Pakuranga College

CA

ELU

E M C E RT E PAT

T

PAKURANGA COLLEGE

Prospectus 2012

Mission Statement Pakuranga College will provide an exceptional and innovative learning community that challenges and supports students to excel and develop the skills and values they need to succeed now and in the future.

Vision Pakuranga College is acknowledged as a leader in education and is the school of choice in the local community.

A Message from the Principal We are delighted to introduce you to the Pakuranga College learning community and look forward to sharing an outstanding academic relationship with you that will be supportive and successful.

Our college provides a very special learning environment.

It is focused on developing outstanding citizens who are moral and respectful. We place an emphasis on ownership of learning and being actively involved so that our students are well equipped to seize opportunities offered by new knowledge and technologies in the future.

To carry out this vision, a unique Learning Charter was designed to capture our philosophy of learning. We used ‘best evidence’ research undertaken in New Zealand, and around the world, together with feedback from our community, staff and students to inform the process.

The charter sets out the partnerships, standards and expectations for students, teachers and parents.

The role of our teachers is to establish high quality learning environments where students discuss and share existing knowledge and can interact with new information, concepts and ideas. This level of engagement is developed through quality relationships with students, families and whanau. Teachers challenge students to think, evaluate and reflect on their own progress.

Students are encouraged to be interactive with teachers, technology and their peers to develop understanding, and most importantly, to apply their knowledge to problem-solving. Rather than being “repositories” of knowledge, we expect students to find out, investigate and create solutions using the many resources around them. These are the skills that we believe our students will need for knowledge-based societies of the future.

Pakuranga College is an exceptional school because there is a balance between demanding the highest academic and behavioural standards and expecting students, staff and parents to be accountable for their actions. There is also an emphasis on providing a caring and personal environment in which everyone is treated as an individual and accorded respect and dignity at all times. Pakuranga College is a school of choice because it has successfully developed a balance of academic rigour, within a respectful and vibrant learning community.

As you begin your educational journey at Pakuranga College we hope that you enjoy the incredible opportunities that are available and take advantage of the outstanding facilities, the wide ranging quality co-curricular activities, and the absolutely exceptional teaching and support staff.

MICHAEL WILLIAMS PRINCIPAL

From left to right: Paul Bennett (Deputy Principal), Alison Taylor (Deputy Principal), Mike Hughes (Deputy Principal), Michael Williams, (Principal), Richard Dykes, (Associate Principal), Bryan Dowdle, (Deputy Principal)

Curriculum, Qualifications and Learning The college offers an innovative and flexible curriculum designed to provide both breadth and depth. Our philosophy of learning is based around building a curriculum designed to meet the learning needs of every student.

We are implementing the revised national New Zealand Curriculum and offer the National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA).

Flexibility is built around a “vertical� timetable structure. This means that students are encouraged to study at an appropriate academic level rather than at a level simply based on their age. As a result of multi-level learning, accelerated study is possible, enabling students to select particular subjects at any level of the curriculum.

In the junior school (year 9 and 10) the curriculum is structured around core and optional courses. In year 9, students are required to study in all essential learning areas: English, mathematics, social science, science, technology, health and physical education, a second language (Maori, Japanese, German) and arts subjects – visual art, music, drama and dance.

There is opportunity for choice in languages, the arts and technology subjects. In year 10, students are able to specialise a little more so that they can pursue their individual interests and strengths.

In the senior school (years 11 to 13) the college offers an enormous range of courses including industry based unit standard programmes. Students are increasingly able to select from a wide range of options in order to tailor their qualifications to suit their requirements and level of ability. In this way there are plenty of enrichment, acceleration and multi-levelling options to provide for a range of diverse pathways. All courses provide credits toward national qualifications.

Students in the senior school meet with their subject teachers every day for one hour per day. This significant amount of daily tuition helps us to ensure that we provide depth and academic rigour in all our courses of study.

National Certificate in Educational Achievement (NCEA) The college is committed to NCEA. This qualification provides rigorous and valid information about student achievement and will enable our students to access universities around the world. All students are encouraged to achieve excellence which is now recognised through endorsement certificates awarded at each level, and in each course.

The philosophies that underpin NCEA include a focus on achieving excellence through quality teaching and assessment practice.

NCEA is based on the principles of ‘standards based assessment’. This means that a student’s achievement is assessed against standards, rather than another student’s performance. Most progressive countries internationally are moving to standards based

assessment because it provides much more explicit information about achievement – that is, a student receives specific feedback about what they can achieve, or not, rather than just an overall percentage score.

The second key principle underlying NCEA is that it enables students to learn at their level of challenge. If a student entering our college in year 9 has high levels of competence in mathematics, they can study NCEA achievement standards. This enables students to design a learning programme that suits their academic potential, their interests, and goals for achievement. NCEA enables students to construct courses to accelerate them through, or to provide for a range of enrichment. It appreciates all students as individuals and it recognises that each student brings a range of experiences and understanding to learning that can and should be acknowledged. NCEA is a way of personalising learning rather than expecting the student to ‘fit’ the system.

“At Pakuranga College, learning is never solely about knowledge – it is also about making the

and connections experiencing the world we live in.”

Lock-step or ‘bulk’ learning for everyone in the same way is a ‘factory-type’ model of the past and does not suit the future within which our students will be operating. NCEA offers us the opportunity to break away from lock-step age related education which was based on passive learning models.

We firmly believe that NCEA is the right qualification for our students because it complements the modern approach to teaching and learning. Auckland University research has shown that NCEA provides excellent preparation for university study and is the best predictor of success at university.

E-Learning The college is seen as a national leader in e-learning.

We recognise that our students now live in a world of ‘personal computing’ where they frequently access information and learning through their own personal digital devices rather than their family’s or school’s computer. Because of this, ICT is no longer an add-on to students’ learning – it is integral.

We have implemented an e-learning strategy that supports today’s digital learners, giving them access to digital learning opportunities and resources; and develops students’ digital competencies such as digital safety, information literacy, file management and digital publishing.

Students at Pakuranga College increasingly access their learning digitally, in and out of class.

With the use of digital devices our students research, work and collaborate in class and online.

A key part of our e-learning strategy is our year 9 and 10 digital classes which will be in their third year of operation in 2012. All students coming to the college are welcome to join these classes. In the digital classes each student has his or her own computer in all of their core classes and uses it to research, collaborate, access learning, and submit work digitally. These students also develop the digital competencies that they need to succeed at school, in higher learning and in today’s workforce.

To support our e-learning strategy the college has invested heavily in our infrastructure and in the professional development of our staff.

In 2011 we finished building a state-of-the-art ICT network and have installed a fibre optic connection to the internet to bring high speed broadband access to all users. We provide a wide range of computer suites and sets of computers that students can access in all classes.

As well, we provide extensive digital learning resources that all students use within their learning.

We have invested heavily in our teachers to ensure that they are suitably skilled to engage today’s digital learners and to utilize the opportunities the technology provides.

Our staff have visited leading international schools and universities to keep identifying the latest developments in the use of ICT in schools, and have then returned to the college to share this expertise to lead curricular and pedagogical innovation across the college.

For students with a special interest in information and communications technology, we offer a wide range of specialist courses in the senior school, and co-curricular opportunities to apply their skills.

Education Outside the Classroom (EOTC) Programmes Engaging students in authentic real world contexts for learning is an important part of curriculum delivery at Pakuranga College. Students participate in a range of events, trips, activities and camps outside the classroom to enrich learning for everyone.

At the beginning of every year, the year 9 camp is held to assist students to transition into our college. Each house, with peer support leaders, house leaders, deans, tutor teachers and year 9 students spend three days together at various outdoor venues establishing relationships and building confidence through outdoor challenges.

Careers and Transition The Careers and Transition Department offers a comprehensive advice and guidance service to assist each student to make an appropriate decision about the best first step beyond school. Each year every student is encouraged to consider his/her subject selection in relation to possible career directions. Where career directions are uncertain, care is taken to ensure students are maintaining maximum flexibility for further study, training or employment options.

Media Centre The college has an exciting Media Centre with outstanding film, television and production rooms.

The first school in the country to have both its own UHF TV channel and FM radio station, students have the opportunity to gain hands-on broadcasting experience in a practical context. Media students can write and prepare news bulletins for radio shows and host a student produced magazine programme, broadcast live across the school. In addition, our media students have consistently achieved national recognition, taking part in a range of film and video competitions across the country.

“Because of the way we do things at Pakuranga College, I have been shown how to better respect others and myself.�

Student Centred Learning Pakuranga College prides itself on providing a student centred learning environment. The philosophy that underpins the Learning Charter and every facet of daily life in the school places students at the centre of our thinking. We have a large number of initiatives in place to ensure that all students are treated as individuals and their learning is personalised as much as possible.

In classrooms students are encouraged to co-construct their learning with their teacher and to be active participants in the learning process.

As we have unpacked the Learning Charter we have developed a series of learning posters for students which explain how we expect them to engage in their learning.

The learning posters feature four key messages for students: • Learning happens when we strive for

our personal best.

• Learning happens when we make connections.

• Learning happens when we build

positive relationships.

• Learning happens when we reflect and think.

We put high value on student voice and have developed structures throughout the school for students to provide feedback and direction on what happens in classrooms and around the school.

The Gifted and Talented Programme (GATE) Each year, we establish a database of very able students based on information from contributing schools and from our assessment/identification data. A whole school initiative supports our gifted students and especially identifies our gifted underachievers. The GATE programme includes opportunities for: •

Acceleration: students study subjects at a level or levels appropriate to their ability (multi-levelling).

Our timetable and curriculum structure allows us to accelerate students in particular subjects. This is done in consultation with parents. Senior students also have the option of studying university papers while still at college.

•

Extension: students participate in specially designed enrichment programmes that develop, stimulate and extend their thinking through a range of experiences.

Throughout the year a number of very able students are withdrawn from class to participate in special programmes designed for able and gifted students.

This includes future problem solving, philosophy and thinking challenges.

•

Enrichment: students engage in differentiated tasks in every classroom.

Students participate in a range of tasks which are differentiated to ensure that they are challenged in their learning.

ESOL Programmes for Speakers of Others Languages We have a comprehensive and supportive ESOL department which provides specialist assistance for students for whom English is an additional language.

Students are assessed carefully on arrival, provided with course advice and are placed in specialist reception or mainstream classes in which intensive English language tuition is provided by specially trained staff.

The Optimal Learning Centre The centre provides centralised coordination of learning initiatives and interventions. The staff use data to track and inform individualised learning programmes (e.g. for gifted and talented students, for acceleration/enrichment programmes, for students requiring specialist learning support (dyslexia, Aspergers).

Special Eduation Programme Our Pegasus on-site unit caters for students with very special needs. Students from the unit are regarded as an integral part of our college community and participate fully in college life. The curriculum is delivered through Individualised Education Programmes (IEPs) where a course is specifically designed to foster individual achievement.

Student Leadership Our education philosophy is based on the idea of a partnership between students, teachers and parents.

It is for this reason that we place particular emphasis on the development and support of student leadership teams.

Student Leader Councils The student councils are task based and are run by student leaders elected every year. There are councils for service, safe school practice, academic, sports, environmental issues, cultural activities, house representatives and the arts. The councils have responsibility for a huge variety of activities at the college during the school year.

Student Academic Advisory Boards Each subject faculty has developed student advisory boards. Their role is to encourage students to have input into the way a subject is offered by the faculties. The philosophy is based on our belief that students are “partners” in the delivery of a subject and therefore have very good suggestions about possible improvements that could be made to teaching and learning.

Student Executive Council This council is the main decision making body for students and is composed of the Head Students, representatives from the Student Leadership Councils, the Associate Principal and the Principal. The Executive meets fortnightly to discuss the implementation of ideas and developments.

“The journey through Pakuranga College has been the stepping stone to my aspirations.”

Learning in a Supportive Environment The Houses The school is divided into six families or house groups.

Each house has a dean and an assistant dean who are responsible for the general well being and care of all the students in the house. Within each house, students are allocated to a vertical tutor group with students from years 9 to 13; each group has a tutor teacher who works to provide support for all of the students in their group. Senior students demonstrate leadership as peer support leaders for junior students. For most school matters, the tutor teacher or house dean is the person for students and parents to deal with in the first instance.

Celebrating Achievement We believe in celebrating achievement at our college.

Students and their parents are invited to attend achievement breakfasts which are held every term in the college library. Citations which detail the incredible achievements of our students are read and presented.

A guest speaker is invited to talk to guests and senior hospitality students prepare the breakfast. We also celebrate achievement through annual junior, senior and sport prize givings, principal and house assemblies, an awards system and excellence postcards which are sent home to families.

Parental Involvement All newsletters and important communications are emailed home regularly. They are also posted on the website. We encourage you to make contact with the dean or tutor teachers, and use the online parent handbook if you are not sure of our policies/procedures.

We welcome your feedback and your help in creating a great college. Where parents have concerns or issues, we make it our business to listen and to encourage discussion and debate.

Parents are regularly asked to express their opinions on a variety of issues through local “cottage meetings” and we always welcome parents’ involvement in the college through our parent committees, the Board of Trustees, and the extensive co-curricular programme.

Reporting to Parents Communication with parents is essential to students’ learning as it supports the learning partnership between the student, parents and the college.

Junior students receive four academic progress reports through the year. Two of these are full written reports with comments and academic grades. There are also two verbal report evenings through the year for parents to meet with their child’s teachers and discuss learning.

Guidance In addition to the pastoral advice given by deans, two part-time and two full-time guidance counsellors are available to students during the school day. Counsellors work with students on a confidential basis and can also provide referrals as requested, and if appropriate. Parents may contact the guidance staff at any time, if they have concerns about their son or daughter.

The Counselling Department also implements a range of proactive and supportive programmes for individual and personal development. They include: •

•

•

•

•

Peer Support: an induction programme for new year 9 students led by trained year 12 and year 13 students.

Peer Mediation: a programme led by senior students to offer assistance to other students who may be having relationship conflicts and problems.

Travellers Programme: for selected year 9 students, who are struggling with the transition to college.

Anti-harassment: a programme designed to encourage students to say ‘no’ to any form of harassment.

Safe School Network: a network of trained contact student leaders who support the ‘break the silence’ and ‘we’re in this together’ initiatives to stop bullying.

Health Centre The college has a well-established health centre staffed throughout the day by a registered nurse. If students are ill or injured during the day and need to go home, the nurse will contact parents to make the necessary arrangements.

“Pakuranga College has not only taught me to thirst for

knowledge

but has also taught me how to quench it.”

Opportunities Pakuranga College is committed to providing a holistic education which includes opportunities for participation and success in a large number of sports and cultural activities.

The school has outstanding facilities that enable students to excel and fulfil their potential.

Sporting Opportunities Sport is a great opportunity for students to experience teamwork, to develop their communication skills and to learn about commitment. The college employs two full time sports staff and offers all major codes. A large number of teachers and parents also offer assistance in the various sporting events.

We encourage fair play, participation and enjoyment, with a commitment to achieving excellence to the highest possible level. This includes competing at national tournaments and international sports tours.

We have access to excellent school and community facilities including an athletics track, indoor cricket facilities, hockey turfs, netball and tennis courts, a large all year round heated swimming pool, gymnasiums, weights rooms and extensive rugby and soccer grounds.

We employ specialist coaches in a large number of sports so that students are given the very best coaching available.

We currently offer the following sports: Summer Athletics Tennis Table Tennis Volleyball Swimming Cricket Triathlon Aerobics Golf Touch Rugby Dragon Boating Softball Ultimate Frisbee Kilikiti Baseball Lawn Bowls

Winter Basketball Hockey Netball Golf Duathlon Inline Hockey Badminton Soccer Rugby Gym Sport Bowls Cycling Wrestling Ultimate Frisbee Table Tennis Rock Climbing

Opportunities in Art and Culture We encourage all students to participate in the engaging and dynamic arts and culture co-curricular programme offered at Pakuranga College. This programme helps to build and nurture student leadership, empowering the youth of tomorrow.

The programme includes a large number of music groups and students are also able to receive individual instrumental tuition. We also offer a range of performing arts experiences providing opportunities in both dance and drama. Each year the students have the opportunity to compete in the Arts House Challenge, which includes sections covering dance, drama, music and the visual arts. The college’s arts programme and events calendar for the current year is available at the school reception office.

The wide cultural diversity of the college is represented in a range of groups from that of the Tangata whenua to the Pacific, Africa, Asia and the Indian sub-continent. Each year we host a Cultural Evening where traditional song and dance celebrates the range of cultures in our college.

These groups provide opportunities for our students and parents to share important artistic and cultural displays, projects and occasions which enhance and extend the education and leadership opportunities for our students.

The range of groups offered at Pakuranga College includes: • • • • • • • •

Acting Master Class Bring it On Chinese Dance Theatre Sports Shakespeare Players Stage Challenge Debating Public Speaking

• • • • • • • • • •

African Culture Group Chinese Dance Ettehad Group Indian Dance Japanese Dance Korean Drumming Maori Culture Group Filipino Dance Samoan Dance Tongan Dance

• • • • • • • • •

Chamber Music Classical Guitar Ensemble Concert Band Flute Choir Gaudeamus Choir Guitar Building House Rock Bands R & B Choir Soul Pak Orchestra

“My time at Pakuranga College has made me realise that a big part of looking forward is reflecting on where I have come from.”

Facilities The college is very well resourced and boasts outstanding facilities.

These include: • A state-of-the-art IT network with high speed data connection to every room in the school and an external fibre optic connection. This is overlaid with a fully managed wireless network that staff and students can access anywhere in the school • A media suite with a fully equipped television and radio studio with the associated equipment for editing and production • Our own TV channel • Our own student radio station broadcasting on 100.4 MHz • A state of the art library and information centre • A fully equipped science block • A refurbished technology block complete with an automotive engineering and a panel and paint workshop • A fully refurbished art centre with modern

photography facilities • Music suites and practice rooms • A gymnasium and mini gym and new fully-equipped fitness centre • A dance studio • A heated swimming pool used for year

round swimming • A floodlit artificial turf

Uniform The college has an elegant and modern uniform for juniors (year 9 and 10) and seniors (year 11 and 12).

Year 13 students are not required to wear a uniform.

Students are expected to wear their uniform to and from college and during the day, with pride. Incorrect uniform or untidiness is not acceptable.

All items of uniform, other than shoes, are only supplied by the Pakuranga College uniform shop which is open prior to the start of the school year and most afternoons after school.

Further details about school uniform are available from the college or from the back of this prospectus.

International Students We are always delighted to welcome international fee-paying and exchange students to Pakuranga College. Students come from a wide range of countries – Argentina, Austria, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Colombia, Denmark, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, India, South Korea, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey and Vietnam. If Pakuranga College families have friends or relatives overseas who would like their children to attend our school as international fee-paying students, they should contact our Director of International Students, Mrs Denise Berry, dberry@pakuranga.school.nz

“We don’t learn only to look to the future at Pakuranga College, we are taught to ‘make’ our own

futures.”

Pakuranga College Pigeon Mountain Road, Half Moon Bay, Auckland 2012 Ph: (09) 534 7159 Fax: (09) 534 2365 www.pakuranga.school.nz