The Ardgowan Way
You will often hear us talk about ‘THE ARDGOWAN WAY’. This sums up who we are and what we strive to achieve for our tamariki.
| A | R | D | G | O | W | A | N |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Achievement | Role Models | Digital Citizens | Growth | Our Place | Whanau | Attitudes | Navigating |
ACHIEVEMENT — We support our children to strive for personal excellence, to be the best that they can be in academic, social, sporting and cultural contexts. We support strong work habits alongside self-motivation and high engagement. Our students are encouraged to aim high and set their own goals whilst being supported to develop a range of skills, time management, love of learning, self-reflection and focus to be able to achieve them. Ardgowan kids have many talents and we love to help them to shine.
ROLE MODELS — Our Y7/8 leaders and Y6 apprentice leaders set a shining example for the school. There are many opportunities for every student to step up and shine as ambassadors of the school also. We offer opportunities to take on responsibility as class helpers, whanau leaders, Head Student, playground activity leaders, bus monitors – the list is endless. Our children are supported to develop self-confidence, form positive relationships, communication and organizational skills. We are proud of our Tamariki - they are responsible, reliable members of our community.
DIGITAL CITIZENS — Our students are confident with a range of digital technology. They are supported to use technology as a tool to further their learning, understand how to be safe and be responsible users. The world is constantly changing and we make sure our children are equipped to access these changes and make the most of every opportunity.
GROWTH — Ardgowan kids are supported to grow as learners and individuals in all aspects of ‘The Ardgowan Way’. They are supported to develop the necessary skills, develop curiosity as life-long learners, set goals and track their progress, have self-belief and a sense of maturity. They are given opportunities to be proud of their achievements, know their strengths and areas of development, and develop a sense of who they are.
OUR PLACE — Ardgowan School is the heart of the community. We support our students to feel a sense of belonging, to have pride in their school and recognize that they have an important part to play in the community. We offer many opportunities to get involved and ‘give back’ to the community through our leadership and EOTC programmes, and bring the community into school also. We embrace our “town and country’ identity and this is brought to life through our many events and programmes.
WHANAU — At Ardgowan we promote a strong partnership with our community. We encourage whanau involvement and know that learning is at its richest when home and school, work together. Our Ardgowan whanau is made up of people from many cultural and social backgrounds. We celebrate difference and encourage our students to have pride in who they are and in their family history. Our students are accepting of others and value each other and the unique skills, knowledge and perspectives that each person brings.
ATTITUDES — We support the children to have a love of learning, a positive attitude to challenge, to be resilient, kind, caring, polite, respectful and reflective in an environment that values difference and celebrates individuals. We value integrity, honesty, respect, determination and support our students to grow as open minded and flexible learners.
NAVIGATING — Our students step up to many challenges as they move from wee New Entrants to the responsible and remarkable young adults that leave us in Y8. We make sure they feel supported on this journey. We help them to see the importance of friendships, to manage their own feelings and behaviour, to plan for success, but know that it is Ok to fail sometimes, to communicate their ideas, to develop confidence and to have a voice.