rodney college

RODNEY COLLEGE Rodney Street, Wellsford. Ph: (09) 423 6030, email: [email protected]

Rodney College

Rodney College

287—319 Rodney Street Wellsford www.rodneycollege.school.nz

Prospectus

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THE RODNEY COLLEGE CREST signals our intention to become a centre of educational excellence.

The crest portrays the four ships of the Albertland

settlers and celebrates the settlers’ courage in facing the challenges of the new world.

The diagonal poutama pattern represents the steps to knowledge and our partnership with tangata whenua, and the book forms the heart of a culturally inclusive house of learning.

RODNEY COLLEGE VISION Rodney College students will: achieve personal excellence in their academic, sporting, extra-curricular, social, cultural and leadership activities.

• be highly motivated and active participants in the learning process.

• view learning as a lifelong activity.

• value themselves and the learning opportunities available to them.

• see learning as being enjoyable, student centred, inspirational, challenging and

meaningful. The community, staff and students will be proud of Rodney College and will take ownership of the school environment and the learning that happens there.

MISSION STATEMENT “Rodney College aims to provide experiences which promote the best possible intellectual, physical, social and cultural development of our students in a safe, caring and stimulating environment.”






Welcome TENA KOUTOU, TENA KOUTOU,

TENA TATOA, KATOA

On behalf of Rodney College, I would like to extend a very warm welcome to you. We are a school which has high expectations of both work ethic and behaviour. It is our view that every student has the capacity to succeed and this is achieved through quality teaching, the broad range of subjects we offer and the personal approach that a school of our size affords. Our students achieve outstanding NCEA results which are second to none. Learning takes place well beyond the classroom. This is why the College has an extensive range of programmes and activities designed to develop cultural, sporting and leadership abilities. At Rodney College we aim to develop young adults who value and respect those around them and who are well rounded and confident. We are committed to providing a safe environment for students to learn in. We provide a strong level of support for students through our pastoral care and house system with expert advice and guidance being provided to students and families. The College is committed to the principles of restorative practices. The BOT has invested heavily in ICT (Information and Communication Technology) facilities with the College being fully networked. ICT is becoming well integrated into teaching programmes. As a college, we want to develop stronger links with the community and encourage parents/guardians to contact us to discuss the progress of their child or any concerns they may have. This feedback will assist us in becoming an even better college. The Education Review Office (ERO) visited the College from 21 to 24 July, 2009. The process included classroom visits and discussions with students, staff and parents. A verbal report was given at the completion of the review which was extremely positive and included:

• The restoration of school pride

• A culture of care for people and property

• A climate of trust and respect

• Quality teaching and learning

• Enthusiastic teachers

• High student achievement ERO produce a written report which will be available on their website (www.ero.govt.nz) late September. I would encourage you to read this latest report. We look forward to welcoming your child to Rodney College in the coming year. DAVE ORMANDY PRINCIPAL



http://www.ero.govt.nz




The College has high standards of behaviour and expects that all classrooms will be disciplined, friendly and positive learning environments. This RESPECT code sets out the values that we should always adhere to and is referred to frequently during class time, sports and cultural activities, assemblies and when having conversations with students.

Our RESPECT Code “Respecting ourselves, others and our environment.” Responsibility I will take ownership for my own behaviour and learning by acting

Haepapatanga with integrity. I will ensure that the environment is cared for in a sustainable way.

Excellence I will complete all tasks to the best of my ability, by setting clear Kia tiketike goals. I will persevere when things are difficult and value and demonstrate creativity, innovation, inquiry and curiosity.

Support I will encourage and support others to be the best learners and Awhina people that they can be. I will show concern for others, tolerance for

differences, fairness and I will value equity and diversity. Participation and Pride I will feel good about myself as a person and Rodney College as a

Whai waahitanga school. I will be involved in school life, be an active member of our Manatanga local community and a participant in the global community. Effort and Engagement I will be actively involved in my learning and my development as a Whakakaha person. I will strive to achieve to my potential in all that I do. I will

Aro ki te ako make good decisions and be prepared to participate in all activities. Care and Cooperation I will care for others, our school and the local environment in a Manaaki positive and respectful way. Mahi tahi

Trust I will be honest and reliable. People will be able to depend on me to Whakawhirinaki model the RESPECT Code in all that I do.

RESPECT CODE

The Rodney College RESPECT Code

was developed by staff in consultation with students and

parents.






“How do I know my child is able to achieve good results at Rodney College?”

Our NCEA results are consistently around 20% above the national average. Few schools in the north have results at this level. The strong tracking system and small class sizes have contributed to these excellent results.

“How will my child be supported to do his/her best?”

There is a focus on

d e v e l o p i n g s t u d e n t s ’ academic, sporting, cultural, leadership and social skills. Students are supported by our whanau and house

system, learning centre, ‘pathways to success’ group, junior diploma, deans, guidance councillor and ‘g i fte d and ta lente d ’ programme.

“Will my child get opportunities to use computers?”

Rodney College has two computer laboratories

and their use is integrated across the different subject areas. There are also pods in the library, Gateway and careers areas giving a total of nearly 60 computers in the college. This is a ratio of one computer for every six students.

“What leadership opportunities will my child have?”

From entry into Year 9, students have the opportunity to become leaders in whanau and sports teams. The school values students’ input and has many governing bodies set up for students.

“The world changes year by year. How will Rodney College prepare my child for this?”

Teachers have regular professional development in order to keep learning meaningful and appropriate. Trips, guest speakers and current case studies and resources maintain relevance to the learning needs of the students.

“What are the average class sizes in the junior and senior school?”

The average size of the junior classes is 20, while in the senior school the average size is 16.7.

“How do you prepare my child to be a good citizen?

We work hard at promoting a community spirit in the college

by helping students to understand how their choices can impact on others. This is developed through the use of restorative practices, the RESPECT code, the Junior

Diploma and house system.

What does Rodney College do to help the transition to secondary school?

Students start to settle into Rodney College culture on our open days and evenings and on our orientation day where new students meet teachers and students in a fun and interesting

way. Year 9 students stay in the same group for all their subjects. Having attended Rodney College for their Year 7 and 8 Technology studies gives students valuable experience of the College

environment.

“Rodney College for you”






We believe that learning should be both challenging and enjoyable. By achieving success in a range of activities, students will develop positive attitudes that will encourage further studies, training, employment and life long learning. The College is extremely fortunate in having committed and talented teachers whose goal is to provide each and every student with a sound learning foundation for their future needs. Smaller class sizes mean our teachers can provide more individual attention to each and every student.

Year 9 Programme In Year 9 all students study a full year course in English, Maths, Science, Social Studies and Physical Education. They also take the following subject for one term each: Health, Wood, Fabric, Food, Metal, Maori, French, Spanish, Performing Arts, Art, Music and Graphics.

Year 10 Programme In Year 10 all students study a full year course in English, Maths, Science, Social Studies and Physical Education. They also have an opportunity to select options from the following: Drama, Food and Nutrition, French, Graphics, Horticulture, Metal, Multimedia, Music, Spanish, Sports Coaching, Te Reo Maori, Textiles, Visual Arts and Wood.

Year 11 Programme In Year 11 all students study a full year course in English, Maths and Science. They also have an opportunity to select three subjects from

Year 12 and 13 Programme Students select from the following list of subjects:

A Broad Balanced Curriculum

• Art • Automotive • Economics

• French • Geography • Graphics

• Horticulture • Hospitality • Maori

• Wood • Multimedia • Music

• Spanish • Textiles • Physical Education

• History • Employment Skills

• Art • Automotive • Biology

• Chemistry • Physics • Economics

• English • French • Food & Nutrition

• Gateway • Geography • Employment Skills

• Graphics • History • Horticulture

• Maori • Metal/Wood • Maths

• Music • Multimedia • Maths Applied

• Outdoor Ed. • Spanish • Physical Education

• Photography • Tourism






Traditionally, Rodney College students have achieved outstanding results

in NCEA. The 2008 results are summarized below with the Rodney

College students achieving between 14% and 23% above national figures.

Very few schools in Northland achieve results at this level.

Rodney College students also received five scholarships for NCEA Level 3

last year which is outstanding for a school of this size.

2008 NCEA Results






Junior Diploma In 2010 we are going to re-establish a Junior Diploma for Year 9 and Year 10. Students will earn points throughout the year and will aim to graduate at the end of each year. The points will be gained by demonstrating the key competencies, attending school on a regular basis and improving their literacy and numeracy skills. Junior Diplomas can be awarded or endorsed with Merit or Excellence. Each student will get feedback each term on their progress.

Excellence Club Our students are recognised for academic excellence in our senior school when they achieve their NCEA certificates endorsed with excellence and are admitted to the ‘Excellence Club’. The students are presented with blazer badges in recognition of this outstanding achievement.

Sports We offer a varied and wide range of sports, from the traditional sports such as netball and rugby to clay bird shooting, archery and snowboarding. We are well represented in the annual Northland ASB Secondary Schools Sports Awards and several of our students have gone on to represent New Zealand in their chosen sport. We belong to a strong inter-school competition and within the school we have many inter-house sporting opportunities.

Challenge Week Challenge Week is an opportunity for students to literally challenge themselves to take on tasks that they would not usually attempt. The value in this is an immense sense of achievement that has been engineered by their own ability to believe in themselves. Students take on activities as varied as creating a mural to abseiling down the side of a gorge.

Kapa Haka In 2009 we had a Kapa Haka group of 35 students who performed at the Tai Tokerau Festival at Kawakawa. This group consisted of male and female students from Years 9-13. During Term 3, our students are joining with Otamatea College to form a Kapa Haka group to perform at the Regionals at Waitangi and to hopefully qualify for the Nationals.

Success for all






Itinerant Music

All students in Year 9 study music for one term.

Extra to this, a student who wishes to learn an instrument is able to do so free of charge. Currently, the weekly programme allows students to learn to play string and percussion instruments, vocals, piano and keyboard with an

introduction to recording. A rock group has also been set up and they get assistance from our wonderful itinerant music teacher.

Drama

All students in Year 9 study performing arts for one term. Drama is an area that is being developed further to cater for the needs of some

very talented drama students who attend the college. The annual variety concerts are a great opportunity for students to be involved in.

Te Kotahitanga

Te Kotahitanga is a Professional Development programme for staff to improve the educational

achievement of Maori students. It is built on the fundamentals of quality relationships and interactions between teachers and students and where learning is more interactive. Schools that have participated in the project have reported rises in achievement for all their students and

considerable rises in achievement for their Maori students.






Hauora (Wellbeing)

We have a strong

network of support

including Whanau

Teachers, House

Heads, Deans,

Guidance Counsellor

and Senior

Management to

ensure every student

receives the

encouragement and

support necessary

The Whanau System

A long established tradition of Rodney College,

first introduced in 1968, is the vertical house grouping known as the Whanau System. The four houses, Hanover, Miles, Tyburnia and Wattenbach (named after ships that carried Albertland settlers to New Zealand), each contain

four whanau. These are vertical groupings, where there are students from Year 9 to Year 13 in each whanau, which means new students have a feeling of ‘belonging’ by being a member of a family. The whanau teacher and house head have a pastoral role. There is a building of rapport

between the students and other whanau and house members. Involvement is strongly encouraged through house and whanau events with points being allocated. These include inter-house events such as athletics, cross country,

swimming and the variety concerts. The closely

fought inter-whanau activities of tube-a-side, tug of war, soccer, netball, basketball and volleyball also produce points to the winning

House. The prestigious House Shield is presented annually at prizegiving.






Guidance

At Rodney College, the classroom and whanau teachers have the primary

responsibility for providing a safe, respectful, warm and vital learning environment for our students. At times, in the lives of our students, needs a r i s e w h i c h

requ ire ext ra support to resolve. At these times they are often referred to the school

counsellor. The problems of the s t u d e n t a r e assessed and a process is agreed on to resolve the

problem. This often involves collaboration with parents, caregivers, classroom teacher, whanau teachers, house heads, deans, the senior management team

and, in some cases, referral to outside agencies.

Student Support

A number of our senior students are trained in mentoring and mediation and students are

encouraged to seek support from them as another option for problem resolution. Our

message to students is that if a problem arises,

which may impact on their learning in a

negative way, their priority is to find someone

who is trustworthy, in a position to l i s t e n i n a respectful way, and able to support

them in solving their problems.

Leadership

There are many

l e a d e r s h i p opportunities for our junior and senior students. At senior level, we

have a strong focus on dual leadership

with a Student Council of sixteen elected leaders. This council meet each week and lead their bi-weekly assemblies, plan events on a

weekly basis, help facilitate community events for the school and help raise funds for charities.

The Student Council also has a junior membership and leadership days and courses

are accessed to facilitate and develop leadership potential across a wide body of students.

……...Hauora






The Senior Management Team, deans, house

heads and teachers will generally initiate contact with home if concerns are being expressed about a student’s progress. At the same time, the College encourages parents to contact the appropriate dean if the parent or the student has any concerns. Deans are available by phone and

voice mail messages can be easily left.

Senior Dean: Bronwyn Dempster 423 6039 ext. 153

[email protected]

Junior Dean: Carol Weaver 4236039 ext. 161

[email protected]

Parent Teacher Student Interviews

The College runs two sets of interviews each year

during which parents and students have a face to face meeting with all their teachers.

Student Reports

Three reports are posted home each year, the first

of which is issued at the end of term 1 and is an early progress report.

Newsletters

The College believes in regular communication

with home. This is done through a weekly Friday Newsflash that students are given to take home each week, newsletters that are posted home twice a term and the front page of the Rodney College website (www.rodneycollege.school.nz ) which is updated at the start of each week.

Parent Teacher Association (PTA)

The Rodney College PTA is a very important

group of parents, teachers and students who meet each month. They have responsibility for running the college canteen and uniform shop. They are also actively involved with fundraising and they provide grants to the college and

student groups on a regular basis.

Pathways to Success

This group meets monthly with the aim of designing strategies to support Maori

achievement. It is made up of Kaumatua, staff, students and other interested community members.

Whanau Support Group

This recently established group has been set up

by parents and whanau with the role to support, offer guidance and assistance to students and parents. A project the group is working on is to organise a celebration evening early in term 4. Meetings are monthly and the timing is published

in the newsletters and on the Rodney College website.

Other

The College is in debt to the support from parents

and friends of the school who assist with sports coaching, reading programmes, kapa haka, sports days and other volunteer activities within Rodney College.

Partnership with Parents

The College places a great

emphasis on working with parents. An effective partnership

between school and home will assist in creating a positive and

effective learning climate.





http://www.rodneycollege.school.nz




History of Rodney College Rodney College (formerly Wellsford District High School) was established

on the present site in 1962. Today it is a state secondary co-educational s c h o o l p r o v i d i n g a q u a l i t y , a l l - r o u n d

education to some 350 students from Years 9 to 13. Rodney College f a c i l i t i e s i n c l u d e a gymnasium, solar heated swimming pool, hall, well

resourced library, music suite, horticulture area, modern computer equipment, new technology facility and extensive playing fields.

Homework Students are issued with a homework diary at the

beginning of the year and are expected to keep the diary up to date. The amount of homewo rk issued by teachers will vary according to the subject

and the time of the year.






Rodney College …. the teachin

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. the C

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…. th

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Com

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ent to th

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Front Cover: Aerial Photograph of Rodney College. Photographer: John Ross.





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