Health & Wellbeing Support

The Wellbeing Team aims to provide support and direction for students so that their time at College is positive and profitable, and they leave school with a sense of purpose.

The Deans have the particular responsibility of monitoring the welfare and progress of students at a year level. They meet regularly with Wānanga Teachers and work closely with senior staff, the Counsellors, the Careers and Transition staff and Learning Support staff.

Each member of the SMT has overall responsibility for a year level. 

Ms Eade - Yr 9, 

Ms Calder - Yr 10, 

Ms Moran - Yr 11,

Ms Wilson - Yr 12 

Ms Simonsen - Yr 13.

Wellbeing Support is offered in the following areas:

learning needs

health, mental health and well-being

personal problems

returning to school coordinator for students and whānau working with outside agencies such as CAMHS, CREDS, CRHS contact Anna Simonsen to discuss anna.simonsen@wgc.school.nz

confidence and motivation

setting and attaining academic goals; course selection

career education and vocational guidance

study organisation and time management

courses with other training providers

work placement.

Parental contact with the College is always welcome. If you have any concerns about your student’s progress, behaviour or about any incident which happens at school, please do not hesitate to make contact with the school to discuss the problem. The Dean, SMT member or Guidance Counsellors are the staff to speak to in the first instance.

Wānanga Teachers and Wānanga Time

The Wānanga teacher is the first and most important point of contact for your student. Wānanga time is used for admin but more importantly to promote student wellbeing and foster connections to the wider life of the school.

We have two types of wānanga at WGC.

We have an opt-in vertical wānanga for Māori and Pacific students. These wānanga are co-taught and supported by kaiāwhina. Pastoral issues are dealt with by cohort deans. Senior academic advisors provide regular support and goal setting for Māori and Pacific students.

Kahukura provides a safe space in the school for our Māori students to come together and build a sense of community and whanaungatanga. There are also opportunities to learn more about Te Ao Māori through learning waiata tautoko, providing leadership in pōwhiri, and more. The wānanga is organised vertically with students from Y9-13 to provide a tuākana tēina approach, where the senior students are able to support the junior students. Kahukura is shaped by Māori values such as whanaungatanga and manaakitanga.

Fale Wānanga gives the opportunity for our Pacific students to meet, engage with and build a welcoming community with other Pacific students. We aim to honour the values of the Pacific, such as family, gratitude, respect and service. Alongside this, we work to support our Pacific youth in achieving their goals, holding high expectations for themselves and offering opportunities for enrichment in such areas as leadership and citizenship. We have language resources and aim to provide a safe, cultural space for all of our Pacific students.

Cohort wānanga are supported by cohort Deans who provide pastoral and academic support.

Tuākana Programme

The Tuākana Tēina programme enables year 12 and 13 students to act as a big sister “Tuakana” to a year 9 student “Teina”. Tuākana Tēina is a concept based on relationships. The purpose is to provide a model or buddy to someone else, such as an elder sibling guiding a younger sibling. Activities in the programme include; interactive student-led lessons with clear learning objectives, one to one time together, shared lunches, collaborative wānanga times, emails and a variety of events throughout the year.

We have been most impressed by the leadership displayed by our senior students and the positive relationships that they have formed. The programme is designed to assist the year 9 students with their transition into the college and offer them on-going support throughout the year. We are confident that the programme encourages long lasting friendships and ensures that a strong connected community is established.

Careers and Transition – Ms K Johnson, Ms W Caseley, Ms McGuinness

Information in areas related to career choice is available from the Careers and Transition Department staff. They are also available to assist students with subject choice and in transition from school to work. There is a link on the school website to provide you with more up to date information.

Students can make an appointment to see a team member during school time. Parents are also welcome to contact the staff if further information is required.

Learning Services – Ms Duggan

The Learning Services Department works closely with all teachers and shares information about students’ learning. Students who need extension or support are identified and programmes are adapted to suit their needs. Parents are welcome to contact the Head of Learning Services if they have any concerns about learning.

The school has four other staff who offer support and extension to students. They are:

Māori Academic Advisor Ms Diane Henjyoji

Pasifika Academic Advisor Ms Juliana Aupa’au

Senior Learning and Support Advisor Mr Greg Watson