Queen's High School

Queen’s High School

Only

the educated are free

Through love of learning we learn to Live

Epictetus

Mission Statement Queen’s High School seeks to ignite fire and passion for learning and life.

All students are challenged to succeed through a diverse range of academic, sporting, cultural and practical

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Queen’s is a school renowned for its ability to

meet individual needs and to fulfil potential.

Welcome to Queen’s High School

Queen’s High School Te Kura Tuarua O Kuini

We provide an environment that encourages students to be self disciplined, to learn from their mistakes, to be willing to take risks and to value their own and others’ thinking. Independent learning skills are developed within a technologically rich setting that includes collaborative, online learning environments.

Ms Barbara Agnew - Assistant Principal Ms Helen Angus - Assistant Principal Mrs Julie Anderson - Principal Mrs Diane Stewart - Deputy Principal

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Specialist teaching and a broad, innovative range of subject choices ensure that each girl’s individual strengths are fostered. Our teachers work together to provide a holistic, integrated approach to student development focusing on key competencies for learning and life. We are proud of our inclusive environment that means all students are assisted in accessing the curriculum.

Queen’s High School has a proud history of academic achievement and is renowned for its ability to meet individual needs and fulfil potential. All girls are encouraged to believe in themselves and their ability to succeed. We promote the achievement of excellence in a learning environment that is safe, caring and accepting of diversity. The school is committed to the development of life long learning skills that motivate and enable all students to make a positive contribution to society.

We expect high standards of conduct, appearance and achievement. Our students enjoy their schooling, and the wide range of curriculum options helps motivate the girls to remain engaged for five years at school.

Learning is designed to develop understanding and to challenge students to push the boundaries of their thinking. The girls are encouraged to be creative, critical and caring thinkers. We want them to discover a passion for learning and life.

We invite you to visit Queen’s and become part of our community.

iversity

Queen’s girls leave school as confident, wellrounded, independent young women who can follow their aspirations and make the most of their opportunities in life.

Julie Anderson Principal

We are proud of the values that lie at the heart of Queen’s We value the opportunity single-sex education provides for girls to: • • • • • • • • •

Participate without hindrance in all learning opportunities.

Build positive self esteem and confidence as individuals.

Feel secure in front of their peers and to care for each other.

Be confident in excelling.

Celebrate talent and success.

Be prepared “to have a go”.

Persevere despite failure and continue to strive.

Become independent learners.

Develop holistically: ethically, intellectually, socially and emotionally.

We are proud of our Diversity • • • • • • • • • • • •

•

our Academic Record our Talented and Gifted Programme our Future Thinking Programme our Careers Education our integrated Information Technology our Outdoor Education opportunities our Dance and Performance Drama our Design, Art and Digital Imaging courses our Professional Foods qualifications our Cultural and Music Performance groups our practical Animal and Equine Studies our vocational opportunities through Gateway and Work Experience our Learning Support Centre

A curriculum for success Queen’s has a rich and broad curriculum from Year 9 to Year 13. Junior students study subjects from all of the eight Learning Areas. These subjects establish a solid foundation for success at the senior level. Students can then continue with these choices into the senior school or follow more specialised courses depending on their strengths, interests and future goals.

The curriculum includes: • Future thinking and ICT skills • Key competencies: managing self, relating to others, participating and contributing, using language symbols and text and thinking, which are integrated across all learning areas • Focus on literacy strategies including daily sustained silent reading and information literacy

Your daughter’s individuality will be recognised and her course shaped to develop her strengths and improve her weaknesses.

English

Science Mathematics Social Sciences Physical Education and Health Arts Technology Languages Junior Curriculum Options

• Focus on developing skills, confidence and competence in mathematics • Science which incorporates biotechnology and electronics

Our aim is to instil a love of learning in everything your daughter does.

• A study of a language and a culture for a whole year at Year 9 • Research and enquiry skills developed for use in several disciplines • Learning about health, well-being and positive attitudes to life

daughter’s

Learning Areas

French, Japanese, Te Reo Maori, Visual Art, Music, Dance, Drama, Economics, Food Technology, Fabrics Technology, Information and Communications Technology, Graphics

• A talented and gifted programme • Subjects in which students gain technological competence and skills

Your

individuality will be recognised

Queen’s will maximise

your potential

We believe this kind of curriculum diversity, provided within a technologically rich environment, provides students with the new combinations of knowledge and skills needed for active participation in future society.

and help you to develop a passion for learning.

In the senior school - Year 11-13, Queen’s students can study an academic course, choose an applied programme or have a combination of both academic and applied courses.

We offer a variety of pathways to tertiary education or employment.

Some students: • Want to gain entrance to University so they study the traditional subjects , including Scholarship • Want entrance to University with a vocational qualification so they combine the two • Want the opportunity to gain qualifications at the same time as they experience careers so they go on the Gateway programme • Want to go straight to work so we offer them Work Experience • Require support to be mainstreamed as well as be in Learning Support courses • Need extra challenges and opportunities to develop their talents beyond even the classroom programme. We offer a Talented and Gifted programme for these students

Senior Curriculum Options A full range of traditional academic subjects as well as alternatives including: Tourism, Enterprise and Business Studies, Outdoor Education, Media Studies, Hairdressing, Drama, Child Development, Dance, Photography, Animal Studies and Equine Studies, and

self-paced Independent Learning Periods supported by the use of computers. Video Conference classes are available in a range of special interest subjects to meet the needs of individual students.

Challenges through Outdoor Education Queen’s has an extensive range of Outdoor Education opportunities incorporated into the curriculum, with specialist classes in the senior school and camps and activities in the junior years.

Courses offered incorporate: Surfing and body boarding Bushcraft and survival Rock climbing and abseiling Ski trips Mountain biking Kayaking and canoe polo Down hill skiing and snow boarding Outdoor first aid Snorkelling and SCUBA Tramping trips

Each year we offer a number of different Year 10 Camp options. This allows the girls to choose the type of camp that interests, and challenges them personally.

Options can include: Horse riding, Tramping, Beach Camp, Kayaking, Camping, Biking and City-based exploration Year 9 girls have a Team-building Day early in the first term.

Sports, cultural and service club activities Learning continues in co-curricular activities where girls can participate and compete at the highest levels.

We value the opportunities co-curricular activities provide for girls to: • develop confidence, discipline and effective relationships with others • foster special talents • explore entirely new activities • work with others to achieve

common goals • strive for excellence in

performance • give service to others • experience a balanced and

rounded education

Sport Aerobics, Athletics, Badminton, Basketball, Canoe Polo, Cricket, Cross Country, Equestrian, Golf, Hockey, Mountain Biking, Netball, Road Running, Rock Climbing, Rowing, Skiing, Small-bore Shooting, Soccer, Softball, Squash, Swimming, Tennis, Tramping, Triathlon, Touch Rugby, Volleyball.

Service and Opportunities to Meet Others Environmental Group Health Committee Interact Interschool Christian fellowship World Vision child and 40 Hour Famine Outward Bound

SADD School Council Spirit of Adventure Young Enterprise Companies Young New Zealand Challenge Exchanges with schools in Japan and Europe Cultural / Historical trips International students Our International Coordinator, Sports Coordinator and Arts Coordinator support and encourage participation and organise events.

Queen’s has a reputation for

excellence in the

Arts

In our Arts curriculum and co-curricular, cultural activities girls can explore their creativity and develop talents by participating in live performances.

Art Exhibitions Chamber Music Choir Dance Performances Debating Drama Productions Fashion Shows Jazz Band (with King’s High School) Madrigal Choir Media and Film Festivals Musical (with King’s High School) Music trips Pacific Island Culture Group Orchestra Stage Challenge Wearable Arts Te Kimi Matauranga

The King’s and Queen’s

Performing Arts Centre provides an outstanding, purpose built theatre to showcase

School Uniform

our students’ talents.

The Queen’s contemporary.

uniform

is

smart

and

We expect students to show pride in themselves and their uniform by wearing it correctly at all times.

A range of uniform articles allows for comfort and alternatives depending upon the weather.

A safe and caring environment Making sure that students are secure, welcome and ready to learn is a high priority for Queen’s.

Learning to take responsibility for her own progress and behaviour is a focus for each student.

There are clear systems for prompt monitoring of behaviour and identifying need for further intervention.

Queen’s has a structure for support which includes: • Form Teachers who monitor academic progress and well being • Coordinators who each have responsibility for the care of a year level • The counsellor and careers teacher who work with the coordinators in supporting and guiding students • Senior Leadership Team members who link with year level coordinators

We expect consistent, firm management in classrooms so that teachers are able to provide variety in their teaching activities and students are free to learn to the best of their ability.

Senior students assist junior students as peer associates, in House Groups, on the School Council, through sports coaching, in culture groups, on the Health Committee or in service clubs. This role modelling supports the junior students while providing leadership experience for the senior students.

Parents

are included

We value the role of parents and caregivers, welcoming discussion and contact with them about their daughters. We believe that by working together our students are positively supported in achieving their goals and making the most of their opportunities at Queen’s.

We keep parents and caregivers informed through: • Regular Queen’s News and Newsletters • Academic reports • Report evenings • Meet the Teachers at Year 9 • Year 9 Barbecue

• Interviews for students and parents in Term 4 of Year 8 • The Virtual Learning Environment (Moodle) for school-linked computer access at home • Careers Expos • Opportunities to discuss your daughter’s subjects and choices for next year • Special purpose parent evenings e.g. NCEA Information • Drama, musical and cultural performances • Sporting events Young women move towards independence during adolescence but we believe they do so with security if families and schools share their journey with them.

Complementary Education with King’s High School We enjoy “the best of both worlds” with supportive relationships and cooperative activity between Queen’s and King’s.

Queen’s girls have opportunities for learning and social interactions with the boys at King’s. This includes shared musical productions, jazz band, joint cultural performances and social events, the SELL enterprise business experience and prefects’ activity challenges. These different experiences promote increased understanding and expand the opportunities available at Queen’s.

Cooperation between Queen’s and King’s allows for more option and timetabling flexibility in order to meet the individual needs of specific students in Years 12 and 13.

However, we know that girls and boys learn differently and we focus our classroom teaching on providing a quality teaching and learning environment that caters to the learning needs and interests of girls.

Queen’s High School 195 Surrey Street St Clair, Dunedin.

New Zealand.

P: +64 3 455 7212 F: +64 3 455 8644 E: qhs@queens.school.nz W: www.queens.school.nz