St Thomas of Canterbury College: Who We Are

St Thomas of Canterbury College is a state integrated Catholic school for boys from Years 7 to 13, with a maximum roll of 525 students. It is located in a beautiful environment in Middlepark Road, Upper Riccarton, Christchurch. The College follows the tradition of the Christian Brothers' founder, Edmund Rice, with a focus on social justice. As a school for boys we are able to respond to boys' needs and learning styles and to provide a caring and supportive environment for our students on their journey to becoming young men. We have a supportive community whom we encourage to be involved in the College and whom we regard as partners in the role of educating their sons.

Our Mission Statement

Our College exists to provide a Catholic Education, which challenges and stimulates us to strive for the attainment of our personal potential.

The Charism of Blessed Edmund Rice

In the tradition of Edmund Rice, we see education as a key way of assisting young people to develop as people who are able to live fully human lives and make their best contribution to the human community. We place a special emphasis on the values of social justice. The Legacy document expresses the aims of our school and is the vehicle for review in this area.

Our Values: An Edmund Rice School Stands For:

• Acceptance of the dignity of each person
• Belief in God's presence amongst us
• Empowerment of students through education
• Promotion of justice
• Compassion
• Commitment to authentic freedom leading to full human growth
• Family being at the heart of all education
• Quality teaching and learning
• Building community through active participation
• Service to others
• Openness that responds to the needs of the timesSt Thomas of Canterbury College as a culturally diverse community:

We recognise the cultural diversity of New Zealand in the many cultures represented in our school community. In particular we recognise the unique position of our Maori and Pasifika communities.

• Almost 9% of roll identify as Maori and almost 9% are Pasifika
• The College has employed two Maori teachers and a Pasifika teacher
• The teacher with responsibility for Maori students is reourced with a permanent MU, MMA and 2 periods non contact time  weekly. The teacher with responsibility for Pasifika students is resourced with 2 periods non contact time weekly with the  priority intention to allocate a permanent MU and MMA as roll based unit resourcing allows.
• The College employs a Maori /Pasifika Coordinator/leadership mentor for 6 hours a week and this has been extremely  successful. The appointee is Maori, was College Head Boy in 2006 and a Youth adviser to the Commissioner for Children.
• The Year 13 student leadership team includes an elected Maori and an elected Pasifika leader.
• These two leaders coordinate the Maori/Pasifika student council comprised of students from years 7 through to 13. This  complements the College student council. A number of Maori and Pasifika students are representatives on both councils.
• The College Head Boy in 2006 was Maori and in 2007 Samoan.
• We meet with the whanau and Pasifika community each term as well as holding an annual umu and hangi.
• Te reo is compulsory at years 7 and 8 and provided as an option at Years 9 to the senior level. 
• Samoan is delivered in a multi-level class at Years 11/12 and at Year 10.
• The college in consultation with its community has developed a Maori and Pasifika Strategic Plan for 2008-2010 and is  tracking and surveying each student individually.
• The annual targets each year have a specific focus on Maori and Pasifika student achievement.
• The literacy strategy includes a specific focus on Maori and Pasifika junior achievement using analysis of targeted AsTLe  testing.
• We have an active Pasifika performance group which competes in the Christchurch Pasifika Festival as part of wider student  participation in the annual Pasifika week.
• We have a strong kapahaka group. A taiaha programme is offered to junior students and our students compete in manu  korero in both te reo and English.

Student Achievement Goals 

The College determines its goals by focusing on national priorities and identifying local aspirations.National priorities for education are set out in the National Education Goals (NEGS) and in NAG 1 of the National Administration Guidelines.The National Education Goals are:

• The highest standards of achievement, through programmes which enable all students to realise their full potential as individuals, and to develop the values needed to become full members of New Zealand's society.
• Equality of educational opportunity for all New Zealanders, by identifying and removing barriers to achievement.
• Development of the knowledge, understanding and skills needed by New Zealanders to compete successfully in the modern, ever-changing world.
• A sound foundation in the early years for future learning and achievement through programmes which include support for parents in their vital role as their children's first teachers.
• A broad education through a balanced curriculum covering essential learning areas. Priority should be given to the development of high levels of competence (knowledge and skills) in literacy and numeracy, science and technology and physical activity.
• Excellence achieved through the establishment of clear learning objectives, monitoring student performance against those objectives, and programmes to meet individual need.
• Success in learning for those with special needs by ensuring that they are identified and receive appropriate support.
• Access for students to a nationally and internationally recognised qualifications system to encourage a high level of participation in post-school education in New Zealand.
• Increased participation and success by Maori through the advancement of Maori education initiatives, including education in Te Reo Maori, consistent with the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi.
• Respect for the diverse ethnic and cultural heritage of New Zealand people, with acknowledgement of the unique place of Maori, and New Zealand's role in the Pacific and as a member of the intenational community of nations.

NAG 1 of the National Administration Guidelines is:

Each Board, through the Principal and staff, is required to:

1. Develop and implement teaching and learning programmes:
   1. to provide all students in years 1-10 with opportunities to achieve for success in all the essential learning and skill areas of the New Zealand curriculum;
   2. giving priority to student achievement in literacy and numeracy, especially in years 1-4;
   3. giving priority to regular quality physical activity that develops movement skills for all students, especially in years 1-6;
2. Through a range of assessment practices, gather information that is sufficiently comprehensive to enable the progress and achievement of students to be evaluated, giving priority first to:
   1. student achievement in literacy and numeracy, especially in years 1-4 and then to:
   2. breadth and depth of learning related to the needs, abilities and interests of the students, the nature of the school's curriculum, and the scope of the New Zealand curriculum (as expressed in the National Curriculum Statements)
3. on the basis of good quality assessment information, identify of students and groups of students;
   1. who are not achieving
   2. who are at risk of not achieving
   3. who have special needs (including gifted and talented students)
   4. and aspects of the curriculum which require particular attention;
4. develop and implement teaching and learning strategies to address he needs of students and aspects of the curriculum identified in (3) above;
5. in consultation with the school's Maori community, develop and make known to the school's community policies, plans and targets for improving the achievement of Maori students;
6. provide appropriate career education and guidance for all student in year 7 and above, with a particular emphasis on specific career guidance for those students who have been identified by he school as being at risk of leaving school unprepared for the transition to he workplace or further education/training.

Local priorities will be identified through:

• The schools programme of self review
• Analysis of school data
• Consultation with our community

Supporting Documentation

Reference can be made to the following documentation which supports our strategic and annual planning and which is held at the College:

The following documentation supports us in planning for excellence in Special Character:

• The Legacy Document
• Document on Catholic Education

The following documentation supports us in planning for excellence in curriculum:

• Curriculum Development and Implementation documentation
• Assessment Guidelines
• NZQA compliance procedures
• Moderation plan
• Quality Management documentation
• Special Needs and Abilities plans and registers

The following documentation supports us in planning for excellence in teaching:

• Performance Appraisal Planning and Procedures
• Professional Development Planning and Procedures

The following documentation supports us in planning for excellence in school organisation:

• Financial planning and annual budgets
• Procedures for controlling and monitoring expenditure
• Ten year property maintenance plan
• Building development plan
• Programme of self review
• Health and safety planning and procedures

The following documentation supports us in planning for excellence in fostering positive community partnerships:

• Community consultation as part of self review
• Consultation with the school's Maori and Pasifika community

Procedural Information

St Thomas of Canterbury College will lodge a copy of its annually updated Charter to the Ministry of Education prior to June each year. The annual report will be lodged with the Ministry of Education prior to June each year.

The goals for strategic direction are developed as part of the College review process and in consultation with students, parents, staff and community prior to approval by the Board of Trustees.

In addition, the school's Maori and Pasifika community is consulted to develop the ways in which the school aims to reflect New Zealand's cultural diversity and the unique position of Maori as expressed in the school Charter.

A copy of the school's Charter and annual report is available to parents and community in the school office. Both are also emailed to those parents on the email register.

NAG 1: Each Board of Trustees is required to foster student achievement by providing teaching and learning programmes which incorporate the New Zealand Curriculum (essential learning areas, essential skills and attitudes and values) as expressed in National Curriculum Statements.
Objectives	Annual Targets	Year
1 (I) To develop and implement teaching and learning programmes Essential learning areas Literacy and numeracy Physical activity	To maintain our numeracy and literacy results above the decile 8 boys and national statistics	2008 - 2010
	Implement professional development on the introduction of the new curriculum with a particular focus on meeting the needs of boys	2008
	Review of all curriculum documentation and planning	2008
	Full implementation of new curriculum	2010
	Investigate integrated learning programme for years 7-10	2008
	Implement integrated learning programme for years 7 and 8	2009
	Extend integrated learning programme to year 9 and 10	2010
	Continue literacy strategy with a focused approach on yrs 9 and 10 cross curriculum.	2008
	Continue literacy strategy with a focused approach at yr 12 and 13 on essay writing.	2008
	100% participation in a competitive or non competitive physical activity - developed 2008 and implemented 2009	2009