Dear Parents and Caregivers,
Welcome back to Term 2! I hope you all enjoyed a refreshing and restful break with your children and had a wonderful Easter.
It has been a pleasure to see our students return to both campuses this week. The atmosphere has been incredibly calm and purposeful as everyone settles back into their academic routines. We have a busy and exciting term ahead, and I am delighted to share some of the latest developments with you.
As you know, next week we are launching our new Creative Friday timetable for our Universal Drive site. As we discussed in our recent correspondence, this model is designed to foster both academic rigour and creative mastery.
We have some fantastic options for students to choose from this term. These opportunities will continue to grow and diversify as the college expands. We are committed to ensuring our Year 9 and 10 students have the same rich, innovative experiences as our Intermediate cohort.
For our Lincoln Road campus, there will be a minor amendment to the daily schedule starting next week: Tutor Group sessions will now be held in the afternoons rather than the morning. We believe this shift will allow for a more settled start to academic blocks while providing a dedicated space for reflection at the end of the school day.
I am delighted to introduce Mr. Connor McFadyen, who joins us as our new ICT, Digital Fluency, and Graphics teacher. Connor brings a wealth of technical expertise and a passion for future-focused learning that aligns perfectly with our vision.
I am also proud to announce that Mr. Robert Solomone has been appointed as the Dean of our Universal Drive site. Robert’s dedication to student wellbeing and leadership will be invaluable as he supports our senior students through their academic and creative journeys this year.
A massive congratulations to our Shakespeare Group! They represented North West College at the Regional Shakespeare Festival last term and were nothing short of incredible. Their performance was a testament to their hard work, bravery, and artistic talent. They certainly did NWC proud!
This term, we have new lunchtime clubs and activities on offer. These are designed to give students the chance to step out of their comfort zones and try something new and different. We have Latin dancing and Debating on offer for the students, I’ll update you on how these are going as the term continues. We encourage all students to get involved and make the most of these opportunities.
Finally, I want to thank you for your continued support and the positive feedback regarding the exciting changes we have implemented. As we grow, your partnership and engagement remain crucial to our success. We value the trust you place in us to provide a world-class education for your children.
We look forward to a successful and productive Term 2.
Best Wishes,
Mrs. Michelle Randles
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.


