Feature - Education Feature - April 2018

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N O I T A C EDU

Ashburton Guardian

F EA T U RE

Saturday, April 28, 2018

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High quality care and education Our dedicated teaching team and a homely purpose-built environment with natural, open ended resources allow children to develop into confident and capable learners ready to explore the world.

The covered in veranda allows for outdoor play everyday and we love to explore our senses through messy play, water play and when we are out and about exploring our community.

ERO recently visited and gave positive feedback on our bicultural inclusiveness and the learning experiences our team are providing for children of all ages.

We have great feedback from our parents and whanau and are proud of what we offer within our learning settings. Lower than required ratios, consistent teachers and practice that values the importance of trusting, respectful relationships with our children and their families ensure that we are offering high quality care and education at all times.

We regularly have spaces opening up due to transition between rooms and children moving on to school. We strongly encourage people to contact us early to enquire about upcoming spaces especially if there are particular days or hours needed.

Loving, caring and respectful relationships are key and we pride ourselves on the teaching team we have here – the feedback we receive from parents about our care and extra attention to children’s needs is

why we love coming to work.

Our belief is that children learn so much through the relationships they have, the environment and resources they are interacting with each day and the routines and regular events of the day.

The importance of these things is paramount and they are the focus of our Centre. Children learn so much through play when guided by teachers they trust in an environment of quality, age appropriate resources.

A pathways to school programme was recently developed with input from local pri-

mary school teachers and encourages our 4.5 year olds to interact in group games, develop fine motor skills ready for writing and participate in basic maths activities.

We encourage them to develop confidence speaking in front of the group and sharing their interests and stories from home. This has been a great success.

Infants and toddlers participate in respectful caregiving moments with their teachers and we are passionate about having strong relationships with our families where communication is key.

We have a large number of children turn-

ing two in the next few months so please get in touch if you have been thinking of enrolling your child.

As always, we encourage you to enquire as early as possible about space and of course come and visit us to see our wonderful environment.

You can find more information on our website www.steppingstones.net.nz or call us on 03 307 2088 during our open hours 7.30am until 6pm.

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Stepping Stones @ Braebrook is purpose-built with three spacious learning environments to cater for your child’s needs.

Close to town, the showgrounds and the Netherby Shopping Centre we welcome families from all over town.

Open 7.30am until 6pm to suit the needs of our community.

Our dedicated team of teachers encourage children to discover at their own pace, develop their skills and knowledge and to have a love for learning!

Our family-focused vision and philosophy is clear within our calm spaces and our friendly team.

• Four hour afternoon sessions for $5 with WINZ subsidy!

• We also offer 20 hours FREE care for 3 years and over.

All welcome, please come and visit us to see what we have to offer.

Contact us on 03 307 2088 www.steppingstones.net.nz or find us on Facebook!

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F EA T U RE Saturday, April 28, 2018

Ashburton Guardian 13

St Bede’s Catholic College St Bede’s is a Catholic College for boys founded by the Society of Mary in 1911 and it is also the only Catholic boarding school for boys in the South Island.

Catholic, Marist and Bedean principles and values form the basis of a holistic education at the college, and our aim is that each boy has the best opportunity to become the best possible version of the person God created them to be.

We aim not to make the college great but to ensure every boy has the opportunity to be great, and we endeavour to develop young men of Catholic hearts and minds through the experiences the boys have in their time here at the college.

St Bede’s is a college for all ... a place where gospel values are practised to help form principled men; a learning environment where everyone achieves; a place that teachers want to come to because of the strength of the community; a place also, where boys can embrace spiritual, sporting, cultural and community activities, which all combined shape boys into men. That’s the priority and that is in our DNA. Boarding at St Bede’s College is a tradition that goes back to the 1920s. Our rich history and tradition provides an excellent foundation to embrace the challenges of the modern era and prepare our boys to be Catholic leaders wherever life takes them.

Today’s boarders enjoy life away from

The demolition of the chapel seriously challenged us. It was the single most important building at St Bede’s College, and had symbolised the heart and soul of the college ever since the third Rector, Father Gilbert, converted it from the gymnasium in 1929.

Makeshift holy places in the past six years, including the present facility, are a poor imitation and far from ideal. But we knew it was important to have this sacred space – a place where we gather in good times and in bad.

The time has now come to build a new chapel.

After the hard years, there is real excitement and anticipation about the prospect of the rebuild which will significantly transform the campus.

We have set a fundraising goal of $1.5m via our A little from a lot campaign.

For more information about the campaign, please go to www.oldboys.stbedes. school.nz/chapelappeal.

home at the only single-sex Catholic boarding school in the South Island.

Like many other organisations in Christchurch, our campus has been broken and tested and if you visited the

college, you would see the obvious effects of this – barren spaces at the top of the drive, temporary facilities installed to make do – the most notable of these being our chapel.

We welcome parents and boys to the College’s Open Day on Thursday, May 10 between 9am – 12 noon, where you will have the opportunity to tour the College and meet staff and students.

Parents are also invited to attend the Information Evening (commencing at 7pm).

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14

N O I T A C EDU

Ashburton Guardian

F EA T U RE

Saturday, April 28, 2018

Timaru Girls’ Timaru Girls’ High School and hostel offers every girl the opportunity to nurture her talents and accept responsibility to become a self-confident young woman equipped both personally and academically to face the future.

We proudly maintain strong cultural traditions with an emphasis on selfmotivation, high personal values, mutual respect and discipline.

These combine to provide our girls with an experience that is not only enjoyable but which also fosters a true sense of self.

Timaru Girls’ High School has undergone major building upgrades in the past 10 years, with a new administration block, technology block and refurbishment of the majority of classrooms and hostel accommodation.

Earlier this year, a new four-class equivalent collaborative learning space, as well as a major refurbishment of the gymnasium was opened.

Having contemporary and modern learning spaces creates a positive impact on teaching and learning in the school.

The educational framework in place begins with a broad based programme for junior girls, leading to a wide range of

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Why should you let him go boarding? specialist study areas during their senior years. Programmes are available to cater for the individual needs of girls at each level and to further expand their personal development in preparation for tertiary education or the work force.

As a school community we are consistently looking for ways to improve what we can do to support student achievement in the school.

We endeavour to utilise the proud history of the school with the wider community we are part of.

Boarding facilities: Situated in the park-like grounds of the school The House offers a safe and comfortable environment for students from around New Zealand and the world.

Students are encouraged to focus on their studies, discover and explore new opportunities and have fun while they are doing it.

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Parents we talk to often agonise over the decision to board or not. For them thinking about “sending my son away” seems a negative consequence. Talking to their boys we get the opposite point of view, they can’t wait to get to Waihi! So, we encourage parents to think of it as “letting him go”, for all of the positive experiences he will encounter.

Today’s boarding is comfortable, caring and above all fun. Parents are a lot more involved, technology allows constant communication and insights into your son’s daily experiences, and the pastoral care is second to none. If you are new to boarding, please take time to consider how this environment will benefit your son. Boys love it!

The heartbeat of Waihi is our boarding

family in Pyne House and the staff families onsite that make up our fabulous community. Boarding lies at the centre of all we do. Our boarders make friendships that last a lifetime. They also develop independence and social skills that set them up ideally for the adventure of secondary school and beyond.

The team are enthusiastic about running many activities for boys in the evenings and at weekends, either within our extensive grounds, down at the Waihi River or further afield, taking advantage of the beautiful South Canterbury environment.

We believe strongly in the value of boarding as a means of developing a boy in every respect – to be happy, confident, courteous, independent and ambitious.

KNOWLEDGE IS POWER Development of personal excellence, creativity and individual achievement.

Enrolling now for 2019.

OPEN DAY 16 MAY 2018 Join us for a tour of the school and hostel at 9am and 11am

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F EA T U RE Saturday, April 28, 2018

Ashburton Guardian 15

Empowering girls Choosing the school that is right for your daughter is an important decision and one which no parent takes lightly.

St Margaret’s College Open Day offers an insight into a unique education for girls from Years 1 to 13, and boarding from Year 7.

At all levels, the emphasis is on learning combined with wellbeing and pastoral care. Each year group has a programme specifically designed to meet their needs ensuring customised learning for every girl.

At St Margaret’s College we empower the girls to become strong, resilient young women who relate well to others and have confidence and empathy to build lasting relationships.

Independent research shows both boys and girls achieve higher academic success in single sex schools.

We are proud of our girls’ achievement in the 2017 academic results with 100 per cent pass rates in NCEA levels 1 and 2, plus 99 per cent at Level 3 and 99 per cent in university entrance.

St Margaret’s is the only girls’ school in the South Island to offer the International Baccalaureate, an international course with a global focus which challenges and extends students.

We also offer many opportunities for girls to interact with their male counterparts on an academic, performing

Whether it is academically or on the sports field the girls at St Margaret’s College excel.

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arts, sports and social basis while holding on to the best daily learning environment.

Come and experience the opportunities for your daughter at the St Margaret’s College Open Day on Friday, May 11 from 10.30am to 1pm.

The principal’s address at 11.45am will feature talks from both outgoing executive principal, Gillian Simpson, and Diana Patchett, who will start in the role at the beginning of Term 3.

This year, we are combining an SMC sleepover for girls who are thinking about boarding. Running from 4.30pm on Friday, May 11 to 10am on Saturday, May 12, it gives the girls the chance to get a small taste of life as an SMC boarder.

Like good sleepovers, they’ll need to bring their favourite pillow and sleeping bag and there are lots of fun activities planned for the evening.

They’ll eat dinner and breakfast with the

current boarders and of course sleep in the dorms. Pre-registration for the sleepover is essential and can be done online at www.stmargarets.school.nz/smcsleepover-registration/.

For further information on St Margaret’s College and the Open Day, visit www.stmargarets.school.nz.

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OPEN DAY & SMC BOARDERS’ SLEEPOVER Open Day – Friday 11 May 10:30am to 1:00pm The Principal’s address with Gillian Simpson and Diana Patchett is at 11:45am SMC Boarders’ Sleepover – 4:30pm Friday 11 May to 10:00am Saturday 12 May Pre-register at: www.stmargarets.school.nz/open-day-2018/

12 Winchester St • Merivale • Christchurch • (03) 379 2000 www.stmargarets.school.nz