Orientation and Support Programmes

All international students are inducted into the college by:

Being met on day one by the Director of International Students, the person who has responsibility for their pastoral care and the student's designated guardian.
Being given an escorted tour of the main facilities and key people in the school.
Undertaking a language test to confirm their English capabilities.
Spending the first three days with the pastoral care person going over homestay arrangements/requirements and responsibilities. Additional school-based information is covered such as school systems, routines, transport arrangements, course details and New Zealand \"cultural norms\". Issues raised by them are also covered during this period. This information is explained in English, Japanese and Chinese.
Having arrangements made for uniform fittings and for collection of these items as well as for the necessary stationery supplies to be obtained.
Having homestay placements discussed and finalised.
Being escorted to and introduced to homestay families who have been visited and vetted previously.
Being introduced to other international students who have been at the college previously as well as to local students, taking into account factors such as age, gender, levels of study and homestay locations.

The person responsible for pastoral care also teaches the international students ESOL a minimum of 4 hours per week and if agreed to previously for up to 8 hours per week. She is also the teacher of Mandarin Language.

In addition she is timetabled to spend time in other subject areas as support for teachers and students. Classes such as accounting and physics are the ones in which students need most help.

We have social gatherings once a term with the homestay families as a group in order to discuss and be made aware of relevant issues or concerns.

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