Stay up to date with what’s been happening at North West College. Each fortnight, we share highlights from across the school, include student work, programme updates, events, and messages from leadership. Browse the latest edition below to see learning in action and what’s ahead.
Debating: News Stories, Persuasive Speeches and a Debate App
The debating group have been running debates, presenting news stories, and trying out a debate app built by Mr McFadyen.
Embroidery: First Patches Under Way
Embroidery students have started their own patches, from bagpipes and a cricket ball to a lime and a firefly.
Shakespeare Festival: Planning Begins for The Scottish Play
Students have started work on an SGCNZ Shakespeare Festival entry for Term 1 2027, reading the play and learning soliloquies.
Year 9 Digital Fluency: Vibe Coding With Real Developer Tools
Every Year 9 Digital Fluency student now works in Visual Studio Code and GitHub, using AI to design, test and improve their own games and apps.
Years 7 and 8 Maths: Revision Before the Exams
Year 7 have finished all 15 exam topics and Year 8 sit their exam on Tuesday. Students need a blue or black pen and a ruler.
Years 7 and 8 English: Play Scripts, Book Reviews and Exam Preparation
Year 7 are writing their own short plays, Year 8 are studying A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and both classes welcomed back the mobile library.
Spanish: The Impossible House and Year 10 Mock Exams
Year 9 are describing, selling and letting homes in The Impossible House role-play, and Year 10 sat Cambridge-style mock exams.
Global Perspectives: The Kids Election and the Global Energy Crisis
Years 7 and 8 have studied New Zealand’s political parties ahead of the Kids Election, and how shipping risks push up living costs here.
Raising Resilient Teenagers Together
Practical ways families can help students keep showing up, slow down on tasks and protect their sleep through the last weeks of the year.
Water Safety at Muriwai Lifeguard Station
Year 7 and 8 students spent the day with Muriwai lifeguards, learning to spot ocean hazards, stay calm and signal for help.
From the Principal: Muriwai, Fundraising and Exam Week
A water safety day at Muriwai, thanks for two fundraisers, exams this week, and dates for Crazy Hair Day, the Expo and Prize Giving.
Years 7 and 8 English: Play Scripts and A Midsummer Night’s Dream
Year 8 are exploring A Midsummer Night’s Dream and writing their own play scripts, while Year 7 study how playwrights use stage directions.
Debating: Persuasive Speeches and Filmed News Reports
The debating group have been studying persuasive language, writing and filming news reports, and preparing for an inter-school debating event.
Visual Art: Mosaics for Citizens of the World
Visual Art students are designing cultural mosaics on MDF surfboards or circles, starting with research, tool safety and concept sketches.
Filming With Keep New Zealand Beautiful
On 21 October, 18 students filmed a national video for Keep New Zealand Beautiful, learning about the water cycle and auditing litter at Harbour View Reserve.
Poetry: Spot Poems, Five-Minute Conversations and Chalk on the Playground
Poetry students wrote Spot poems, turned five-minute interviews into poems for each other, and chalked words across the playground.
Year 9 and 10 English: Fantasy Writing and Exam Revision
Year 9 have been drafting fantasy narratives, with five student extracts below, while Year 10 revised Language and Literature for their exams.
Embroidery: Designing Badges for Citizens of the World
Embroidery students are designing a badge or patch on the Citizens of the World theme, starting with the Bayeux Tapestry and three basic stitches.
Introducing Project OmniScope
Fourteen Lincoln Road students are curating exhibition boxes on Earth and space, with field trips, journals and a Creative Arts Expo at term’s end.
From the Principal: Exams, Wellbeing and Prize Giving Dates
Term 4 is under way, Year 10 finish their exams, Universal Drive students lead a mental health drive, and Prize Giving dates are set.
Intro to Water Polo at West Wave
Waitakere Water Polo Club is running a five week introduction to water polo at West Wave. Two Sunday sessions remain, on 13 and 20 September.
Year 9 and 10 English: Storyboarding Othello and Reading Macbeth
Year 9 have storyboarded Othello scene by scene. Year 10 are working on Macbeth.
Year 9 and 10 Maths: Revising for the End of Year Exams
Year 9 are finishing units on data, measurement and fractions. Year 10 are on linear equations. Revision material will be available over the holidays.
Watercolour Painting Ahead of the College Expo
Students are working on individual watercolour pieces in the seminar room, choosing their best work for the College Expo on 18 September.
Itinerant Music Lessons: Term 4 Enrolments Open
The Lincoln Road music programme has run at capacity this term. Term 4 places are open to Year 7 and 8 families now.
Creative Writing: Choosing Genres and Designing Covers
The group are working on original stories in small groups, choosing their own genres and designing covers and illustrations for their books.
Years 7 and 8 English: Building Suspense and Drafting Narratives
Year 7 are drafting their own narratives after studying how authors build suspense. Year 8 have turned When the Mountains Roared into audio drama scripts.
Tree Adventures for Years 7 and 8
Years 7 and 8 spent 26 August on the high ropes at Tree Adventures, working through rope bridges and obstacles strung between the pines.
Book Day at Lincoln Road
Staff and students came dressed as their favourite book characters, in a day organised by Andrew Kingston and the student leaders.
From the Principal: Book Day, Coffee Mornings and the End of Term
Michelle Randles on Book Day at Lincoln Road, the next parent coffee morning, and the confirmed schedule for the last week of Term 3.