Awatapu College is a State co-educational Secondary School in Awapuni, Palmerston North, New Zealand. The school is located at the bend of Botanical Road, opposite West End School. It is built upon a drained ancient lagoon, known to the local Maori as "Awatapu" meaning "Sacred River". It was formerly a golf course. Golf course was utilised as army training camps in 1940. The school was officially opened on the 1st of December 1976 as the fifth secondary school in Palmerston North. The wings of the emblem stand for the three main stages of early life: •learning to fly •then being able to fly under supervision •and finally being ready to fly alone The half-circle underneath indicates a rocking position to remind us that life is not always stable. The V for victory reminds us to work for personal achievement. The rainbow under the college name reminds us there is always some colour around us if we are willing to look for it. The traditional colours of the school are Black and Gold, as seen in the sports teams, notably the 1st XV and even on the collar of the school uniform shirts. Awatapu has a local sporting rivalry with Freyberg High School.