Kaikorai Valley College

KAIKORAI VALLEY COLLEGE

Excellence in Teaching and Learning

A Year 7 - 13 Co-educational College

WELCOME

TO OUR SCHOOL

PHILIP CRAIGIE BA, Dip Tchg Principal Welcome to our school.

Kaikorai Valley College is a large Year 7 to 13 school, situated in a park-like setting in south west Dunedin.

Unusually for an urban school, we offer continuous education from ages 10 to 18. A programme for our international students is well integrated into the school’s timetable and we are known city wide for the quality and extent of our community education classes.

Our commitment is to support, engage and challenge every student. The school maintains a full range of academic and alternative courses and a wide programme of activities outside the classroom.

Kaikorai Valley College serves the communities of south west Dunedin. Most students attending come from the immediate neighbourhood: the hill suburbs of Wakari, Mornington, Highgate, Halfway Bush and Brockville or the Concord, Abbotsford, Green Island, Fairfield and South Coast areas. Students come to this Year 7 to 13 co-educational college from many other parts of Dunedin as well.

In this prospectus we hope to give you the information you need to know about Kaikorai Valley College. We welcome questions about the school.

I would be pleased to meet you to discuss what our school, Kaikorai Valley College, has to offer and to show you the school at work.

We promote clear standards of behaviour and have comprehensive structures in place for student support.

THE HISTORY OF KAIKORAI VALLEY COLLEGE Kaikorai Valley College has evolved from Kaikorai Valley High School which was founded in 1958.

In 1996 the decision was made to amalgamate the high school with Kenmure Intermediate School and

establish a Year 7 to 13 college on the high school site.

The school was renamed Kaikorai Valley College. The decision to amalgamate was a popular one and phenomenal roll growth followed. Kaikorai Valley College remains one of the larger schools in Otago.

MISSION STATEMENT Kaikorai Valley College is committed to innovation and the promotion of excellence in teaching and learning. In partnership with our community we seek to provide broad-based learning opportunities which address the needs of individual students in a safe co-educational environment.

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Excellence in Teaching and Learning

KAIKORAI VALLEY COLLEGE

A CARING AND SUPPORTIVE SCHOOL

The principal and staff of Kaikorai Valley College are friendly and approachable. They are committed to working as closely as possible with families in the best interests of their children.

Parents and caregivers are welcome in the school at any time and there are frequent report and discussion meetings. A Kaikorai Valley College Parents’ Group meets monthly and all parents are encouraged to participate in activities.

The school provides extensive learning and guidance support for all students. There is a strong guidance network which includes the Principal, Deputy Principals, Guidance Counsellor, Careers Advisor, Senior Dean team for Years 11–13, Junior Dean team for Years 7-10, specialist homeroom teachers for Years 7 and 8, a Dean of International Students and form teachers for all.

Senior students accept a caring responsibility for juniors.

The very successful Peer Support programme in Year 7 contributes to the strong sense of extended family which exists among the students of the school. A student council represents the interests of all students and organises school activities.

Kaikorai Valley College has structures which ensure that all the various groups which make up the school community can stand tall in the school. Thus …

• The students in the attached Special Needs unit play a respected part in the wider life of the school.

• The school values New Zealand’s bicultural heritage.

Te Reo Maori is taught and there is good support for Maori students.

• The school has an International Students’ programme supported by specialist ESOL teachers, and a special sister school relationship with Sakuragaoka High School in Japan. Two-way annual exchanges take place between Sakuragaoka and Kaikorai Valley.

More recent cultural relationships have been established with Po Leung Kuk Ngan Po Ling College in Hong Kong. The school offers scholarships annually for Kaikorai Valley students to spend three months at Sakuragaoka, and to travel and study in other countries such as France.

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Excellence in Teaching and Learning

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ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT AT KAIKORAI VALLEY COLLEGE

The priority at Kaikorai Valley College is excellence in teaching and learning. We are committed to individual achievement. The expectation is that students will achieve to their academic potential.

In this regard high achievement classes are selected in Years 9 and 10 as well as classes for students with identified learning needs. There is a Gifted and Talented Programme across the school.

In Years 7 and 8 students spend 15 hours per week in a supportive home-room class with a specialist primary trained teacher. Here they study Reading, Language Skills, Social Studies and Health. In Mathematics they are placed in a class according to their achievement level. For the remainder of the week they follow a special studies programme taught by specialist subject teachers. Physical Education, Science and Biotechnology are studied through the year and students rotate through a modular programme of Art, Drama, Music, Electronics, Technology (Food, Materials, Information and Communication, Structures and Mechanisms, Production and Processes), Graphics, French, Japanese and Maori.

In Years 9 and 10 students take the core subjects of English, Mathematics, Social Studies, Science, Physical Education, Health and Careers. Year 9 students also choose 3 hours per week from each of the Arts, Technology and Languages subjects. At Year 10, students study three other subjects of their choice.

In Years 11 – 13 students study a wide range of subjects.

The time-table is flexible to allow for individual needs.

This allows for programmes to be purely academic, work oriented or a mixture of both.

The highly professional staff is committed to the academic achievement of the students at Kaikorai Valley College.

SAFE SCHOOL

Always focusing on the Kaikorai Valley College Safe School Policy and Code of Student Rights and Responsibilities builds and maintains positive relationships amongst students, between teachers and students, and between parents and teachers.

• Kaikorai Valley College is a Safe School with firm discipline and clear standards.

• The right to learn and play in a friendly, accepting environment is central to life at Kaikorai Valley College.

CO-EDUCATION At Kaikorai Valley College we believe strongly in co-education as the ideal preparation for the world beyond school for both boys and girls.

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Excellence in Teaching and Learning

INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION

STRENGTHS OF THE INTERNATIONAL STUDENT PROGRAMME

Kaikorai Valley College is a leading school in providing high quality education each year for over fifty international students from all over the world.

As part of this, established sister-school relationships, especially with schools in Japan, have allowed the school to offer overseas educational experiences of varying lengths to local students. These relationships are strengthened year by year as exchanges continue.

For students coming to Kaikorai Valley College expert language tuition is provided in small groups, as well as individual teacher aide help in mainstream lessons.

The students may also study for international language qualifications and have the opportunity to continue their education in New Zealand by gaining entry to a New Zealand university or other tertiary institution.

International students are well supported by the many people in the community who offer to be homestay families.

SISTER SCHOOLS OF KAIKORAI VALLEY COLLEGE A vitally important feature of life at Kaikorai Valley College is the strong sister-school relationships.

Sakuragaoka High School, Japan The first contact between Sakuragaoka High School and Kaikorai Valley College was in 1987 and the sister-school relationship has continued to strengthen since then. Sakuragaoka High School is a large private school in Toyohashi, near Nagoya in Japan, that incorporates an intermediate and high school. Like Kaikorai Valley College, it has an active international programme. Sakuragaoka High School celebrated its 70th anniversary in 2006 and Kaikorai Valley College Principal, Mr Philip Craigie, was invited to the celebrations. There are regular exchanges of students between the schools each year and many life long friendships have been made. Students from Sakuragaoka High School regularly join Kaikorai Valley College for long term study. The relationship between the two schools has been a cornerstone of Kaikorai Valley College’s international student programme.

Po Leung Kuk Ngan Po Ling College, Hong Kong In 2005, Kaikorai Valley College established a new sister-school relationship with Po Leung Kuk Ngan Po Ling College in Hong Kong. A highlight of the relationship so far was in 2006 when a group of Kaikorai Valley College students visited Hong Kong and was hosted by Po Leung Kuk Ngan Po Ling College. Along with schools from China and Singapore, our students participated in a week long cultural programme. Po Leung Kuk Ngan Po Ling College is one of the few remaining schools in Hong Kong where all classes are taught in English.

Kaikorai Valley College also has sister school relationships with Kun-ei Girls High School in Osaka, Myojo Gakuen in Tokyo and Harbin Number 13 Middle School in Harbin, China.

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Excellence in Teaching and Learning

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YEAR 7 - 10

FOSTERING EXCELLENCE IN A BROAD-BASE CURRICULUM

“Excellence in Teaching and Learning�

The priority at Kaikorai Valley College is excellence in teaching and learning. On enrolment in Year 7 or in Year 9, a profile of each student is prepared and progress is measured against it. Parents are kept fully informed. Guidance staff meet all new students and their families, and visit students at their primary schools.

YEAR 7 AND 8 STUDENTS Students in this important age group have the security of dedicated homeroom teachers, enthusiastic about building on the learning foundations laid at primary school.

Students in Year 7 and 8 benefit too from the expertise offered by teachers who are trained specialists in Art, Music, Drama, Technology, Languages, Physical Education and Science. Option subject choices are kept as broad as possible at both levels. All students then experience what every subject involves so that wise and informed decisions can be made in future years.

YEAR 9 AND 10 STUDENTS All students study English, Maths, Science, Social Studies, Physical Education, Careers and Health. At year 9 there is still a broad option choice offered of four languages [Maori, Japanese, French and Mandarin], all the strands in the Technology curriculum, Art, Music and Drama.

At Year 10 three options are chosen in addition to the core programme. This still leaves open many subject choices in the senior school.

High achieving students join an achievement class at Year 9 and at Year 10. The curriculum is enriched to provide extension work for them.

Most of the classes are broad banded to ensure that students are with others at similar achievement levels.

A learning support class is in place at both levels to serve the students who struggle academically. Two teachers cover the four main core curriculum areas in these two smaller groups. They join with the rest of their Year 9 or 10 peers for the option subjects.

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Excellence in Teaching and Learning

THE SENIOR SCHOOL

YEARS 11 TO 13 AND BEYOND

Kaikorai Valley College has embraced fully the introduction of the National Certificate of Educational Achievement through its three levels, including entering students in the Scholarship examinations at Year 13.

Kaikorai Valley College offers a full range of academic subjects for students planning to advance to university.

In fact, because the school is co-educational, there is a wider choice for both girls and boys than will be found in many single sex schools. At all senior levels students are encouraged to achieve at the higher performance levels of Merit and Excellence. Students often achieve well above their own expectations.

YEAR 12 At Year 12, all students must study English and five other subjects. These subjects can be academic or vocational or a mixture of both. Students aim to gain the 60 credits needed for the Level 2 National Certificate of Achievement as well as University Entrance Literacy credits. Much care is taken with subject selection to meet the needs of every student.

Career counselling and work experience are offered to all and an extensive network of employers known to the school often means students find good occupations or apprenticeships to enter straight from school.

YEAR 13 YEAR 11 At Year 11, all students study English, Mathematics and Science along with three other subjects from a wide choice. The aim at this level is to assist all students to meet the Level 1 literacy and numeracy requirements and achieve at least 80 credits over the six subjects to gain a Level 1 National Certificate of Educational Achievement.

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At Year 13, courses are again arranged to meet the needs of individual students. Careful guidance is given about the requirements to gain entrance to university and of the National Certificate of Educational Achievement at Level 3. Able students are encouraged to enter the Scholarship examinations.

Career opportunities, subjects and pathways to tertiary courses are considered and discussed with all Year 13 students so that the best possible advantage is gained from the final year at secondary school.

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EDUCATION BEYOND THE C In addition to a full academic programme, students are encouraged to participate in a comprehensive range of cultural, sporting and outdoor education activities.

DRAMA Kaikorai Valley College has a fine tradition and representation in creative and performing arts.

Drama and musical productions have always been highlights of the school year. The school has its own theatre and dance studio and has enjoyed success in cultural competitions including being national finalists in the annual Shakespeare Festival and regular prize winners in the Smokefree Stage Challenge.

Each year large numbers of Kaikorai Valley College students from Years 7 to 13 prepare for and participate in either a school production or wearable arts awards enjoying the team work, cooperation and sense of achievement involved.

SPORT Our philosophy is that sport is for all.

The importance of participation in sport, especially in light of concerns nationally about the deteriorating fitness of young people, is top priority at Kaikorai Valley College. Staff and parents, along with some senior students, continue to give time and energy to providing coaching and supervision for a wide range of individual and team sports at all levels of the school. Pride in being competitive and fair play are important messages given to Kaikorai Valley College students.

Much has been spent recently on sports uniforms so that the teams continue to look good in competition.

The school employs a Sports Coordinator who organises, equips and enters teams in the many sports at Kaikorai Valley College. The school has excellent sporting facilities with extensive sports grounds, hardcourt areas for netball and tennis and now a second well equipped gymnasium which will expand the school’s capability to host many more indoor teams and individual sports. There is ongoing acknowledge-

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ment of success of sports people who have achieved representative status at provincial and in some cases, national level, in a wide range of sports. In 2008 a Sports Academy was introduced to give these individuals the skills, knowledge and mental edge to continue excelling in their chosen sport.

Sports that students are involved in at present include: Athletics, Badminton, Basketball, Cricket, Cross Country, Flags, Golf, Hockey, Horse Riding, Ice Hockey, Mini-ball, Mini-volley, Moto-Cross, Mountain Biking, Multi Sport, Netball, Orienteering, Rugby, Skiing, Soccer, Softball, Surfing, Table Tennis, Tennis, Petanque, Touch Rugby, Volleyball and Water-polo.

Excellence in Teaching and Learning

DRAMA, SPORT, OUTDOOR EDUCATION AND MUSIC FOR ALL STUDENTS

OUTDOOR EDUCATION Kaikorai Valley College is committed to an extensive Outdoor Education programme which includes beach education and safety for Year 7 students and a range of outdoor skills including kayaking, a day tramp and the practical set up for successful camping at Year 8.

Year 10 students all spend a week at the Otago Youth Adventure Trust Camp at Tautuku in the Catlins where many outdoor activities are experienced. School ski trips are organised annually and much enjoyed.

All Year 12 students participate in two modules of Outdoor Education [12 weeks] as part of their Year 12 activities programme. Seniors who have developed a love for Outdoor Education can gain further experience and qualifications in the Year 13 Outdoor Pursuits course.

Kaikorai Valley College is fortunate to have a high number of staff who are experts and enthusiasts in leading outdoor activities.

MUSIC

SOME OF THE ACTIVITIES AVAILABLE

Music tuition on a wide variety of instruments is available and popular with students. Music groups include bands, orchestras, rock bands and choirs. There is an active Kapahaka group working at preserving and promoting our Maori culture. Informal concerts, performances and celebrations such as Talent Quests and the Wearable Arts Awards are frequent.

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Stage Challenge Wearable Arts Ski Trips Yr 10 Camps Photography Club Mountainbiking Orchestra Rockquest

Excellence in Teaching and Learning

Productions Art Exhibitions Yr 8 Camps Theatresports Shakespeare Festival Choir Kapa Haka Horse riding

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KAIKORAI VALLEY COLLEGE, 2008, 50TH JUBILEE YEAR.

K A I K O R A I VA L L E Y C O L L E G E

Excellence in Teaching and Learning

500 Kaikorai Valley Road, Dunedin, New Zealand Fax: +64 3 453 1602 Telephone: +64 3 453 6035 Email: office@kvc.school.nz Website: www.kvc.school.nz

K A I K O R A I VA L L E Y C O L L E G E

Excellence in Teaching and Learning

500 Kaikorai Valley Road, Dunedin, New Zealand Fax: +64 3 453 1602 Telephone: +64 3 453 6035 Email: office@kvc.school.nz Website: www.kvc.school.nz