Welcoming Year 6 into St Cuthbert’s Senior School
St Cuthbert’s Service Welcoming YearDay 6 into Senior School Monday 22 March 2021 at 2.00pm
St Cuthbert’s Year 7 Homeroom model
How your daughter will get to know Year 7
Our Year 7 Homeroom structure ensures our girls have the right level of support they need to thrive socially, emotionally, and academically for their age and developmental stage.
Our Term 4 transition plan has been carefully developed by our Senior Leadership Team, in conjunction with our Year 6 teachers, Head of Junior School, Year 7 Senior Leader and Year 7 Homeroom teachers.
Ensuring our Year 7 girls have the same teacher for their core subjects of English, Social Studies, Tutor Time, World View and Te Reo Māori, means that their teacher really gets to know them.
In addition to her Homeroom teacher, your daughter will also benefit from increased specialisation in key subjects such as science, technology, art, music, drama, dance and a rotation of Spanish, French, Latin and Mandarin. The benefit is two-fold in that as a class, they stay together so friendships can blossom and cement; and they are taught by some of New Zealand’s best subject specialists in classroom environments.
The St Cuthbert’s Year 7 Homeroom swiftly builds a strong rapport among Year 7 girls, and allows each girl to become accustomed to the Senior School, providing a strong foundation for her into her vertical House Tutor group in Year 8,
This plan ensures that your daughter will feel comfortable in her Year 7 Homeroom environment before her first day. The first of these activities was our recent Stepping Together day. The Year 6 students enjoyed meeting our incoming 2023 Year 7s (from other schools) and took part in a variety of fun team building activities.
On Monday 7 November, our Year 6 girls will be part of our New Student Orientation Day. Our Year 6 girls will join with our incoming Year 7 students and be hosted by the current Year 7 2022 students. They will visit the Year 7 area and be taken through a typical Year 7 timetabled day.
Arts and Music
Along with her Homeroom classmates, your daughter will attend dance, drama, art and music in Year 7, all taught by specialist subject teachers.
Languages
During Year 7, girls experience a term-long ‘language taster’ for Latin, Spanish, French and Mandarin in addition to year-round Te Reo Māori. Your daughter doesn’t need to choose future languages until Year 8, once she’s had an opportunity to sample each of the possible pathways.
Technology
Year 7 students will experience two of our fabulous technology rotations, Digital Creativity and Food and Nutrition.
Physical Education
Taught by our specialist PE and sports department, your daughter will experience a wide range of sports including swimming. She will also learn about health as part of her Year 7 curriculum.
Science
St Cuthbert’s Junior School is proud to offer students of Years 5 and 6 the opportunity to learn science from Senior School science teachers. We build on this further in Year 7 to ensure your daughter’s confidence and insight into the major sciences is expanded. Your daughter will be taught by some of the country’s leading science teachers in a dedicated laboratory.
Year 7 teachers and Senior Leader Your daughter’s Year 7 teacher will be your key contact, and they will connect with your daughter every day. We shall be advising which Homeroom teacher your daughter will have before end of term. Our Year 7 Senior Leader is Sue Elgar, whom you will get to meet over the course of the year. Whilst your first point of contact is always your daughter’s Year 7 Homeroom teacher, please know that you can meet with Sue at any time during the year, should you wish to talk about your daughter’s progress. In addition, Julie Hogg and Suzanne Winthrop are also available to help you. Sue’s email is sue. elgar@stcuthberts.school.nz
What do I need to prepare or purchase for Year 7? Absences
From Year 7, absences can be reported in a number of ways. Please visit Parent Services on myCollege for details.
Chapel Services
Girls will attend one Family Chapel Service during the year. This is a lovely opportunity to celebrate together the new and special school family that they make in year 7.
Senior School Diary
This will be issued at the start of the year and contains details for all four terms
Devices
Students in Years 5 – 9 use iPads with a keyboard and Apple Pencil. Our Year 6 students can continue to use the iPad they have. If you are purchasing a new iPad we recommend the iPad Pro or iPad Air with an M1 chip and at least 128GB storage, Apple Pencil 2 and the Apple Magic Keyboard.
We do not have any preferred suppliers for the purchase of devices. Please contact Mr Andy Parker, Director of Information and Learning Technologies, if you have any queries: notebook@stcuthberts. school.nz
Library
From Year 7, your daughter will benefit from our wonderful Frances Compton Library situated at the top of the Information Centre.
Lunches
Your daughter can bring in her lunch and enjoy eating with her friends at break times in the picnic area outside her Homeroom. You can also order lunches though www.lunchonline.co.nz which can be picked up from the Quad at the Foyer end of Clouston Hall. Alternatively, from Year 7, girls may also like to visit the Senior School Tuckshop, on occassion, in the second half of lunchtime for drinks or treats.
Morning tea and lunch spaces
Year 7 girls have many options available to them, and we notice that groups of girls find their “favourite nook” with their friends, in the Wells Building area, early in Term 1. They can play giant chess at our outdoor space, next to the Homerooms, whilst others prefer to sit in the Year 7 picnic area or play table tennis outside. Some girls like sitting on the Chapel lawn and of course a firm favourite is always the Year 7 and 8 Playground.
Mobile Phone Policy for Year 7
Our policy in Year 7 is that girls are not allowed to use their phones whilst at school. They can use them during their commute for your peace of mind, but they must be kept locked away during the day.
Stationery
Families should purchase their daughter’s stationery through Office Max. We shall be sending you a link to the Year 7 Stationery list in early November.
Transport
As girls step-up to Senior School, we encourage them to take Public Transport or use one of our Private Buses. For the many options available, please visit stcuthberts.school.nz/transport
Uniform
In the Senior School, the Winter uniform includes the white shirt and tie plus full length stockings. The blue skivvy and socks are no longer worn. You can find details of the current uniform requirements, book a fitting or shop online by visiting stcuthberts. school.nz/uniform
Camp
Our Year 7 girls enjoy a week-long camp in Term 1. In 2023 camp will take place from Monday 27 February to Friday 3 March. We will be asking for parent volunteers soon.
“Senior School is a little bit different than the Junior School, so brace yourself for some exciting times ahead as there are so many new opportunities. Everything will make sense! Just relax, have fun and just be yourself! So much fun awaits you in the Senior School.” Emma Zheng, 7MCN
122 Market Road, PO Box 26020, Epsom, Auckland 1344, New Zealand P +64 9 520 4159 | E info@stcuthberts.school.nz | stcuthberts.school.nz