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KAPAHAKA We involve the whole school in our Kapahaka group, so we have a fairly large group (currently 30 students approx.) from 5 yrs old up to 16 years. Our school Kapahaka group has only been going for a little while, despite this, the students have embraced their cultural learning and are performing extremely well, with a lot of great comments and feedback from our audiences. Over the last few years, we have performed at various places, and every year at our school prize giving. We teach waiata (songs) that support our schools' ethics and values, and our aim is to impute Wairua Tapu (God's Holy Spirit) and God's message through our performances. ​

Cyclone Gabrielle Our School was hit by Cyclone Gabrielle which raged its devastating blast in our small community of Maungaturoto. Power and Cell Tower transmission was lost but it has been restored to the main town of Maungaturoto. Children coming from outlying areas are still facing power lines down, and no way of communication due to cell towers being down, being cut off by slips on roads. Members of our school family have lost roofing on sheds and have had to deal with flooding, property damaged. Our farming families are without power for milking. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ The school has lost 3 class rooms due to the roof being blown off. We have lost our art/technology room, our music room and the junior afternoon room. There is a lot of damage to these rooms and the children have lost their playground for now as it has had to be cordoned off because the roof landed in it. The blessing is that we started school a week earlier than most schools so even though we have been closed for a week the students have not lost any learning time. The whole school is set up to operate from the main building, that was not damaged. We are insured and the rebuild would will take time. There may be disruptions and noise and more traffic as the re-build takes place. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ How Can You Help ? Please pray for the staff and children for a positive attitude, for patience, diligence and stewardship. If you want to partner with our school, which is in a growth cycle, press the Friends of the School button. ​ Friends of the School

Become a friend of the school with regular donations, lump sum donations or bequests, by filling out our contact details form and donating online to: BANK DETAILS 02-0484-0105879-00 REFERENCE OCSGIFT CODE Your name Donations are tax deductible for NZ residents Contact Information First Name Last Name Email Street Address Street Address Line 2 City Region/State/Province Postal / Zip code Country Country Code Phone Additional Info > Thanks for submitting!

SCHOOL POLICIES The school policies can be found by clicking on the following links. Please contact the school for more information. Attendance Policy Enrolment Policy E.O.T.C (Education outside the classroom) Policy Equal Employment Opportunities Policy Internet Safety Policy (incl. internet bullying) Physical Restraint Policy Child Protection Policy Health & Safety Policy Privacy Policy Stand down & Suspension Policy Vulnerable Children Policy

SCHOOL RULES ​ The school has a number of rules about what can be brought to or worn to school. This is to keep our uniform tidy and to prevent competition and distraction amongst students. Following school rules is an opportunity to learn to obey and build character. Whatever we do later in life, it is governed by rules which we must learn to follow or face the consequences. Please help to keep up our school’s standards by supporting our rules. Non-Uniform Clothing Increasingly students are wearing non-uniform items to school. Non-uniform clothing worn at school may be confiscated for the rest of the term, and children may be sent home. ​ Hair Students hair must be clean and tidy at all times with no extremes of fashion acceptable, e.g. Mohawks, dreadlocks, corn rows, rat’s tails, man buns, unnatural coloured hair, shaved sections etc. Long hair must be tied back away from the face. All hair ties must be school colours. The way students present themselves must be of a business office setting. ​ Electronic devices Any student bringing a cell phone or Ipad to school must give it to Mr Bell to lock in the drawer until after school. Students found playing on devices during school will have them confiscated. ​ Make Up, Nail Polish and Jewellery No makeup or fingernail polish is to be worn to school. Students wearing makeup will have to wash it off with soap and water. Students needing to use the schools nail polish remover will be charged a dollar towards replacing it. The only Jewelry allowed at school are small gold or silver ear studs that can have a stone of the school colours (red, white and navy blue) or a necklace with a small cross. Incorrect Jewelry will be confiscated. ​ UNIFORM Please click here for information on uniforms. For more information, or to order, please contact the school office.

To receive a yearly tax receipt for donation rebates, please click HERE to email us your details. Thank you again for your support!

Friends of the School Notification HOW TO DONATE Otamatea Christian School is a small, rural based Northland private Christian school which relies on donations to operate. We are passionate about providing the opportunity for children in our area to receive a sound Biblically based education. We are aiming to provide an education system that works alongside parents in the education of their children and that creates opportunities for all children to attend and flourish no matter what their socio economic background or education level is. Regular donations, lump sum donations or bequests, will be warmly accepted as a blessing and will go toward the day to day running of the school, staffing, meeting the the educational, and learning needs of our students. It will also be put towards development of the giftings some students show as well as to help fund families that struggle financially with fees, uniform, school trips, workbooks and other school related costs. If you wish to donate you can donate by pressing the icon above through Friends of the School.

Study In NZ New Zealand is a prosperous, modern country with a stable government. It’s a safe place to work and study while exploring our rich natural clean green environment and cultural heritage. New Zealand provides a wealth of opportunities at a competitive price to other first world destinations Student’s safety and care comes first. New Zealand has a strict code of practice for the care of international students. Picturesque Location Otamatea Christian School is set in a Rural Northland town of Maungaturoto on the shores of the Kaipara harbour between the cities of Auckland and Whangarei. The temperatures are subtropical with summer temperatures averaging 20°C (68°F) and mild winters of 11°C (51°F) making it a comfortable environment to study and experience the country. The air is clean and fresh, the land is green and the night sky is full of stars. The rural setting and close proximity to two coasts and two cities offers an exciting range of activities Study Our rural backdrop is the perfect place to focus on education without the distractions of a big city. The school is small so international students quickly become friends with the New Zealand students and quickly develop their conversational English. The school focuses on learning. Qualifications OCS has very high standards requiring students to score 80% to pass. Over the last 5 years 100% of our graduate students have gained university entrance. Students work on individual work plans with one on one teaching. International students language skills benefit greatly from our American phonic based educational resources. International Student Accommodation Students 10 years old and under must stay with a parent or legal guardian. There are homes to be rented or purchased in Maungaturoto. The school can direct you to local land agents if you require. Students over 10 years old can stay with a parent or legal guardian, living with a designated caregiver, or in a home stay situation organised by parents or the school. The student’s accommodation must meet the International Student Code of Practice requirements and will be checked regularly for student safety and wellbeing. Ministry of Education Code of Practice Otamatea Christian School has agreed to observe and to be bound by the Code of Practice for the Pastoral Care of International Students published by the Ministry of Education and undertakes to comply with the accommodation provisions set out in part 6 of practice for the pastoral care of international students. Copies of the Code are available on request from the School Office or click on the following link to download a copy from the NZQA Website - http://www.nzqa.govt.nz/providers-partners/education-code-of-practice/ Copies in a variety of languages are also available on this link. Please click here for international school fees. ​ For more information on our international students programme, or to enrol, please contact our international students’ director – Lynette Bell at lynettebellteach@gmail.com or otamateachristianschool@gmail.com ​ Phone: 09 4318487 ​ Otamatea Christian School 98 Hurndall Street, Maungaturoto Northland New Zealand

O.C.S DISTANCE LEARNING ​ Our Distance Learning option is an exciting new Ministry of Education approved way for students to attend school from the comfort, safety, and convenience of their own home in the care of their parents. BENEFITS OF DISTANCE LEARNING Distance Learning combines the benefits of schooling at home with the structure, accountability, support, and guida nce of a school. ​ Distance Learning lightens the load of parents as their children’s first teachers, for those who need to or wish to educate their children at home. Students enrolling in distance learning benefit from having a parent monitor their engagement throughout the day while the school takes the responsibility of providing the curriculum materials and teaching students as if they were at school. ​ O.C.S Distance Learning engages students with 1:1 learning and individualised tutoring, group engagement online and events where students throughout the country can compete with other students. Distance learning is portable and can be done from almost anywhere which is ideal for families at home, on the move, traveling the world, enjoying the beauty of New Zealand, or for students pursuing high performance activities. ​ Distance Learning is a cost effective way of gaining a private school education with traditional standards, and high expectations from the comfort and security of your home. ​ OUR POINT OF DIFFERENCE ​ ​ ​ Individual work plans At enrolment all students sit diagnostic tests to identify gaps in learning which need addressing. Students are prescribed individual programmes of work to accelerate their learning. Dedicated teachers work one on one with students teaching precept upon precept to build students understanding and knowledge. Students are accountable to their teachers on a daily basis to encourage them to do their best. Teachers will communicate with parents through school reports, conversations, notes, and progress cards to ensure you know how your child is achieving. Gifted students and students with needs ACE has the capacity to extend the most gifted student and a remedial programme to help those with needs. Students can be accelerated in one subject while getting remedial help in another to maximise their learning potential. Portable Education The ACE resources are fully portable and make up the bulk of the academic programme which is supplemented with a vast array of activities including sport, the arts, technology, and science. Blocks of work will be sent to students which are easily transported to wherever you need to study. Teachers can be accessed from almost anywhere online. OCS distance learning has the continuity to teach students from Year 1 to 13 with a variety of exit certificates that can be tailored to meet students end use needs including university entrance. A Christian School OCS is a Christian Community of learners where we accept students from all walks of life and faiths. We teach from a Christian world view alongside modern scientific theories. Students are encouraged to think for themselves, ask questions and use the teaching material to grow their knowledge and understanding. All students will be given the opportunity to participate in prayer and learn about Christianity. We expect students and parents to respect the school’s Christian character, but a Christian faith is not required. The wider school curriculum There will be opportunities to attend the school on camps or on home stay to meet the teaching staff and other students, to receive remedial or extension help, or to participate in school competitions and events. Throughout the year Distance Learners will be encouraged to meet other Distance Learners in their area and to participate in local activities which align with the school’s programme. Extracurricular activities like sports, dance and music are encouraged and some activities can be credited to certificates. Training Both students and parents will benefit from training to make the most of Distance Learning. This is done with information sheets, videos and through the teaching staff. Training is introduced in manageable pieces over the first few weeks of enrolment on an individual basis. Parental Commitment Parent are to be on hand to supervise their children daily to encourage and monitor their progress. Parents will receive educational resources which they will need to keep secure. Parents will have the control over student access to score keys and tests. Parents assist the school by sending completed tests back for marking and filing. Older students will quickly become independent learners while younger students will naturally present more opportunities for parental to assistance. During the first few weeks there will, be more opportunities for parental involvement as your child learns to work with their teacher. Students under 14 years of age must be under adult supervision at all times. Parents will be involved directly in the learning of their children, but will not be responsible for teaching students. Benefits of Distance learning with OCS OCS offers traditional values. Takes the effort out of schooling at home. Affordable private school education with high standards. Freedom from state social and political agendas. Have day to day input in your children’s learning. Know what your children are being taught. Be informed and make your own chooses. Respect for parents as their children’s first teacher. Consistency of education during disruptions. New Zealand recognised qualifications. New Zealand Christian Teachers. Safe family atmosphere free from bullying. School staff that really cares. Finding home schooling difficult and need support. Interested in home schooling but don’t believe you have the time, energy or expertise to do it. Truly Individualised learning. Mastery learning where students learn new concepts before they move on so nobody is left behind. ​

OUR SCHOOL GARDEN About At Otamatea Christian School, we are enthusiastic about the environment and growing fresh vegetables and fruit for our students to eat, and also to share with our school families and the community! We have a large area dedicated to vegetable gardens, and on the perimeter of our school field, and dotted around the school property, there are various fruit trees. We are also part of Tahi NZ "bees in schools" programme. Tahi NZ have put beehives in our back paddock, and are teaching groups of students beehive keeping. The students get to keep some honey for themselves, and Tahi NZ give honey to the school, and provide suits for the students! A large part of the school property is our school nature reserve. Here the children learn about natives, various trees, plants, weed and pest control.

Otamatea Christian School is an independent Christian, co-educational school with a warm family atmosphere and an emphasis on character training, values education and high academic standards. Our school has a fine record of providing opportunities for all students who are determined to succeed and who wish to achieve to their full potential. Our senior students strive to achieve a variety of certificates including our High School Advanced Certificate and our Certificate of Achievement with Level 3 endorsements which are both accepted as university entrance for Universities and Tertiary Institutes throughout New Zealand. We aim to assist our students to take full responsibility for their learning and behaviour and we know that quality learning comes from a close partnership between home and school. As a school we encourage parents and caregivers to be an integral part of the school. ​ ​ We have qualified caring staff who encourage all students: ​ • To aim for excellence • To work towards achieving their God-given potential in all areas including the arts, sports and academics. • To have enquiring minds, a sense of discipline, co-operation and responsibility. • To develop an appreciation of their cultural background, a capacity for leadership, concern and respect for others. • To demonstrate high standards of honesty, integrity, courtesy, tolerance and loyalty. • To prepare for future tertiary and vocational opportunities and to acquire the skills and knowledge necessary for their chosen career.​ I look forward to meeting students who join our school family and have chosen OCS as their educational provider whether you are a day student, an international visitor or working from home as a distance learner. I know that your association with Otamatea Christian School will be challenging, stimulating and rewarding throughout your educational journey.

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