The college is organised into five houses – Atea, Kapura, Moana, Oranga and Whenua. Each has a Head of House who is responsible for the support and guidance of the students in that house.
If you have a concern about any aspect of your child’s education, your initial point of contact should be with the form teacher or with the head of your child’s house. Support staff will call home if there are any concerns about student progress or attendance.
Form classes consist of students from all year levels. This ‘vertical’ organisation of students encourages friendships across ages and enables us to build a family atmosphere.
Health Centre (Waiora)
Within a specialist adolescent health care service, this centre delivers high quality nursing care. The nurse liaises with colleagues, families and outside health providers, as well as carrying out a significant health education role. The school-based physiotherapist provides treatment for students each day of the week.
Learning Centre
The Learning Centre offers a comprehensive range of learning support programmes catering for all students at all levels. These include specialist help to address literacy and numeracy needs, peer reading and peer mentoring programmes, individual and group learning – how-to-learn interventions, study skills and examination technique workshops, and programmes for gifted and talented students.
Learning Support
Learning Support teachers and teacher aides work with identified students to meet their learning needs so that they can access the school curriculum and be participating members of the school community. Teacher aides support students in the classroom and on reduced programmes.
Learning Support also coordinates and provides support for students who have been identified as having special assessment conditions (SAC) e.g. reader, writer computer.
The HOD liaises with families and wider support networks to ensure students have a programme that meets their learning needs and ensures successful progress through school.
House Contacts
Atea Co Head of House
Amy Dennis
Melanie Webber
Kapura Head of House
Helen Long
Moana Head of House
Rachel Allwood
Oranga Co Head of House
Bella Pomare
Naomi Cusack
Whenua Head of House
Sophie Lenehan
Academic Director Year 13
Heather Dikstaal
Careers Centre
Career education is about developing each student’s career management skills through self-awareness, exploring possibilities, decision-making and taking action. Given ever-changing work trends and the need for career flexibility, students are prepared for the current work situation and also ongoing education and life role changes. It also facilitates links between the college and the community, employers, industry and tertiary institutions.
The centre’s range of services includes:
- 1:1 career counselling
- Gateway – work-based learning
- Years 9 – 12 career programmes
- An extensive library of career resources for students exploring future options
- Regular career focus seminars
- Facilitating attendance at interactive career workshops provided by tertiary and career services
- Facilitating off-site career exploration opportunities
- CV preparation and interview assistance
Gateway
Gateway is an exciting work-based learning programme funded by the Tertiary Education Commission (TEC). Gateway enables students (Year 11-13) to not only gain work experience, but also credits that go towards their NCEA and a qualification in their chosen career.
Students who are accepted into the programme continue to study conventional school subjects plus Gateway. Students are placed in a structured work placement for one day a week for up to 5-20 weeks. The workplace learning is set in an actual workplace, with clear understanding about the knowledge and skills to be attained and the completion of the unit standard assessments.
There is no cost to students who participate in the programme. It is funded by the Tertiary Education Commission, which pays for equipment, course assessments and uniforms. Students will not be paid while on Gateway; instead they will learn on-the-job skills relevant to their chosen pathways.
For more information please contact our Gateway Coordinator
Kau Tepaki
P. 09 8156730 Ext 746
E. tepakik@wsc.school.nz