KAIKORAI VALLEY COLLEGE He manu whai huruhuru Opportunity and Success for All School Prospectus Principal’s welcome abilities in a safe and caring environment, makes an impact on a young person’s free from harassment and bullying. life, teachers need to foster a culture built around relationships and learning. Without At Kaikorai Valley College we believe these, the best intentions in the world will strongly in self-management and a sense not bring about improved learning…. To of responsibility. We promote and expect get the best from their students, teachers clear standards of behaviour, and have need to foster the values of empathy, comprehensive structures in place for student caring and respect.” (KVC charter) support. We promote excellence in all facets of life - academic, sporting and cultural. If you would like to look around, or Teachers are dedicated to maximizing the discuss how we might meet your needs, opportunities for students. We believe in please do make contact. I am more than “Opportunity and Success for All.” happy to meet with you and show you around the school at any time. We accept enrolments across all age groups. Our biggest intakes are Rick Geerlofs generally at Years 7 and 9, however Principal students can enter at any levels throughout the school Kaikorai Valley College is a Year 7 – 13 co- year. Our curriculum educational State Secondary School, situated offers depth and in a beautiful park-like setting on the west breadth. Students are side of Dunedin. For over fifty years the able to take a wide school has enjoyed a reputation for providing variety of subjects, a high quality education. Students are given right through to a wide range of opportunities to develop Scholarship level. into confident young adults, ready to take Our facilities are first on the challenges of work and study in an class and are always increasingly dynamic and complex society. being upgraded. The Unusually for a city school, Kaikorai Valley new full size gymnasium College offers continued education from and attached buildings the ages of 10 to 18 (Years 7 – 13). The provide a wonderful co-educational environment reflects the facility for students world around them, and enables students and the community. to mix and share ideas readily. It also “In order to be an allows them to perform to the best of their effective teacher, who He manu whai huruhuru – “Opportunity and Success for All” 3 Curriculum Years 7 – 13 For many years, research has suggested that the key ingredients to success are: firstly, the quality of teaching taking place in the classroom, and secondly, the relationships formed between student and teacher. Year 7 and 8 Students Science and Physical Education are taught Year 9 and 10 Students by specialist teachers throughout the year. Students are based in a homeroom with primary All students study English, Maths, Science, Social Studies, Physical Education, Careers and trained teachers for 15 hours/week. In-class Students follow a special studies programme Health. At Year 9 there is still a broad option grouping caters for different abilities in Reading, in which they rotate through modules of choice offered of three languages [Ma–ori, Language Skills, Social Studies and Health. Art, Technology and Language subjects. Japanese and French], all of the strands in the For Mathematics, students from each year • Arts - Art/Drama/Music Technology curriculum, Art, Music and Drama. level will join together to be grouped according to their achievement level. For the • Technology - Electronics/Food At Year 10 three options are chosen in addition to the core programme. This still leaves open many subject remainder of the week, students work with Technology/Fabrics Technology/Workshop choices in the senior school. High achieving students specialist teachers in such specialist facilities Technology/Digital Technology join an achievement class at Year 9 and Year 10. The as the library information centre, Science • Languages - French/Ma–ori/Japanese enriched curriculum provides extension work for them. laboratories, computer suites, gymnasium and technology, Art, Drama and Music suites. Most of the classes are broad banded to ensure that students are with others at similar achievement levels. A learning support class is in place to serve the students who struggle academically. They join with the rest of their Year 9 or 10 peers for the option subjects. 4 Kaikorai Valley College – School Prospectus Year 11 and 13 Students Kaikorai Valley College offers a full range of academic and vocational subjects for students planning to advance to university, polytechnic or other tertiary courses. In fact, because the school is co-educational, there is a wider choice for both girls and boys than will be found in many single sex schools. All senior students are encouraged to achieve at the higher performance levels of Merit and Excellence. Students often achieve well above their own expectations. Career opportunities, subjects and pathways to tertiary courses are considered and discussed with all senior students and their families, and courses are organised to meet the needs of individual students. He manu whai huruhuru – “Opportunity and Success for All” 5 Opportunity and Success for All At Kaikorai Valley College we place high value on educating the “whole” person, providing experiences that develop skills for adulthood. While academic studies will always retain a very Culture and the Arts new staff and students to the school each year. high priority, we appreciate and understand Students are getting every opportunity to Debating and public speaking are very that we have a responsibility to ensure students display their talents through the many Cultural much encouraged at the school and, are active participants in “a range of life and Arts activities that are an integral part likewise, form part of the regular curriculum. contexts” (NZ Curriculum). These include: of Kaikorai Valley College. They include Speech contests are an annual feature. drama, debating, public speaking, Stage Outdoor Education Challenge, kapa haka, school productions, Sporting Excellence At Kaikorai Valley College students school orchestra, choir, Sheilah Winn At Kaikorai Valley College we want our young can look forward to many experiences Shakespeare festival and theatresports. New Zealanders to develop a love of sport and in the outdoors, providing them with Specialist and experienced teachers offer recreation that leads to lifelong participation skills and interests that last for life. some really exciting initiatives. This has and keeps them physically fit and active. From Years 7 to 13 students will be involved resulted in an increasing number of students While we recognise that not all students in a variety of camps or activities that will showing an interest in studying Music, will become elite sports people, we actively include: tramping, bivouacking, kayaking, Drama and Visual Art and many go on to encourage students to get involved and have and sandboarding, rock climbing, abseiling, tertiary study or practise in the community. a go. This involvement creates a sense of cycle tours, skiing, mountain biking and Students wishing to learn how to play a musical belonging, team spirit and personal satisfaction water skiing, just to name a few. This instrument are able to do so, and the number from the achievement that comes with all sport. comprehensive outdoor education programme who are confident to perform on stage is Unlike many other schools, there is always room culminates in a course in Outdoor Pursuits flourishing. Drama forms a regular part of in a team for someone who wants to have a go. that can be taken as a Year 13 course. the school curriculum and can be pursued to Participation in sport is increasing and For many years, Kaikorai Valley College has senior and Scholarship levels. Performance we have set ourselves some ambitious also offered students the opportunity to be opportunities are created within the class, goals around participation. involved in the Duke of Edinburgh Hillary school productions, and talent quests. Scheme. This allows students to develop One of the school’s strategic goals is the By the end of 2014 our goal at Kaikorai skills in the four disciplines of Adventurous development of strong cultural groups Valley College is to have at least 70% of our Journeys, Physical Recreation, Service including kapa haka. Part of that goal is students participating in sport and we are and Skills. This is an extremely worthwhile the development of strong links to our local confident of reaching this target. Our school programme to be involved in, and is very highly Araiteru marae. This group will perform on grounds provide a wonderful and picturesque thought of by employers, as it demonstrates regular occasions throughout the year. The setting for those involved in outdoor sport the characteristics of participation, first of these performances will be at an annual and our two gymnasiums provide first class commitment, resiliency and reliability. mihi whakatau that recognises and welcomes facilities for those playing indoors.. 6 Kaikorai Valley College – School Prospectus Sports currently on offer include: Athletics, Badminton, Basketball, Bowls, Cricket, Cross-Country, Equestrian, Football, Futsal, Golf, Harriers, Hockey, Judo, Lawn Bowls, Motocross, Netball, Petanque, Rugby, Skiing, Softball, Swimming, Table tennis,Tennis, Touch, Triathlon and Volleyball. Of course, sport in a school would never succeed without the support of parents and community. We have a good relationship with families and former students and greatly appreciate their willingness to help through coaching, managing or driving. The school has five vans which make transport to sporting activities less of a pressure on parents. These are constantly on the road, and parents and caregivers assist us in driving these to venues. He manu whai huruhuru – Opportunity and Success for All 7 A Proud Tradition of Co-educational Achievement We are a co-educational school with a very proud tradition of achievement in a range of fields.