ACG Tauranga

ACG Tauranga
Location
6 Keenan Rd
Pyes Pa
Tauranga
New Zealand
Coordinates 37°46′27″S 176°06′58″E / 37.774037°S 176.116173°ECoordinates: 37°46′27″S 176°06′58″E / 37.774037°S 176.116173°E
Information
Type Private
Established January 2015
Founder Academic Colleges Group
Ministry of Education Institution no. 707
Years offered Kindergarten-Year 13[1] (initially Year 1-9)
Gender coeducational
Campus size 14 hectares (35 acres)[2]
Divisions Junior School (Year 1-6)
Middle School (Year 7-9)
Senior School (Year 10-13)
Website acgedu.com/nz/tauranga

ACG Tauranga will be a private coeducational day and boarding composite located on the outskirts of Tauranga, New Zealand.[2][3] The school will owned and operated by Auckland-based private education company Academic Colleges Group.[2]

The school plans to open at the beginning of the 2015 school year, and will initially offer places for 300 Year 1-9 students.[4] From 2016,[1] it will gradually be extended in two-year increments[2] to be a full kindergarten-Year 13 day and boarding school with a role of 700 students.[4] It will be the first private school in Tauranga since Tauranga Rudolf Steiner School integrated into the state system in March 2005. It is the latest of Academic Colleges Group's 10 schools,[5] whose New Zealand schools are members of Independent Schools of New Zealand (ISNZ).[6]

Background

The school was announced via press release from AGC in August, 2013.[2] It is ACG's first domestic school outside of the Auckland region. Of ACG's existing domestic schools, ACG Tauranga is closest in nature to ACG Strathallan in Papakura,[7] south of Auckland, which opened in 2001.[8]

The development was initially opposed by the Tauranga City Council,[3] however work was underway in February 2014.[7] The school covers 14 hectares, formerly a kiwifruit orchard.[2] Amenities will include a gymnasium, three sports fields, a utility building,[4] and parking for at least 209 cars.[7] As well as hard courts, a sports pavilion, horticultural building, Early Childhood Education centre, and boarding facility.[3] If demand is met, boarding will be available for 120 students.[9]

Initially ACG hoped to open the school in January 2014.[2] However, classes are scheduled to begin in February 2015[10][11] at the beginning of Term One.[4] The opening is still subject to the school receiving registration from the Ministry of Education.

The first public meeting was held in April 2014 at Trinity Wharf Hotel in Tauranga.[12][13] ACG claims over 200 parents and teachers attended from across the Bay of Plenty.[12]

Curriculum

The curriculum is yet to be finalised, but will include a combination of the official New Zealand Curriculum and the Cambridge Primary Programme.[14]

As with all domestic ACG schools, ACG Tauranga will offer the Cambridge International Examinations (CIE) instead of the National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA).[2][4][15] ACG will be the only school in Tauranga to offer an alternative qualification to NCEA.

Schools

The school is divided into Junior (Year 1-6, Middle (Year 7-9) and Senior (Year 10-13 Schools.[16]

Junior School

The Junior School encompasses Years 1-6. From Year 5, all students will sit end-of-year examinations in addition to assessment during the year. Also beginning Year 5, learning Spanish will be mandatory[14][17] and the only language taught at the school.[18]

Junior School fees range from $14,200-$14,625 in 2015, depending on payment plan.[19]

Middle School

The middle school includes Years 7-9. At secondary level, the curriculum will prepare students for CIE.[14] Students will be able to study at multi-levels from Year 10.[20]

Middle School fees range from $16,600-$17,100 in 2015, depending on payment plan.[19]

Senior School

The Senior School includes the final years, Years 10-13. Year 11 students will sit the International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE), Year 12 students will sit the Cambridge AS Level examinations and Year 13 students will sit A2 Level examinations or a combination of AS and A2 Levels.[20]

Full Senior School fees have not been announced for 2015 (as the school will initially only go up to Year 9). However, Year 10 fees in 2015 are set at Middle School levels.[19]

External links

See also

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 ACG Tauranga: Location and Facilities, retrieved 23 April 2014
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 "New school planned for Pyes Pa", Sunlive, 17 August 2013, retrieved 23 April 2014
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Campbell, Andrew (18 December 2013), "Council opposes school application", SunLive, retrieved 23 April 2014
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 Welcome to ACG Tauranga, retrieved 23 April 2014
  5. ↑ ACG: Our Schools, retrieved 23 April 2014
  6. ↑ "ISNZ". isnz.org.nz. Independent Schools of New Zealand. Retrieved 10 February 2012.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 Cousins, John (21 February 2014), Work starts on new school, retrieved 1 May 2014
  8. ↑ ACG Strathallan, retrieved 1 May 2014
  9. ↑ Western Bay of Plenty District Council (16 December 2013), RC4642L: ACG Tauranga Property Limited, Keenan Road and Pyes Pa Road (SH36)– Application for a School for up to 700 Students (PDF), retrieved 1 May 2014
  10. ↑ ACG Tauranga: About Us, retrieved 23 April 2014
  11. ↑ ACG Tauranga: Term Dates, retrieved 23 April 2014
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 ACG Group News (16 April 2014), ACG Tauranga Information Afternoon, retrieved 23 April 2014
  13. ↑ SunLive (7 April 2014), Foundation laid at new school, retrieved 1 May 2014
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 14.2 FRQ's:What is the curriculum at ACG Tauranga?, retrieved 23 April 2014
  15. ↑ FRQ's:Will ACG Tauranga offer NCEA?, retrieved 23 April 2014
  16. ↑ ACG Tauranga: Schools, retrieved 23 April 2014
  17. ↑ ACG Tauranga: Middle School, retrieved 23 April 2014
  18. ↑ FRQ's:What additional languages will be available to students and from what age?, retrieved 2 May 2014
  19. ↑ 19.0 19.1 19.2 ACG Tauranga: Fees 2015, retrieved 23 April 2014
  20. ↑ 20.0 20.1 FRQ's:What are the Cambridge International Examinations?, retrieved 23 April 2014