Q. What is special about this school?

Q. What values and social skills will my child learn at school?

Q. How big is the school?

Q. What is the average class size?

Q. What homework does the school expect?

Q. How and when will you let me know how my child is getting on?

Q.  How will I find out what is going on at school?

Q. What should I do if I am worried about my child's progress or experiences at school?

Q. How do students get involved in sports teams, music groups or drama?

Q. What are the arrangements if my child gets sick at school or has to stay at home because of illness?

Q. What arrangements are there for students leaving the school grounds during the day?

Q. Do you take overseas students?

Q. Do you have a zone?

Q. Do you stream?

Q. Why don't you stream?

Q. What subjects do you offer?

Q. What does it cost?

Q. What do you do for able students?

Q. Can students do a mix of subjects?

Q. What do you do about bullying?

Q. What do you do about students that disrupt the learning of others?

Q. What are the hours of the uniform / stationery shop?

Q. Access to Technology?

Q. What is special about this school? 
A. Northcote College caters for the individual needs of the students. This is a school of  opportunity where students discover new skills and are given leadership roles.

Q. What values and social skills will my child learn at school?  
A. Students learn the values of tolerance, acceptance and appreciation of the uniqueness of  others. The Health and Wellbeing Programme explores these and other social skills

Q. How big is the school?  
A. The school has a roll of aproximately 1300 students.

Q. What is the average class size?  
A. We have smaller classes on average. Class sizes vary depending on subject, level,  timetable and popularity. We aim to keep all classes under 30 students and some classes can have as few as 10 students.

Q. What homework does the school expect?  
A. Homework is set at all levels. Years 9 and 10 students should expect to spend at least 1 hour after school each day. For years 11 to 13, homework depends on the assessment demands of  each subject. Students in these levels are expected to do a minimum of 2 hours study per  night.

Q. How and when will you let me know how my child is getting on?  
A. Along with the three written reports that are published throughout the year, there are two parent-teacher interview evenings where parents have the opportunity to discuss their child's progress with subject teachers.  

Q.  How will I find out what is going on at school?
A. The school website provides up to date information. A school newsletter is published each term and sent home with students.

Q. What should I do if I am worried about my child's progress or experiences at school?
A. If you are concerned, contact your child's year level Dean. Click here for the deans list.

Q. How do students get involved in sports teams, music groups or drama?
A. The College runs extensive sporting and cultural groups. Students can approach the  Sports Coordinator if they wish to join a sporting team. The heads of music and drama  manage all other cultural activities.

Q. What are the arrangements if my child gets sick at school or has to stay at home because of illness?
A. Please phone the Attendance Officer in the morning if your child is sick (ext 750). If your  child has a school assessment when they are away sick, they must bring a doctor's certificate.

Q. What arrangements are there for students leaving the school grounds during the day?
A. Students can only leave the school grounds if they have a note from their parent explaining  the reason. They should take the note to the Duty Dean's Office before 9am to receive a leave  pass.

Q. Do you have a zone?
A. Yes however each year the Board of Trustees decides how many places are available for  students living out of zone. Click here for a list of streets within our local zone.  (List of streets available here)

Q. Do you stream?
A. No we do not stream.

Q. Why don't you stream?
A. Northcote College has mixed ability classes. Our skilled teachers differentiate the learning  abilities of the students and provide lessons to suit all students. In this way the social  needs of the students are developed. However in Junior Mathematics we teach across three learning bands which cater for the specific learning needs at this level.

Q. What subjects do you offer?
A. Click here to go to our course directory

Q. What does it cost?
A. Northcote College requests a donation from each family who has a child attending the School. The Board of Trustees has set the parental contribution for attendance at Northcote College in the 2010 school year at $250 per student.  For families with two or more students attending the School the total requested contribution is $500.
The parental donation to the School helps the Board fund the educational opportunities that Northcote College provides and allows important projects, programmes and initiatives for students to be developed and sustained. 

Q. What do you do for able students?
A. We run a separate extension programme for our top 15% of students. Our most able  students may be accelerated to do one or more subjects at a higher level.

Q. What do you do about bullying?
A. We do not tolerate it. All new students attend a half day Appropriate Behaviours Course (ABC) which encourages them to report all forms of harassment. All complaints are taken seriously and investigated through the Harassment Coordinators.

Q. What do you do about students that disrupt the learning of others?
A. We create a positive learning environment in all classrooms and any student who disrupts is sent to the Assistant Principals.

Q. What are the hours of the school shop?
A. School Shop Opening Hours are Monday to Thursday 11am - 1.30pm

Q. Access to Technology?
A. Students have open access to computers both in the Computer Suites and Library. All  students are given a log-in name at the beginning of each year.