The NorthGate College process places a great emphasis on personal development of which academic achievement is a sub-set. To this end there are several deliberate strategies which are undertaken to ensure that the corporate student body emerges as a purpose-filled, confident community of adults skilled in every sphere of human endeavour with the capacity for global impact.
General Approach for Curriculum Delivery
The broad approaches to curriculum delivery include:
- Breadth of academic curriculum to cultivate an appreciation within the students of a variety of disciplines.
- A fully integrated range of co-curricular activities to develop every aspect of the students’ social lives.
- Students are encouraged to participate and share their inherent creative resource. Confidence and the ability to speak and write articulately are required, taught and encouraged.
Strategic Leadership Development
The NGC environment places deliberate and systematic emphasis on leadership development:
- Staff members consciously seek to identify leadership potential in students and develop creative avenues of expression for this capacity.
- Students are strongly encouraged to demonstrate initiative and to take responsibility for the full development of their ideas and to work them through to completion.
- Designated student leaders are solemnly charged with their duty and responsibility. There is a declared requirement upon them to demonstrate measurable growth as individuals – in self-control, and the ability to relate to others.
- The responsibility of the student body to respect their student leaders is emphasised and enforced; disrespect is simply not tolerated.
Open Recognition of Demonstrated Character
Morning worship, in which all members of the NGC community are required to participate, is the most visible forum for regular discussion and creative demonstration of practical issues of character.
The Monthly Commendation Assembly and End of Term Ceremonies recognize, honour and award, not only academic or co-curricular excellence, but also consistently manifest nobility of character.
Instances of lapses in character are dealt with in the biblically prescribed manner:
- private rebuke, which in may include parental presence,
- rebuke before witnesses,
- open rebuke and
- ultimately, given the severity of the instance, expulsion from the NGC community.
In all instances cited above the focus of the rebuke is to provoke permanent adjustment and restoration of character.
Discipline
The purpose of school rules is to provide an orderly and harmonious environment for all members of the NorthGate College community and so help all students attain their maximum potential. In addition, rules teach students how to order their lives and practice respect for others. Rules thus assist in developing disciplined lifestyles and good character which benefit students their whole lives.
NGC rules are not only clearly proclaimed, they are transparently, justly and universally enforced. The school’s rules are not intended to be exhaustive, but to cover the main principles of conduct and some particularly important specific matters.
- Regularity and punctuality
- Uniform
- Respect for persons
- Respect for property
- Conduct outside of school
Exposure to Build Global Awareness
NGC is committed to the inclusion of students from other cultures, nationalities and languages as part of its creation of a globally sensitive learning environment. This mix of abilities and cultures provides greater scope for creativity by the staff in planning and implementing lessons, and a widening of the students’ learning styles and experiences. This environment is also enhanced by regular contact with Congress WBN coordinators and personnel from around the globe.
Collaborative Partnerships
One of the key principles espoused by the Congress WBN is that of shared ownership. It is of great benefit to the NGC student to have a strong and cooperative relationship between the school and parents/guardians. Parents are urged and called upon to participate, own and involve themselves in the NGC process. This takes the form of supporting the values of the school within the home, enforcing school rules, sharing practical aspects of work life with the student body, monetary or in kind donations. Beyond the involvement of parents and guardians, NGC also draws on the expertise and participation of the wider community.