SCHOOL RULES AND EXPECTATIONS

Waitākere College students have the right to learn in a safe environment. Everyone in this school, both staff and students has the right to be treated with respect

Most Waitākere College rules and expectations are obvious and based on common sense and respect for the learning rights of all students. They are explained in ‘The Waitākere Way’. Expectations of behaviour, day-to-day School Routines and Uniform Regulations are displayed on classroom bulletin boards, at the Student Centre and on notice boards around the school. Students have the responsibility to become familiar with these expectations and endeavour to meet them.

Learning and Behaviour

● All students have the right to benefit from uninterrupted learning, just as all teachers must be able to teach without disruption or lack of cooperation.

● All students must respect and support these rights by taking personal responsibility for their own behaviour, showing respect for staff and fellow students and promoting a positive learning experience.

● Outside of class work and assignments should always be completed and presented to a high standard and submitted on time.

● In all circumstances, students MUST do as requested by staff immediately and without question. (There are opportunities to seek clarification later from staff members, Tutor Class teachers, House Leaders and Deans)

Attendance

● Attendance and punctuality are important. Students should attend school every day and be punctual to school and all classes. Explanation is required for all absences and lateness. Truancy is regarded seriously and dealt with by disciplinary consequences or referred to official agencies. Serious truancy may lead to legal action.

● NO student may leave the College campus during the school day, without being signed out from the Student Centre. Wherever possible, appointments should be made outside of school hours.

Day-to-Day Routines

✔ Cellphones, headphones, earbuds, music players and tablets/iPads must be turned off and safely stored in your bag or locker at all times during school; except where use is authorised by staff for curriculum purposes.

✔ No student should bring any item to school which is not absolutely necessary during the normal school day. This applies particularly to all prohibited, dangerous or valuable items including illegal or restricted drugs, vapes and paraphernalia.

✔ Prohibited items may be impounded by staff and returned to parents when possible and convenient. Take care of and name all personal items. Some lockers are available. (details from the Student Centre)

✔ The school takes no responsibility for any such items brought to school which are lost or stolen.

✔ Students must not invite or encourage outsiders into the College. Students should not associate with outsiders on campus or at boundaries. Parent/caregiver access to their child must be through the Student Centre.

✔ Students do not have food or other items delivered to the school at any time.

✔ Students are not to congregate on their way to or home from school in parks, at shops or any other place. You should come directly to school and go directly home. Where this is not happening, parents will be advised. 

SCHOOL RULES AND EXPECTATIONS

Waitākere College students have the right to learn in a safe environment. Everyone in this school, both staff and students has the right to be treated with respect

contacted. This is a matter of safety and good sense and important to the impression made by students in our community.

✔ Some areas of the College grounds are out of bounds. Students must be aware of these areas and not be in them. Out-of-bounds areas are not suitable for students for safety reasons or are limited to certain types of use.

✔ It is College policy that students must have permission from the Associate Principal if they wish to bring a motor vehicle to school. Permission is granted based on genuine need. Normal license conditions apply.

✔ A clean environment is a shared responsibility. Please assist by picking up litter even if it is not yours, especially when asked to do so. Litter is unacceptable. There are many bins. Please use them.

✔ Eating or drinking is not permitted in the Library, Classrooms, the Gymnasium or the Assembly Hall. Chewing gum is not permitted on the school grounds.

What happens if you break rules of respect for others, classroom expectations or behaviour?

● In classrooms, teachers may ask you to fill out a form to reflect on what has happened and to understand how you might have behaved to meet expectations. They will discuss this with you. This is called a restorative practice because it tries to restore things to where they should have been before you caused a disruption in the classroom. The key thing is for you to see that you have harmed the learning of others and to prevent this from occurring in the future. Most minor incidents can be resolved between teachers and students when they occur if you participate in respectful and sensible discussions and accept responsibility for your own actions.

● Around the school grounds, staff and senior students may tell you not to do something which breaks our common expectations of acceptable behaviour, safety or respect for people and property. Behaviours, actions and symbols that undermine the culture of the school will not be tolerated and will be addressed. In some cases, there are consequences for unacceptable behaviour.

● Where problems continue or are not resolved or where more serious issues occur, the matter is often referred to your Dean and may also involve parent/caregiver contact.

● Restorative Justice Conferencing is used in more serious cases, bringing together everyone affected by the behaviour. Typically the families of the wrongdoer, any person harmed, the teachers concerned, guidance staff and senior staff may also attend. Everyone gets to speak as to how the matter has affected them. The wrongdoer gets to see how their action has affected others and to examine how they might make the situation right for the future.

● Waitākere College increasingly uses restorative thinking to enable students to accept responsibility and resolve situations.

The Questions and Process - What should Students ask themselves?

1. Tell the story - What happened? What

2. Explore the harm - Who do you think has been affected? In what ways? Affect

3. Repair the harm - What needs to be done to put things right? Repair

4. Move forward - How can we make sure this does not happen again? Move 

Restorative Practice – Putting Things Right

Restorative Practice provides opportunities for students, teachers and caregivers to share their feelings, build relationships and solve problems. When there is wrongdoing, we must all play an active role in addressing the wrong and making things right. 

Uniform Rules

It is the responsibility of students to know and follow all uniform regulations. First impressions count. The College expects all students to be well-behaved, courteous and appropriately dressed in full and correct uniform from the time they leave home for school until they arrive home again. Waitākere College believes that well-groomed students, wearing uniform correctly shows respect and pride in themselves and their College.

✔ The College reserves the right to decide on the acceptability of all items of uniform.

✔ No uniform may be altered without the permission of the College: e.g. length of trousers must be covering the socks. No shortening of skirts or shorts or editing the ‘style’, by tapering etc.

✔ Uniform which is unclean or in an unsatisfactory state will not be accepted.

✔ All non-uniform items may be impounded and parents contacted for collection.

✔ Students needing to temporarily wear any non-regulation item of uniform must bring a note explaining the situation and report to the Student Centre to obtain a permit or loan items. Full, correct uniform is a priority.

✔ Items other than those brands and styles listed in the prospectus/uniform leaflet will not be accepted.

Wearing Uniform Correctly Means

✔ It will be clean, tidy, unmarked and in good condition (or be replaced).

✔ Trousers and shorts must be at waist height, preferably. Skirts are not to be rolled up.

✔ T shirts must be plain white or the school PE shirt and only visible at the neck. T-shirts must not be visible past the sleeve or shirt length. Long sleeve tops can not be worn.

✔ Shoes must be flat, clean, polish-able, plain black dress or school shoes of a style approved by the College. (Full details are available from the Student Centre and Main Office). Lace up or slip on only, not buckle or Velcro fastenings. No casual, sports, canvas or suede styles. No two-tone, no colours, no high-tops/ankle boots, no logos or badging.

✔ Shoes must be worn with half calf-length/ business socks in plain white, black or navy blue. (Either black or flesh-toned sheer pantyhose or tights may also be worn with shoes, but not with sandals).

✔ Roman sandals or single ‘cross-over’ sandals with a heel strap fitted correctly are acceptable. Sandals must be black. Socks or pantyhose cannot be worn with sandals.

✔ A school cap, bucket hat and scarf can be worn. Not acceptable are beanies, non school caps, hoodies, non school coats etc (Scarves are not to be worn over the head.)

✔ Year 13 Dress shirts must be worn with a tie, and must be tucked in.

Suitable Grooming Means:

✔ Hair should be neat, tidy and groomed with safety in mind for many science, sport and technical subjects, hair must be tied back. Hair styles and colour must be conservative and of a natural hair colour. Clips, combs, ties and headbands must be plain and unobtrusive

✔ Boys must be clean shaven.

✔ Ear piercings are permitted if they are plain gold or silver STUD ear-rings. For health and safety reasons, NO hoops or dangling earrings are permitted and will need to be removed.

✔ ONE SMALL STUD piercing is acceptable on the side of the nose. Nose rings, Bars, Stretchers, Septum, Eyebrow, Tongue or other visible piercings are NOT permitted at school and will need to be removed.

✔ No bangles, bracelets, beaded bracelets, tied bracelets, rings, or other exposed jewellery can be worn.

✔ A taonga or recognised culturally appropriate or religious symbol on a necklace, may be worn

✔ Any tattoo should be covered by a normal uniform. Any unacceptable symbol must be removed or covered.

✔ Subtle and natural make-up and nail varnish can be worn at school. (anything deemed not acceptable, students will be asked to remove)

If in doubt on any matter, parents are encouraged to contact the Student Centre, especially before purchasing items which may not be accepted. N.B. This particularly applies to shoes and piercings.

The College reserves the right to decide the acceptability of items of uniform, and standards of clean dress and grooming. Incorrectly dressed students may have non-compliant items impounded and may have items loaned by the Student Centre, with an expectation that the uniform will be corrected before attending school the next day.

All items must be named and are students’ own responsibility; the College accepts no liability for lost items. The uniform should be in good condition, not stained or ripped, and with all buttons in place.

PUT AWAY FOR THE DAY

✔ PUT AWAY FOR THE DAY – Cell/mobile phones, earphones, ear-buds, music players and IPads MUST be turned off and safely stored in your bag or locker at all times once you arrive at school; the exception is only where use is authorised by staff for curriculum purposes.

4 STEP GUIDELINE

1. Your teachers will greet you at your classroom door and expect to see you putting your phone (turned off)/headphones in your bag.

2. If seen in the first few minutes of class, you will be told to put away your phone/headphones in your bag.

3. If seen at any time after this, your phone/headphones may be confiscated until the end of the period/day.

4. Continued disrespect may result in a longer confiscation of your phone/headphones or a stand-down.

Parents will still be able to contact their child/tamariki through the existing school processes in the College via the Student Centre 09 8367890 Ext 872. In Lockdown/Evacuation situations, contact with parents/whānau will be by website, text, and email from the college. No student calls are necessary.