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WHY CHOOSE PORIRUA COLLEGE?
Porirua College has certainly changed and grown and developed over the last few years.
We have the best of both worlds – a medium sized school with an excellent school
climate, and a family atmosphere; and we can offer a good range of subjects.
Porirua College can offer
the following advantages:
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Good Teaching
and Learning: We have the big tick of approval from ERO and from the MOE for our
academic programmes and some of our academic enhancement programmes have been
adopted by other schools. We compare very favourably with other local schools in
our senior school academic results, in NCEA.
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A Safe School: All
surveys in the last eight years, and the ERO
reports have told us that we have a safe school and a school environment imbued
with the value of respect. By far the majority of students are happy at the
school, and feel well cared for by teachers, deans and their study group tutor.
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A Good Subject
Choice: We
have a wide range of NCEA courses [please refer to page 10] in the senior
school. In the junior school we have the usual subjects and a good range of
options as choices. We also offer a comprehensive range of Pasefika languages as
well as te Reo
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Excellent Care
and Support Networks:
We have won praise from our local community for our excellent care and support
networks. We have had an almost zero expulsion/exclusion rate for some years
now, and we have effective school/home links through our Community Liaison
Officer scheme. We have an automatic text messaging system that alerts parents
immediately if their child is not at school and we are very tough on
absenteeism, and have halved our absence rates over 7 years, to below the
National average for similar schools. Porirua College has build effective relationships through working closely with families.
We welcome parental involvement at any time and for any reason, at school.
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A well established tradition of sporting and cultural programmes and
achievements: Porirua College has always been
known to have good sports teams and achievements. We link sporting success with
academic success, and promote good practice and training in both. Our polyfest
groups are outstanding, and every year we are excellent participants in the
local polyfestival.
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Good teaching and learning
“A culture of learning
is actively fostered”
Confirmed ERO report, May 2004, page 2
[2007 report due out soon]
1. Fast Forward – A Literacy
Enhancement Programme: For several
years now our teachers have been engaged in professional development to help
students move more quickly towards gaining good literacy and
numeracy skills. Our teachers have had excellent and ongoing professional
development and the results in the senior school show our students are above the
national average for gaining their literacy and numeracy requirements for
completing level 1 NCEA.
2. Tracking Programmes:
In the senior school, the academic progress of
all students is carefully tracked, through the senior study group system, and in
other ways. Under the NCEA qualifications framework, tracking is one very
effective way of ensuring academic success, and encourages good career planning
and the development of suitable academic pathways. Senior students should see
university as their next step in education after school.
3. The Porirua College Languages
Initiative: In 2004 the College
implemented its languages policy which sees every year 9 and year 10 student
study a second language. We gained a commendation from the Human Rights
Commission for this programme in 2003, being the first NZ Secondary school to do
this; and to offer the widest range of Pasefika languages as well as te Reo
Maori. We now offer Gagana Samoa and Cook Islands Maori to senior levels.
4. The PEN Computer Network:
The PEN [Porirua East Network] schools have laid a fibre optic cable round
several schools. This is a very powerful, high speed cable which gives the
school 24/7 internet and email access. The asset worth of this cable is upwards
of half a million dollars and has enabled the PEN schools to be future proofed
for computer and ICT capability. Porirua College has four full computer suites and several other computers placed around
the campus, including the library.
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“A number of
initiatives are having a positive
impact on students”
Confirmed ERO report, May 2004, page 2
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5. AIMHI Data Analysis:
through engagement in the AIMHI initiative teachers gain more in-service
training and we are currently involved in the EHSAS, and secondary numeracy
projects in particular. NCEA results in the AIMHI schools are also reviewed and
analysed annually, in order to make sure we continue to make improvements in
results. We continue to build our ability to become evidence based
practitioners, reviewing outcomes to create courses, especially in the senior
school. Some of our initiatives are cleverly knitted together to maximise the
benefits we get from extra funding.
6. NCEA Results: Our results in the senior school compare well with
other local schools. Since 2004 we have achieved above our ranking for
similar schools nationally and we remain above the national average for NCEA
results for Maori and Pasefika students. Increasingly our year 13 students view
University as the next step for them, after school and we have ex Porirua
College students successfully studying degree courses in four of the 6 major
universities.
7. Adult Classes:
We have a joint partnership with the Porirua Language Project to run an adults
only class. This runs daily at the College for about two hours. The classes are
for learning English and are most useful for English for speakers of other
languages.
8. The GO PC
campaign: We have
instituted a GO PC campaign which aims to encourage and reward good behaviour,
good attitude and good hard work. The GO PC campaign includes gold card rewards,
and a weekly prize draw for an $80.00 voucher for our Kia Kaha
uniform clothing. The GO PC campaign also earns house points towards the grand
total of house points calculates at the end of each year.
“The network of
learning support programmes to promote physical and emotional safety within
the school is responsive to student needs. Student attendance has improved and
the rate of stand downs and suspensions has significantly reduced since 2000.”
Confirmed ERO report, May 2004, page 6 [2007 report due out soon]
Porirua College has made great
efforts to continue to improve the school climate. These efforts have been
successful, as noted in all surveys undertaken over seven years.
Student Leadership:
We have a strong school council and student representation on
the Board of Trustees, the Health reference group and the Management group.
We have four school leaders, and we have up to 20
other school leaders who are prefects. Prefects undergo leadership training at a
camp at the start of the year. Other student leadership opportunities are
available, including STARS peer mentoring and peer mediation training. Outward
Bound and participation in other outside sponsored leadership courses are also
available. Our school leaders help younger students in terms of promoting the
school value of respect, and in helping to sort out upsets and difficulties some
might be experiencing in school life.
Mentoring Programmes:
We have a range of excellent mentoring programmes to promote
confidence and esteem in our students. Some are academically oriented [see page
12] and some are focussed on promoting healthy attitudes. The STARS programme is
one such. Our year 9 students participate in this programme which has been going
successfully for two years now. Year 9 attendance rates are the highest in the
school, [95%, term 1 2007] which is a good indicator of a smooth transition into
high school, from Intermediate years.
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