Student Life

Performing Arts

The performance room and music suite, including practice rooms, are an integral part of the college. The college offers free musical tuition in a wide range of instruments. Performance groups include bands, choir, and Maori culture.

A number of opportunities arise during the year for students to be involved in cultural activities, including Stage Challenge and the college performance (run on alternating years), Shakespeare, RockQuest, Prizegiving and house events.

Duke of Edinburgh Award

Students have the opportunity to complete this programme which is made up of non-competitive activities to challenge the individual and encourage them to use their recreational time in a balanced way.

Students are required to complete four specified sections – skill, physical recreation, service and expedition, and the award commences at Bronze level, progressing through Silver to Gold.

Snow Programmes

The College has a relationship with local Snow Academies and arrangements may be made in Term 3 for students who are elite winter athletes to attend their ski and snow programmes, at the discretion of the Principal.

Special Needs

A comprehensive programme exists for students who require extra assistance at college. This includes remedial (LEAP) and extension programmes (Rutherford) in consultation with classroom teachers. Other assistance is offered through outside agencies e.g. health, speech, hearing and vision and psychological service.

Gifted and Talented

The Rutherford Programme has been operating successfull at the college for several years to challenge and extend our capable students through a variety of approaches. The programme aims to support classroom teachers in their quest to help each child to reach their true potential, and operates as part of the timetabled programme in Years 7 to 10 and as an extracurricular activity in Years 11 to 13.

Sports and Clubs

A range of sporting and outdoor activities are offered outside of the curriculum, in many cases in collaboration with local sports clubs. These include athletics, badminton, basketball, cricket, cross country, equestrian, golf, hockey, ice hockey, karate, kayaking, netball, rugby, rockclimbing, squash, soccer, touch rugby, shooting, skiing, snowboarding, swimming, tennis, volleyball and yachting.

Student Council

An avenue for students to present their views to the staff and to the Board of Trustees is through the Student Council, which consists of senior students, under the direction of an elected executive. The council also raises money for college projects.