Boarding

Hewett House

Hewett House provides accommodation for 160 girls, both five day and seven day stay. The girls sleep in double cubicles or dormitories and some have single rooms.  Matthews House opened in 1988 and contains single cubicles for senior girls.  The buildings on Napier's hill are ideally situated in one of the most attractive parts of the city.  The girls live adjacent to the school and may use the school's sports facilities, library and computer suite.

Mission

Hewett House provides a homely environment to create opportunities for girls to develop appropriate study habits, embrace diversity, develop self worth and respect and to become full members of society.

History

Boarding began at Napier Girls' High School in 1884 with one boarder, Jane Dillon and grew to 17 in 1905. Hewett House was then known as the "House" and by 1925 had 70 girls in residence.

In 1931 the earthquake wrecked most of the boarding accommodation.The girls and staff had to sit up a temporary camp under canvas until parents could finally arrive to collect their girls, or girls could be safely transported home.

Clyde House reopened after three months enabling some boarders to return to school.

A new Hostel was built and opened in October 1940 and in 1961 was expanded to include B wing, the recreation room, five music cubicles and the Laundry. The new building was named Hewett House, after the first Headmistress of the school Miss M. Hewett.

In 1971 the purchase of a nearby property provided land for the building of Mathews House which was opened in 1988. In 1978 the High School Board decided to allow girls at Hewett House as five day boarders going home each weekend, the roll grew to 140 boarders. 

In 1984 Hewett House celebrated its Centenary with a full quota of boarders, an excellent reputation, a caring environment and with the affection and good wishes from all the former boarders.

Today our staff and boarders embrace the traditions and history of Hewett House. Continual modernisation of facilities, while containing the existing architecture, has bought Hewett House into present day. A forward thinking vision, driven by traditional values will continue to see Hewett House grow and flourish into the future.