botany downs secondary college
DESCRIPTION
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OUR VISION
To maximise achievementthrough intellectual challengeand nurturing personal growthin an environmentthat promotes confidenceand lifelong learning
A MESSAGE FROM THE PRINCIPAL
Botany Downs Secondary College is a school which has an intellectual and academic ethos, and this is
supported by excellent opportunities in sport, culture, and the arts. This ensures that every student has the
opportunity to achieve all they are capable of during their time at the College.
We believe strongly that the well-being of every student is of vital importance and our vision, values and
philosophy outline our commitment to each student’s personal development. Students will be encouraged
to care for one another and develop healthy lifestyles.
The Whanau house system is the basis of our pastoral support for individuals. Each Whanau encourages
and establishes a sense of belonging within our College and endeavours to make our students positive,
effective citizens.
Schools cannot operate in isolation from their community. Strength lies in our working together and
creating educational partnerships that will encourage and empower our students to achieve at the highest
levels. We appreciate the diversity of culture in our College and welcome active community participation.
The College is a learning community that embraces technology and innovation and introduces new
learning and thinking tools. Students’ knowledge, skills, attitudes and values will be enhanced and all will
be encouraged to set goals that maximises their potential.
When our students leave we want them to have the ability to be successful in life. We want them to look
back at their time at Botany Downs Secondary College with fondness and remember the great experiences
they have had and treasure the opportunities that were given to them.
Mike LeachPRINCIPAL
These key elements are at the heart of our school:
• Thequalityofrelationshipsthataredevelopedamongalltheparticipantswithinthelearning
community
• Thesupportandinvolvementofparents,friendsoftheschoolandwidercommunity
At Botany Downs Secondary College we aim to develop young men and women as people who will
graduate as independent learners able and willing to make a constructive contribution to society.
They will graduate with:
A backpack of personal qualities
• Service
• Honesty
• Respect
• Perseverance
• Sensitivity
• Compassion
• Fairness
• Interpersonalskills
PHILOSOPHY
A toolkit of skills
• Metacognitiveapproaches
• Communicationskills
• SocialCompetencies
• LifeSkills
• Literacy-Information/Digital/Technological
• Confidence
• Direction
• Selfesteem
• Flexibility
• Leadership
• Balance
• Resilience
• Ethicsandvalues
A briefcase of qualifications
• Aspirationstoachieveatthehighestlevel
• Valuableandworthwhilequalifications
The School Logo
The logo reflects our philosophy:
The design started from the Greek alphabet using the circles of the Beta and Delta characters, and
the overlapping circular shapes echo the traditional role of the educator and the student.
• Theinnercircleisthestudent
• Theoutercirclerepresentsthenurturingandeducatingbyteachers
• Theoutershapelinksthetwocircles,envelopsthewholeschoolcommunityandispointing
towards the future
Botany Downs Secondary College is committed to building strong future prospects for our students, the citizens and
leaders of tomorrow. It is our belief that all students have a potential well beyond the levels of current performance
and we wish to work with them to develop their wider range of talents, skills and abilities. We hope students
themselves will develop a passion for learning.
Every student needs to have their intellectual skills developed and we provide opportunities for self-directed and self-
paced learning along with collaborative studies. We believe that instruction in thinking skills and their infusion across
the whole curriculum enables learners to adapt to rapid change in technology, and new challenges in an increasingly
complex world.
Life skills are also vital in building futures and we facilitate the development of the whole person through the
Whanau, mentoring, co-curricular activities and leadership. High levels of communication and regular interaction
between home and school provide a strong web of support for each student.
The Whanau to Nurture Students
• TheWhanaudevelopstheconceptsofa“schoolwithinaschool”and“homeawayfromhome”
• Classroomsarebuiltarounda“Commons”spaceonthegroundfloorusedforrecreationandteachingandlearning,
especially collaborative learning
• SlidingglassdoorsopentheclassroomstotheCommonsallowingforflexibleuseofspaceandopenness
• Allfacilitiesareaccessibletopeoplewithphysicaldisabilities
Facilities Designed for Curriculum Delivery and Pastoral Care
• ThesecondfloorofeachWhanaucontainsspecialistteachingareas-classroomsarebasedarounda“Breakout”
areaprovidingfurtherflexibilityofteaching/learningspaces,especiallythedevelopmentofindependentstudentlearning
• Facultyresourceroomsfacilitatecollaborativeplanning
• TheLibraryandStudyCentreisattheheartoftheschool
• AhighspecificationTheatreandPerformingArtscomplex
• Gymnasiumwithfullsizecourt,weightsroomandteachingclassroom
• AfutureproofedtechnologyinfrastructurewhichenablesICTaccessanywhereanytime
• LearnerSupportforindividualprogrammes,SpecialNeedsandtheGiftedandTalented
• StudentServicesCentrecomprisingofahealthcentre,guidanceandcareerscounselling
DESIGN FOR LEARNING
At Botany Downs Secondary College ICT is an integral part of the life of the school, for the teaching and learning programmes, administration and communication with our parent community. Training is ongoing for all staff and students to make the most of the developing technologies. Students have individual access to the network, with copy and print capabilities.
All classrooms in the College are connected to the school network. Staff have both cable and wireless access to the network to enable staff to move freely, creating truly flexible learning areas. Access to the Learning Management System(LMS), the college intranet, gives students and staff access to learning resources and school information from within the college and from home e.g. lesson handouts, powerpoint presentations, assessment calendar and assignments.
A feature of each Whanau is the IT pod situated on the ground floor. Each computer pod has 12 computers, in addition to the computers in the general classrooms, and the Study Centre. The second floor specialist areas have 12 computers in the Breakout area. Interactive Whiteboards and data projectors add a new dimension to curriculum delivery in the classroom. The school’s Daily Notices are streamed into and displayed on plasma screens in each Whanau Commons.
INFORMATION & COMMUNICATION
TECHNOLOGY (ICT)
ANY STUDENT ANY CLASSROOM
ONLINE RESOURCES
ANYHOME
ANY COMPUTER
ANYTEACHEROUR LIBRARY
BDSC NETWORK
INTERNET
Aims• To explore the seven essential learning areas and essential skills of the New Zealand Curriculum
Framework, plus an explicit and integrated Thinking and Learning curriculum• To encourage students to select a broad and balanced programme of study• Tomonitor and support students’ academic work through strong pastoral care including individual
mentoring• To set high academic expectations and to ensure results from national qualifications are among
the best in the country
STUDENT LEARNING
*Visual and Performing Arts = Music, Art, Dance and Drama*ESOL = English for Speakers of Other Languages*Technology = Food, Graphics, Hard Materials, Textiles
YEAR 9Compulsory Subjects
English
Health and Physical Education
Languages
French &
Japanese
or ESOL*
Mathematics
Science
Social Studies
Technology*
YEAR 10Compulsory Subjects
Visualand Performing Arts*
EnglishHealth and Physical EducationMathematicsScienceSocial Studies
Options – selection to equal 3 full year courses
HALF YEAR COURSESCreative WritingGreek MythologyJournalism
Media Studies (radio)Outdoor EducationSports Leadership
FULL YEAR COURSESAncient CivilisationsArt - PracticalBusiness StudiesDanceDramaElectronicsESOLFinancial StudiesFood Technology
FrenchGraphicsInvestigative GeographyJapaneseMedia Studies (film)Multi Materials TechnologyTextiles TechnologyMusicPhysical Education Option
Learning Areas Year 11 Year 12 Year 13EnglishEnglishEnglish-FoundationESOL English
Abridged EnglishLevel 2 English for ESOLLevel 2 English A bandLevel 2 English B bandJournalismMedia Studies
Level 3 English A bandLevel 3 English B bandLevel 2 English for Y13JournalismMedia Studies
FrenchLanguagesJapanese
FrenchJapanese
FrenchJapanese
MathematicsMathematicsMathematics – AlternativeMaths – Foundation
FoundationMathsMathematicsMathematics – AlternativeMathematics Extention–
Maths with CalculusMaths with Calculus – alt.Statistics and ModellingStatistics and Modelling – alt
HumanBiologyScienceScienceScience – Double optionScience – Foundation
BiologyChemistryElectronicsPhysicsScience
BiologyChemistry
PhysicsScience
Social AccountingSciencesBusiness EnterpriseEconomics Employment SkillsGeographyHistory
AccountingBusiness OperationsClassical StudiesEconomics
GeographyHistoryLegal StudiesTravel and Tourism
AccountingBusiness ManagementClassical StudiesEconomicsGeographyHistoryTravel and Tourism
TechnologyFood and HospitalityFoodTechnologyGraphicsICTTechnology – Hard Materials
Automotive EngineeringFashion DesignTechnologyFoodand HospitalityFoodTechnologyGraphicsICTTechnology – Hard Materials
Fashion Design TechnologyFood & HospitalityFood TechnologyGraphicsICTMaterials Technology
The Art Arts PracticalDanceDramaMusicPhotography
Art HistoryDanceDramaMusicPhotographyVisualArt
Art HistoryDanceDramaPhotographyPractical MusicMusic StudiesVisualArt
Physical & Personal Core Health & Phys.Development
Educ.Health EducationPhysical Education
Health EducationOutdoor EducationPhysical Education
Health EducationOutdoor Education
Curriculum for Years 11-13
Physical Education
Electronics
Financial Literacy
Fashion & Design Automotive Engineering
Curriculum Enrichment
Learning to Learn (L2L)TheLearntoLearnprogrammeisdesignedtoimprovethequalityofstudentlearningandisbasedonresearchandbestpractice incorporating the strategies of leading educationalists. The weekly Learn 2 Learn programme is further supported by an integration of the thinking skills across all curriculum areas. The five year programme is based on the development ofcriticalandstrategicthinkingandcreativeproblemsolvingincludingelementsfromtheHabitsofMind,CoRT,CognitiveResearch Trust, ethical issues, Bloom’s and Solo taxonomies.
Gifted & Talented ProgrammeBotany Downs Secondary College provides challenging programmes to stimulate learning and extend gifted and talented students to reach their potential.To cater specifically for the needs of gifted and talented students the College:• Createsacceleratedacademicclasses• ProvideswithdrawalandextensiondaysineachLearningArea• Encouragesparticipationinexternalcompetitionse.g.ICASexaminationsinEnglish,MathematicsandScience• Encourages participation in co-curricular activities e.g. Community Atlas Project, Mathex competitions, Science Crest
Awards, Debating• Encouragescompactinganddifferentiationofthecurriculumwhereappropriate• Encouragestheaccelerationofstudentsthroughlevelsofworkinadvanceoftheirpeerswherethisisappropriate
The withdrawal and enrichment programme provides students with stimulating, authentic learning experiences in subjects in which they have demonstrated high levels of potential. The table below gives examples of some of these learning experiences at the College over the past two years.
English Writing and acting workshops with well known authors, debating workshops, spelling competitions, Shakespeare workshops, poetry workshops, school magazine production.
Health and Physical Education Coaching programmes, fitness programmes.
Languages FrenchandJapaneseworkshopsproducingscripts,storyboardsandmovieclips,webpagedesign in a foreign language.
Mathematics Problem solving workshops, mathematical connections workshops, mathematical investigations.
Science Investigations of the digestive system, Investigations using data loggers and Data Studio, DNA extraction and forensics workshops, chemical reactions, waterways monitoring workshops.
Social Sciences Use of GIS to map themes in the local community, Community Atlas Project, field research on historical, geographic and economic themes in the Bay of Islands.
Technology ICT Panasonic movie day, designing and carrying out a plan for a three course meal, drawing techniquesingraphics.
Visual and Performing Arts Composing workshops, hip hop workshops, drama theatre workshops, mixed media workshops in art
STUDENT LEARNING
CO-CURRICULAR PROGRAMME
In order to develop and enhance citizenship and have values of the college, BDSC is continuing to develop a comprehensive and first class co-curricular programme. This programmeprovidesopportunitiesforstudentstoexperienceanddevelopskillsandqualitiesthroughtheiractiveparticipationinactivitiesbeyongtheclassroom.Inordertonurturepersonalgrowthandprovideaqualityallroundeducation,studentsareexpectedtocommit,contributeandlead.TheseopportunitiesallowstudentstodevelopthepersonalqualitiesoftheBDSCgraduate.
•Coaching•LeadershipProgramme•Library•Umpiring•YoungNewZealand
Challenge
CHESS
OPPORTUNITIES INCLUDE:
•Band•Debating•HipHop•KapaHakaGroup•KoreanDrums•Magazine•MaoriCulturalGroup
INDIAN DANCE GROUP
•Aerobics•Athletics•Badminton•Basketball•Cricket•Crosscountry•Equestrian•Petanque
HOCKEY
•ChineseDancing•Production•SamoanCulturalGroup•StageChallenge•TheatreSports•WearableArts•Writing
ORCHESTRA NETBALL
RUGBY
•Snowboarding•Softball•Squash•Swimming•Tennis•Touch•Triathlon•Volleyball•Waterpolo
SOCCER
DANCE
Arts/Cultural
Sports
Service & Leadership
The Whanau system is at the heart of the school and is the foundation of our holistic approach to student
education. The Whanau is a school within a school where students are part of a smaller group of 250
students, rather than being one of 1500. Students are placed in a Whanau where they become part of an
extended family of teachers and students of all year levels and they remain in this Whanau during their
years at school, developing a sense of belonging and loyalty.
Theschoolisdesignedwithsix,twostoreyWhanauHousebuildings.Thesecondfloorcontainsspecialist
teaching rooms and the ground floor has five teaching classrooms surrounding a Commons space. The
Commons area is a home away from home and provides a recreational living space for students to gather
in before and after school and during breaks in the school day. During class time the space provides a
breakout area for the surrounding classrooms. It is also the venue for weekly Assemblies where student
successesarecelebratedand“housekeeping”mattersdiscussed.
Each Whanau is led by a Whanau Leader who is responsible for the pastoral care, academic monitoring
and discipline of each student. The teachers in the Whanau mentor students individually and are the
people who know the students the best, remaining associated with the students and their families for the
five years they are in the school. Where possible the school places siblings within the same Whanau The
Whanau Leader and Whanau Mentors are the primary contact point for families and they will be reporting
regularly on all aspects of student progress. Parents should feel free to contact their Whanau Leader by
phoneore-mailwithanyqueriesorconcernsregardingtheirchild.
Students make a contribution to their Whanau, the School, the community, and develop leadership through
the co-curricular programme and the Whanau Committees. Each Whanau has a complement of the
following; Arts Committee, Cultural Committee, Environment Committee, ICT Committee, Service Committee
andSportsCommittee.EachHousealsohasaStudentCouncilwhichconsistsofrepresentativesfromeach
whanau class. Members of this Council represent whanau student interest in the Principal’s Lead Group.
THE WHANAU
ACADEMICSUPPORT
LEADERSHIPOPPORTUNITIES
PASTORALCARE
SPORTSCOMMITTEE
WHANAUFOCUS
SUCCESSCELEBRATED
ARTSCOMMITTEE
CULTURALCOMMITTEE
ENVIRONMENTCOMMITTEE
SERVICECOMMITTEE
MENTORING
ICTCOMMITTEE
Every student will wear correct school uniform. This applies to students who are:
• Attendingschool.
• Travellingtoorfromschool.
• Attendingschoolfunctions.
UNIFORM
JUNIOR UNIFORM
All items of the school uniform including the sportswear range are available from the on site Uniform Shop
SENIOR UNIFORM