On behalf of the Board of Trustees and staff, it is my great pleasure to welcome you to Nelson Central School.
Choosing a school for your child is probably one of the most important decisions you will make for them. We recognise how important that is and are pleased to offer you information about our school. We trust you will find this information a valuable resource. If you require further information, please contact the school office.

Our school is located in Nile Street, Nelson. It is a large inner city school providing for students within the Central School zone. It is an attractive school, including both old and new buildings, and is framed by a stand of mature trees. We are fortunate that our school grounds feature two large playing fields, two adventure playgrounds and hard surfaces.

The school provides education for Year 1 - 6 students (age approximately 5 - 11 years).
We are very proud to be members of the school's staff and we enjoy working closely with members of our community to provide and excellent education for approximately 400 students. The school is highly regarded by the community but we do not rest on past achievements and are keen to continue improving the way in which we teach and work with students. To that end, we welcome parent input and constructive criticism.

I am sure you will enjoy your association with the school and we look forward to the contribution you will make while your child attends the school.

Dr Paul M Potaka
PRINCIPAL

Banks

All cities and towns have banks. In many cases there are banks located in or near your institution. Trading banks are open 9.00am to 4.30pm Monday to Friday. To open a bank account is easy and most students who intend to study for more than three months are advised to open a bank account.

Clothing

Depending on the timing and duration of your study the clothes you bring will vary. In summer time, casual wear is sufficient. However, in winter warm clothing such as woollen sweaters, waterproof coats and warm jackets are recommended. In keeping with New Zealand's relaxed lifestyle, dress is informal on most occasions. International students are also encouraged to bring their national costume for the many social functions which institutions generally organise.

Shopping

Stores and shops usually open from 9am to 5.30pm, Monday to Thursday and until 9pm on Friday nights. There is an increasing number of shopping centres opening until 9pm on Thursdays as well. Many shopping centres open all day Saturday and Sunday in major cities and tourist areas. New Zealand shops offer a wide variety of products including fashion clothes, outdoor clothing and equipment, crafts and international food halls.

Food

New Zealand has a wide range of indigenous and imported food. We are a major producer of pasture-fed lamb, venison and beef and dairy products are abundant and inexpensive. Almost all types of fruit are available in the shops. New Zealanders generally have a balanced diet of vegetables with either meat or fish as their main meal. Dinner is usually considered to be the main meal.
There are many types of restaurants, coffee shops, take-away and fast food outlets. They range from very exclusive and expensive evening restaurants to casual dining. As well as New Zealand-style food, students will also find every sort of international and ethnic cuisine.
New Zealand cities and towns have excellent public water supplies; in all cases tap water is fresh and safe to drink.

Religion

For international students most major cities have churches, temples, mosques, synagogues and centres of worship for most religions. New Zealand observes most Christian holidays and whilst the majority of the population are Christians there are a large number of people from other religious faiths such as Jews, Muslims, Buddhists and Hindus. For students who have special dietary religious regulations, home-stay families and boarding hostels can ensure that these are respected.

Holidays

Apart from national holidays, education institutions are generally closed on Saturday and Sunday. The main school (and family) holiday period is from mid-December to late January. There are shorter holidays in April July and September.

Television/Radio/Newspapers

As an English speaking country all media is in English. There are 3 main television channels and some satellite channels are also available. New Zealand has numerous AM/FM radio stations, both national and regional. Daily newspapers (morning and evening editions) are produced in the major cities. The video system is PAL 625.

Electricity

Electrical appliances would need to be adapted to the New Zealand voltage of 230 volts, 50 hertz.

Arriving in New Zealand

Upon arrival in New Zealand, most educational institutions will arrange for a representative to meet and welcome international students at the airport and take them to their accommodation.

Nelson Central School is located at the top of the South Island of New Zealand in Nelson City.

Nelson is a short flight from a number of cities with international flight connections.

For more information on New Zealand visit the Tourism New Zealand site

Click the map to open Nelson Central School in a Google maps windows or use the minimap below.

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Nelson is an attractive city situated at the head of Tasman Bay at the top of New Zealand's South Island. Nelson enjoys the advantages of both city and country living and has a great deal to offer international students who choose to come here to study. While it has good shopping facilities, restaurants, cinemas, sporting facilities and excellent educational opportunities with a choice of secondary schools and a large Polytechnic, Nelson is small enough to provide a caring safe environment for young people with few of the problems of pollution and overcrowding that occur in the bigger centres.

Nelson has a mild climate, with the reputation for being the sunniest city in New Zealand. It has easy access to beaches, mountains, lakes, rivers and National Parks. In addition, it is noted as a centre for the arts, crafts and music.

Nelson has a busy regional airport and there are daily direct flights from the International airports at Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch. There is also a choice of bus services to Christchurch and to Picton (where an inter-island ferry service connects with Wellington in the North Island).

Facts about Nelson's Climate:

• Sunshine (mean) 2420 hours a year
• Temperature (]anuary) 21.9° C
• Temperature (]uly) 11.9° C
• Rainfall (mean) 983 mm a year

Population:

• Nelson region 78,234
• Nelson city (including Richmond) 50,692

Ethnic Groups:

• European 87%
• Māori 7%
• Other 6%

Age distribution:

• Under 19 29%
• 20-39 30%
• 40-59 25%
• 60+ 16%

Annual visitors:

• International: 128,000
• Domestic 230,000
  

Education:

• Secondary schools 5
• Tertiary Institutes 1
  

Sport / Recreation:

skiing, golf, basket-ball, netball, rugby, table tennis, volleyball, soccer, kayaking

Travelling distances from major centres:

• Auckland 1 hour (by air)
• Wellington 35 minutes (by air)
  • 4 3/4 hours (by road and ferry)
• Christchurch 1 hour (by air)
  • 5 hours (by road)
    

Travel To and Within New Zealand

New Zealand has two main international airports, Auckland and Christchurch, served by 24 international airlines offering either non-stop, direct or online services to North America, South America, Australia, Asia, the UK and Europe, as well as the neighbouring Pacific Islands. Wellington, the hub of the domestic network, also has a service to the major east coast Australian cities. Air New Zealand offers special student travel concessions through STA Travel offices.

Distances between major attractions in New Zealand are short and there is a good transport network. This makes independent travel in the country easy. There are three main domestic airlines, Air New Zealand, Ansett New Zealand and Mount Cook Airlines, who fly between the major cities and resort areas. Commuter airlines service other towns. Just about every town and city in New Zealand is linked to a network of coach and rail services operated by either InterCity, Mount Cook, Newmans, and TranzRail. The North and South Islands are linked by modern ferries operating between Wellington and Picton which carry passengers and vehicles using a drive-on/drive-off service.

Pre-school

Age: 2-4 years: Kindergartens and Playcentres.
These provide an informal style of education with the aim of preparing children for formal education.

Primary Schools

Age: 5-10 years: Primary schools - Years 1 - 6 (Nelson Central School)

Intermediate schools

Age: 11/12 years (including Nelson College Preparatory School) - Years 7 - 8

Secondary Schools

Age: 13 - 19 years: Also called High Schools or Colleges

Years 9 and 10

All students follow a compulsory core consisting of English, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies and Physical Education. There will also be some electives, differing from one school to another.

Year 11 (NCEA Level 1 )

Year 11 students work towards a new qualification called the National Certificate of Education Achievement (NCEA).

In 2002 NCEA became the main qualification for senior secondary students and will complement external exams with internal assessment.
It has been introduced to provide a more comprehensive record of what students achieve while they are at school. It will also give students a better launching pad for ongoing learning and their future careers.

Year 12 (NCEA Level 2)

All students study English, and choose four or five other subjects. A final grade of between 1 (highest) and 9 (lowest) is allocated in each subject. Results are moderated nationally and students are assessed on work done throughout the whole year (Internal Assessment). (Students enrolling late may therefore not be eligible for Sixth Form Certificate)

Year 13 (NCEA Level 3)

a)   New Zealand Universities Bursary and Scholarship (University Entrance). Students choose five from a large number of possible subjects. Many subjects need to have previously been studied at Year 11 and 12 levels eg most languages, the Sciences and Accounting.

Many subjects now have an internally assessed component eg Geography, History, Economics, and this may mean that students starting late may not qualify to enter the examination.

b)    Higher School Certificate
All Bursary subjects are also Higher School Certificate subjects, but most schools offer additional subjects at Year 13 level, which do not lead to University entrance.

From 2004 NCEA Level 3 replaced Bursary.

It is also important to realise that some degrees require prior study of specific subjects at secondary school level, (eg) Engineering requires Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry. Architecture requires Mathematics and Physics. It is essential to look ahead and choose secondary subjects very carefully.

Please note: It is possible for the staff at Nelson Central School to provide an introduction to the next level of schooling for students.

INFORMATION FOR APPLICANTS

Most students are not entitled to publicly funded health services while in New Zealand unless they are:
* A resident or citizen of Australia; or
* A national of the United Kingdom in New Zealand; or
* The holder of a temporary permit that is valid for two years or more.

If you do not belong to one of these special categories and you receive medical treatment during your visit, you will be liable for the full costs of that treatment.

We strongly recommend that you have insurance that will cover the cost of medical treatment in New Zealand for the duration of your stay in New Zealand.

We also strongly recommend that you obtain insurance to cover your travel to and from New Zealand.

IMMIGRATION INFORMATION FOR APPLICANTS

Full details of visa and permit requirements, advice on rights to employment in New Zealand while studying, and reporting requirements are available through the New Zealand Immigration Service website.

CODE OF PRACTICE FOR THE PASTORAL CARE OF INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS REVISED 2010

The Nelson Central School Board of Trustees has agreed to observe and be bound by the Code of Practice for the Pastoral Care of International Students published by the Minister of Education. The latest version of the Code of Practice can be found on the New Zealand Ministry of Education website here.

The first Europeans entered Nelson Haven in October 1841. Five months later, "in a house built of toi toi" the first school was opened. At the end of the year, the school attended by 120 children, was moved to a specially built school-room in Tasman Street.

By 1878, education in the settlement of Nelson was flourishing. Seven schools, under the governance of the Town Schools Committee, contributed to the beginning of Nelson Central School. Boys and girls were taught at separate schools until 1927 when children were encouraged to enroll at the school nearest their home.

The site of the present school was purchased in 1893. Some thought that at 1,600 pounds the 2-acre property was too expensive, but is was the site finally chosen. Renwick House and surrounding grounds (the back field was then a bowling green), were vested in the Nelson Education Board "for the purpose of a public school" following the death of Mrs Renwick. Shortly after, in 1939 it became part of Nelson Central School.

J G Gibbs was the first headmaster of Nelson Central Boys School as it was then named. At this time there were 304 pupils on the roll and might be up to 80 children in a class. They sat in pairs, in four rows of desks, running ten deep. Gibbs was an outstandingly gifted headmaster who was keen on informal teaching and out-of-school activities. He was often seen walking in the playground followed by a trail of children chanting their spelling and times tables at him.

He often gave inspiring nature lessons. Gibbs, a keen tree planter, recorded in his diary that the lime trees, an appreciated feature of our school today, were planted at the end of June 1895.

Nelson Central School gained its present name with the enrolment of both boys and girls in 1927. The newly constituted school was made up of the main building in Nile Street which took Standards 3-6 and two side schools; Brook Street, Standards 1 and 2 and Tasman Street which housed the infants.

There were further problems as the main building in Nile Street was already overcrowded and difficult to heat. Brook Street School was inadequate and there was talk about closing it. Upon further investigation, parts of the main building were found to be decayed and weakened by the Murchison earthquake.

A decision was made in favour or rebuilding the main school. The local MP, Mr Harry Atmore, was also Minister of Education and a strong advocate. In October 1929, Cabinet approved the new school and made a grant. The lowest tender to build the new school was accepted at 5.890 pounds and in December 1929, the old building was demolished. In March 1930, Harry Atmore laid the foundation stone of the new building. He gave a long address in which he advised the children to "clean your teeth and keep your muscles in good order by running about". He then allowed them a holiday on the following day.

The new building was finished nearly four months later and officially opened on 23rd June 1930. Allowing for alterations, it is the building we have today.

Tasman Street infant School moved to Nelson Central and was fully integrated by the last term of 1980. Rooms 15 and 16 were moved to the school from the Tasman Street site. These rooms now house Te Pouahi, a bi-lingual Māori/English language unit which began in 1985.

With the development of "Tomorrow's Schools" in June 1989 came the election of the first Board of Trustees, the drawing up of the Charter and Mission Statement, and the adoption of the school logo which we carry today. In 1996 Renwick House was refurbished, in character with its original style and reopened as three classrooms with the teaching resource facilities upstairs. 1997 has seen, with the increased staff numbers and administration load, the construction of an enlarged staffroom and extended office facilities.

Our school has moved forwards to maintain its recognition as an active and progressive inner city school, with a challenging and happy learning environment for the children, who are, as always, the primary focus of our school.

The school logo incorporates three main elements.

The Koru symbolising an opening fern frond, Sugar Loaf, and the lime trees which feature in the school playground.

Supplementing the logo are the words:

Nelson Central School Aim High - Ki Runga Rawa (the highest)

• Sugar Loaf is a notable feature of the Nelson landscape situated in Brook Street and visible as a backdrop to the school.
• A Māori phrase reflects our traditional motto of Aim High.
• The Koru, as an unfolding fern frond, represents the growth a child experiences in the years spent at school. Just as the Koru symbolises the Māori dimension of our heritage, the lime trees portray a feature of our school as well as forming a link with the early European development of our school and city.
• The combination of European and Māori symbolism within the logo portrays the bi-cultural aspects of our heritage and one of the special characteristics of our school.

Nelson Central School Strategic Plan : 2010-2013

School Vision

A community of confident and connected, actively involved lifelong learners

Values  we will encourage, model and explore in our children

The adult Achievement Excellence Learning Participation Respect

The child Doing our best Doing better Thinking Having a go Looking out for people and our environment

OBJECTIVES

Students are encouraged to strive for personal excellence from a balanced curriculum based on the New Zealand Curriculum and Marautanga covering the essential learning areas. Raise the mean achievement level in literacy, numeracy and writing at each level of the school. Plan to reduce to zero the tail of underachievement in literacy, numeracy and writing. Students will have ownership and understanding of their learning and can identify their next learning steps. To nurture and develop students identified as having special needs. Students will be confident, connected and actively involved lifelong learners. Identify and remove barriers to achievement.

Deliver teaching grounded in repertoire, evidence and principle rather than recipe. Provide targeted professional development that maximises student achievement. Create a collaborative vision for excellence in the school. Support, advise and guide teachers to excel in their work. Develop a culture of learning where e-learning is naturally integrated into the teaching and learning process. The National Standards and Nga Whanaketanga will be used as reference points that describe student achievement in reading, writing and maths. Engage children actively and directly in decisions that affect their learning.

Provide a learning and teaching environment that is safe, healthy, compliant and fiscally sustainable. Provide a framework of educational aims, values and rights to steer and sustain the whole. Support and value parents as active partners in the learning process. Plan for and create quality environments throughout the school which foster learning and teaching. Implement review cycles for continuous improvement through data driven decision making and assurance. Plan and resource the distinctiveness of Maori and the cultural diversity of all learners at Nelson Central. Students' learning experiences will be enriched through diverse, community and cultural participation. The Board aspires and commits to making a difference to student achievement with knowledge enhanced through targeted professional development.

"AIM HIGH - KI RUNGA RAWA"

To inspire excellence in achievement for everyone.

Personnel Board Chairperson Geoff Clark Principal Paul Potaka 1st Deputy Principal Christine Harrison 2nd Deputy Principal Dianne Thomson 3rd Deputy Principal Freya Sonneland School Secretary Judy Williams Finance Officer Juliette Plank Staff 18-21 fulltime regular classroom teachers 3 full time Māori bicultural classrooms 1 Reading Recovery and special needs teacher 1 Resource Teacher Literacy 4 Resource Teachers for Learning & Behaviour 0.2 Special programmes 0.3 part time teachers 1 school secretary 1 administration officer 1 part time office assistant 1 caretaker 4 part time cleaners 1 library/resource person 10 teachers' aides
		School Dates The school is open for 394 half days each year. The school year commences in late January or early February. Two-week holidays taken in April, July and September. School closes around mid December. Student roll 400 - 460 Age range Year 0 - Year 6 Facilities 19 regular classrooms (average of 27 students per class) 2 variable use classrooms Trinity Church hall 2 large grass areas 2 medium size concrete play areas 2 adventure playgrounds school library offices for 5 attached staff		Organisation staff are organised in five syndicates led by senior staff staff, syndicate and curriculum meetings are held on Monday and Tuesday afternoons with other meetings by agreement Programmes students are taught a balanced curriculum in regular classrooms special learning needs of students are catered for the school has bi-annual Science Fair, Flower Show and Sculpture Symposium students take part in interschool sports including swimming, cross country and other sports that staff care to organise

Term Dates

In New Zealand the school year is divided into four school terms.

Term dates for 2010

The actual dates for our school may vary depending upon when Nelson Anniversary day is taken.

Term 1 : Wednesday 3 February - Thursday 1 April
Term 2 : Monday 19 April - Friday 2 July
Term 3 : Monday 19 July - Friday 24 September
Term 4 : Monday 11 October - No later than Thursday 16 December

School Organisation

When you enrol, you will be placed in a form class under the guidance of the class teacher who teaches children at your Year Level.

The School Day

At Nelson Central School there is a five-day week, Monday to Friday. The day is divided into curriculum periods according to the way in which teachers in the team consider it best to teach the annual curriculum plan. School begins at 8.55 am and ends at 2.55 pm. A morning interval takes place 10:30-10:45 and lunch between 12:30; 1:25 pm.