Start of Term 4 Newsletter - Tuesday 13 October

I hope your whānau enjoyed the break from school and is ready for a productive and successful Term 4. This term is busy with learning opportunities, NZQA assessments, Year 9 camps, planning for next year, and we are already looking ahead to end of year celebrations.

Term 4 and 2027 planning
To help you with forward planning, we want to highlight important events and key dates in Term 4, which are listed at the end of this newsletter. For even further planning ahead, our 2027 term dates, public holidays and year planner can be accessed on our school website: https://www.northcote.school.nz/parents/term-dates-and-year-planner 

Year 9 camps to Motutapu Island
We wish the first group of Year 9 campers well; they went to Motutapu Island yesterday. The second group goes in Week 7. Please check all communication from Louise Inwards for details.

Welcome to Northcote College 2027 Evening: Wednesday 14 October 6pm
We look forward to welcoming students and whānau who will be joining our kura next year at our welcome event tomorrow evening. This event is for new students in Year 9 2027 and also at all other year levels.

Student Representative on the Northcote College Board
We are delighted to announce that Year 12 student Elijah Panter was elected as the new Student Representative on the Northcote College Board. Very many thanks to Payasvi Sharma who has served on the Board with commitment for the past year.

Band Success
Northcote College students performed at the Town Hall in the finals of SUSO 2026 (Stand Up Stand Out). Year 13 band Fever was outstanding and won their category of original group. Enormous congratulations to Jesse Scott, Brayden Fitzgerald, Luca Ninzigamiye, Sam Teague and Kaito Jones. Jesse Scott’s solo and Estatica’s performance were also wonderful.

We also had two bands reach the New Found Sound Grand Final at the Tuning Fork - Estatica and Vandal. Vandal took out the Audience Choice Award which tops off another successful year for the Year 11 alternative metal band. Congratulations to Sienna Fitzgerald, Charlotte Barlow, Sam King, Albie Larsen and Luka Petreski.

Fono Pasifika and Hui Māori: Thursday 22 October 6-7.30pm

Māori and Pacific students and their whānau are invited to join us on Thursday 22nd on the 3rd floor of K Block for our Term 4 hui/fono. We will share information about preparing for upcoming senior and junior exams. We will support families to check their child's subject choices for 2027 against the pathways they wish to follow as adults, and we will share kai together. 

Non-uniform Day: Friday 23 October
Students are encouraged to wear green and to donate generously to our chosen charity, the Cerebral Palsy Society of New Zealand for their Be Green and Be Seen appeal. Students may give cash to their period 1 teacher or donate online at Kindo.

Strategic Planning Community Consultation - survey and in-person event
We are updating our strategic plan which helps the Board and the school identify priorities, take action to improve outcomes, and demonstrate the progress we are making for students. We would appreciate you completing this short survey.
You are also invited to our community strategic planning consultation event on 30 November 6-8pm in the school hall. This will be an opportunity for us to present what we have heard from you to date and get further feedback from you on our future planning.

Examinations
The Common Assessment Activity (CAA) Reading results will be released tomorrow and the Writing and Numeracy results will be released on 27 October. When all the results have been received, there will be communication from the Literacy and Numeracy Co-ordinators with information about the next steps.

NZQA examinations for our students in Years 11-13 begin on Tuesday 10 November and run through until Friday 4 December. Here is the NCEA Examination Timetable 2026. Please encourage your child to check and re-check their timetable to avoid the upset of missing an exam.

School Donations
We are grateful to families who pay the school donation; without these payments we would not be able to offer the variety of learning opportunities our students currently enjoy. Thank you again.

Attendance
We acknowledge your support to ensure your child is at school on time and ready for learning. Punctuality to lessons is critical to maximise learning opportunities. Please continue to support and encourage regular attendance and being on time to school and classes. If you are logging an absence, the preferred way is through Parent Portal.

Reunion: 2-4 April 2027
We are looking forward to celebrating Northcote College’s 150th anniversary next year. Current and former students, staff, whānau and friends of the school and community are warmly invited to come along to this sesquicentennial event being held from Friday 2 to Sunday 4 April, 2027. It will be a great chance to catch up with friends and former teachers, to explore the campus, and to enjoy memories of familiar spaces. Please register your interest here, and we will keep you up to date with reunion news and information.

 
Thank you for your ongoing support of our school. We encourage you to stay in contact; if you have any queries, please contact your child’s Dean in the first instance.

Ngā manaakitanga

Vicki Barrie

Tumuaki | Principal

Upcoming Key Dates

Key dates for Term 4

Week 1
Monday 12 - Friday 16 October: Year 9 camp (group 1) to Motutapu Island
Wednesday 14 October 6pm: 2027 Welcome to Northcote College Evening

Week 2
Tuesday 20 October 12.45pm: Shave for a Cure

Thursday 22 October 6pm: Fono Pasifika and Hui Whānau 
Friday 23 October: Non-Uniform Day to raise money for the Cerebral Palsy Society of NZ

Week 3
Monday 26 October: Labour Day - school closed
Tuesday 27 October 7pm: Whānau Prizegiving
Wednesday 28 October 7pm: Film Evening
Thursday 29 October 7pm: Senior Sports Prizegiving

Week 4
Wednesday 4 November: Last day of timetabled lessons for seniors
Thursday 5 November 7pm: Senior Prizegiving

Week 5
Tuesday 10 November - Friday 4 December: NZQA Examinations
Friday 13 November: Ministry of Education Teacher only Day - no junior students at school

Week 6
Monday 16 - Friday 20 November: Junior Assessment Week

Week 7
23 - 27 November: Year 9 camp (group 2) to Motutapu Island

Week 8
Monday 30 November 6pm: strategic consultation event
Friday 4 December 6pm: Leavers’ Event

Week 9
Wednesday 9 December 6pm: Junior Sports Prizegiving

Week 10
Tuesday 15 December 10am: Year 10 Prizegiving and last day (12.45pm finish for students in Year 9)
Wednesday 16 December 10am: Year 9 Prizegiving and last day

2027 Year Planner