Swans
Instagram account and helping build positive support at sporting fixtures. They are often
the driving force behind student attendance, encouraging their peers to get behind their
teams and represent Westlake with pride.

With the Blues Final taking place this weekend, Mr Fordham felt it was an appropriate time
to acknowledge the contribution they make to school life. Their efforts help create the
atmosphere, school spirit and sense of community that are such an important part of major
Westlake events.

Congratulations to Kris, Connor and Noah.

School closed on Friday

Dear parents and caregivers,

This is a reminder that school will be closed on Friday, 4th September.

PTA Meeting on Monday

Parents and caregivers are warmly invited to attend the next PTA meeting.

Date: Monday 31 August

Time: 7.00pm

Location: Upstairs staffroom

We look forward to seeing you there.

Choirs perform at the Big Sing Finale

Voicemale and Choralation are representing Westlake at the Big Sing Finale in Christchurch
this week. We wish both choirs all the best as the festival wraps up with the Gala Concert
on Saturday night.

Last call for our Father Son Breakfast

Last chance to get your tickets for our Father Son Breakfast on Wednesday, 9 September.
We are looking forward to welcoming broadcaster and former elite triathlete Mark Watson
as our guest speaker. Ticket sales close Friday, 4 September, unless sold out prior.

2026 Father Son Breakfast

Proudly presented by Barfoot & Thompson Milford

Date: Wednesday 9 September

Time: Doors open 6.30am | Event 7.00am-8.20am

Tickets here

UN Youth National Conference Australia

In July, I had the privilege of representing New Zealand at the 65th UN Youth Australia
National Conference in Perth, one of the largest youth civics events in the Southern
Hemisphere. Eighty delegates from across Australia and New Zealand attended for eight
days of immersive discussion on this year’s theme: biodiversity and sustainability.

We debated pressing issues through Model United Nations assemblies and problem-solving
simulations, including the protection of nature in conflict zones and the ethics of de-
extinction through genetic science. Alongside these, we engaged with a range of global
issues including Indigenous rights, climate justice for developing nations, gender equality,
and refugee protection.

Since returning, I have had the opportunity to present at Rotary North Shore to share my
experience with the club that suppo