MGC Visit 2013

NEW ZEALAND’S GOT TALENT!

“This was the nicest group of people I’ve met in a long time. I do think I have made a friend for life.” (Kathleen Parkinson-Hill,  Y12)

“I made new friendships and learnt so much about their culture. It was amazing and I will be going to visit in my gap year.” (Maddie Blackwell, Y13) 

Some years ago St. John’s developed a link with both Marlborough Boys’ College and Marlborough Girls’ College in New Zealand. So, we were delighted to be involved in the planning and of a European Tour by Marlborough Girls’ College, Blenheim, with them arriving at St. John’s in September 2013 as their first stopping point. Essentially, this visit permitted genuine face-to-face contact and the associated emotional attachment that video conferencing and other communication forms had prevented.

An integral part of their short stay in Marlborough was to accommodate the 16-18 year old girls with “St. John’s families” immersing them immediately into English family life, as the rest of their tour was hotel based. After a day trip to Bath and Avebury, we welcomed the visitors into school where they immediately and rather courageously led an assembly for 550 students. This started with the traditional and passionate singing of the National Anthem and a wonderful visual presentation of their school. The visitors were genuinely surprised that we do not sing our national anthem daily!

After attending a wide range of lessons, the whole group entertained students in the amphitheatre with Maori songs, before a particularly special event took place. By sheer coincidence the party included the exceptionally talented singer-songwriter Clara Van Wel who had won “New Zealand’s Got Talent 2012”. Clara captivated 500 students with a stunning lunchtime performance, singing her own songs. Furthermore, our very own Ben Cipolla in Year 13 recorded with her in the St. John’s recording studio. Will this be a future hit?

The day was rounded off with the sharing of questions and answers between the St. John’s Global Ambassadors and the wonderful visitors. As we waved them off to London the following morning, the number of tears from both parties underlined the sheer success of the visit! Although this was possibly exaggerated by envy as we all know exactly how fantastic the rest of the European Tour would be!
 

In a short period of time we discovered an intentionality to do so much more together. We are excited by these possibilities and linking it with our other international projects.

So, as the weather in England starts to get wetter and colder, whilst it is clearly becoming warmer and brighter in New Zealand, we look forward to building on the success of this trip. Although there are around 11,000 miles between us, there are so many commonalities that we can explore.

so, why don't you click on these pictures to expand them and witness the smiles for yourselves!

TY Nicholls
Assistant Vice-Principal

 

 

Marlborough Girls' College

About

Marlborough Girls' College is a single-sex secondary school in Blenheim, New Zealand.

It is well equipped with a Performing Arts block, laboratories, a restaurant, Soft Materials rooms, Graphics rooms, two well-equipped gymnasiums, a dance studio, a weights room, hairdressing salon, Whanau room, two arts rooms, five computer labs, Guidance suite including a careers centre, student canteen and extensive sports fields with tennis courts and netball courts.

History

This school was established in 1963. Previously Blenheim was served by the co-educational Marlborough College, which subsequently continued to serve as Marlborough Boys' College.

Uniform

The uniform is a school tartan skirt, white blouse, school tie, blue jumper, and brown or black flat shoes. There is a variation in uniform between the seasons, and between the junior and senior students.

Houses

The Marlborough Girls' College has four houses:

• Awatere
• Opawa
• Kaituna
• Wairau

They consist of girls Year 9 – 13 and have a prefect leader. Form classes are divided into the various Houses and all form classes from Year 11 are vertical form classes. This provides seniors with more leadership opportunities and students the opportunities to mix with different year groups. Year 9 and 10 form classes are horizontal, which means that Junior students have a smooth start to college.

St John's Academy, Marlborough

About

 St John’s is an 11-18 Academy with a national and international reputation for curriculum innovation and highly effective learning.  However, it is an Academy where the individual matters more than anything else.

Our reputation as a caring Academy which sets very high academic standards in a disciplined environment is well known. We are proud, as an Academy, to stand for quality – quality of teaching and learning. We place a high emphasis on developing a proper sense of values – respect for others, a responsible attitude towards the community, care for the environment and a pride in oneself and one’s appearance.

History
Originally the school was founded in 1550 and has changed name and location several times subsequently. The former hospital became the school's first home, but in 1578 it was demolished and a new building was built which survived until 1790.

In the course of the 18th century it began to be known as Marlborough Grammar School. During the nineteenth century it declined, and in 1899 was closed. However, in 1906 it reopened in new buildings, now taking the form of a mixed school for eighty boys and girls.

Having already occupied a variety of different sites in Marlborough, in 1962 the school again moved into new buildings, this time on the edge of the town centre.

In 1975, the school was merged with the local secondary modern school, Marlborough Secondary Modern, creating a new comprehensive school, St John's Marlborough. It later became St. John's School and Community College, specialising in science, technology and languages. With the building of a brand new school, it has since become St John's Academy, Marlborough, a centrally funded Academy school.

The new St John’s

Designed to provide a first class learning environment the new Academy has a dedicated Sixth Form Centre, Theatre, Sports Centre and purpose built classroom for every subject. Its design and location sets the new Academy in an almost unique context.

  

 

 

Uniform

All students from Years7-11 wear a uniform including a blazer. Boys have to wear a tie, wheras girls don’t. Girls have the option of a skirt or trousers. The jumper has a colour around the collar which is relevant to our four colleges, which are simply named Red, Blue, Yellow and Green College.