Botany Downs Secondary College

Botany Downs Secondary College (BDSC)
Address
575 Chapel Road, East Tamaki, Auckland, New Zealand
Coordinates	36°56′04″S 174°54′58″E / 36.934370°S 174.915984°E / -36.934370; 174.915984
Information
Funding type	State (not integrated)
Motto	"Maximising achievement through intellectual growth"
Opened	January 2004 (January 2004)
Ministry of Education Institution no.	6930
Principal	Karen Brinsden
Years offered	9–13
Gender	Coeducational
School roll	1,896[1] (February 2024)
Socio-economic decile	9Q[2]
Website	www.bdsc.school.nz

Botany Downs Secondary College is a state coeducational secondary school located in East Tamaki, a suburb of Auckland, New Zealand. The school opened in 2004 as a result of new residential development in the eastern Auckland area. Serving Years 9 to 13, the school has a roll of approximately 1,896 students.^[1]

History

Botany Downs Secondary College was announced with a notice published in the New Zealand Gazette by Education Minister Trevor Mallard on 12 November 2001, with the working name Howick South Secondary School.^[3] The school opened in January 2004, initially taking Year 9 students only. The remaining school years opened as the 2004 Year 9 students moved through, with the school fully opening at the beginning of 2008.

Logo

The logo design uses the circles of the Beta and Delta characters from the Greek alphabet.

• The inner circle represents the student.
• The outer circle represents the nurturing and educating by the teacher.
• The overlapping circles echo the traditional role of the educator and the student.
• The outer shape links the circles, envelops the whole school community and is pointing towards the future.^{[citation needed]}

Whanau system

The Whanau system in BDSC contains 4 Whanau, with the later addition of Britten and Koru.

• Koru Whanau (Green)
• John Britten Whanau (Black)
• Spirit Whanau (Purple)
• Discovery Whanau (Blue)
• Endeavour Whanau (Yellow)
• Sir Peter Blake Whanau (Red)

Demographics

In the 2023 Census, 54.5% of students ethnically identified as Asian, and 35.5% as European/Pākehā. Other major ethnic groups include Pacific (8.2%), Māori (5.5%), Middle Eastern, Latin American, African (MELAA) (4.8%), and other (0.8%). International students were included but separated, with 4.3% of students having been affiliated with an international status.^[4] The roll data presented is based on roll returns from the Ministry of Education as of 1 July 2023, reporting over 1,734 students, including domestic students who are affiliated with a single or multiple ethnic groups and international students.^[5]

Notable alumni

• Tafito Lafaele – rugby union player
• Ben Nee-Nee – rugby union player

References

External links

• Botany Downs Secondary College official site
• Education Review Office (ERO) reports for Botany Downs Secondary College
• Botany downs Secondary College at New Zealand Educated

This page was last edited on 7 June 2024, at 09:59