Read the latest news from Rutherford College

Kia ora te whanau ō te Kōtuku 

The Rutherford Way

We are Rutherford

• We (the adults) believe that we are the catalyst for the change or improvement we wish to see.
• We work hard and we are kind.
• We understand that excellence is not an act but a habit, and it’s about little deliberate steps in the right direction, toward our goals.
• We use research-based methodology.
• We understand that if we are always five minutes early, we will never be late.
• We value little acts of human kindness and have relentless compassion.
• We build authentic sustainable relationships and understand that this requires time and effort. Making and sustaining connections is a priority.
• We don’t take ourselves too seriously and enjoy a bit of banter and good humour.
• We check for understanding frequently throughout a lesson.

In the first instance the word we, refers to what the adults (all staff) are expected to do at Rutherford College. They are positive behaviours that create a foundation for positive change. As people if we genuinely seek change, then we must change what we do. We can only control what we do. If all adults deploy those nine functions more consistently then their power of influence will grow.  Influence is more powerful than control. If students also adopt the same nine things they will be surprised how much more enjoyable life becomes. They will have more power to influence their own outcomes. Progress from where their feet are now will be a given, on the back of those nine things, that they and we can control with our daily words, deeds and actions.

2025 NCEA Achievement Report

We are proud to announce that significant achievement growth in 2025 has placed Rutherford College ahead of national averages across every level of NCEA and University Entrance. 

The results cited above are from our January NZQA report. When this report is updated in March we expect our pass rates to climb higher with Levels 1, 2 and 3 above 80%.

Overall we have seen a major shift upwards across NCEA Levels 1, 2 and 3 and University Entrance (UE). There was some improvement emerging in 2024 with 2025 showing we are gaining momentum across the board. Our teachers have been engaged in professional learning to improve their teaching practice with a particular focus on explicit instruction and checking  students' understanding. This work has paid dividends with our results and we will be working hard to sustain this new level of achievement in 2026. We are very proud of our students and their results in 2025!

Attendance

The graph below shows the correlation between attendance levels and achievement at NCEA Levels 1, 2 and 3. As you can see there is a strong relationship between high levels of attendance and achievement. As soon as attendance drops below 90%, the likelihood of achieving NCEA drops considerably. Students should stay home when they are unwell, but when students are taking days off here and there or mid term holidays, their achievement is under threat. Every day counts!

If your son or daughter is going to be away from school for any reason it is important to report the absence through our school portal. Sign in to SchoolBridge/School Portal and Click on Report an Absence and follow the prompts. You can use the 'other' section for discretionary leave such as trips away. You should note that trips during term time will be recorded an unjustified. The Ministry of Education determines the recording codes which you can view here. For reference our bell times are available here. Students should be on site by 8.45am at the latest ready for the 8.50am start time

Signing into  SchoolBridge/School Portal you use your email address as the username and sign in using Google/Facebook or another account that you may have. You use your own password for that account to verify your identity. If you are having problems, it may be due to your email address recorded incorrectly in our system or you may be using an email address that is different. Please check with the school if you are having problems signing in. Once signed in you can view attendance, report absences, view reports and pay accounts. 

Leaving early during school time

If your son or daughter needs to leave early for an appointment, please request an exit pass from class via the School Portal/SchoolBridge. Log in and click on Report Absence, Choose Exit Pass and complete the details. This will speed up the process for you when you arrive to collect your child. If you do not do this, the delay can take 15 minutes or more while we locate your son or daughter in the school. 

Lockdown Practice - 11 February 2026

As part of keeping our school safe we need to be able to respond safely and quickly to a range of emergency situations.   

We work alongside an independent company, Harrison Tew®, who specialises in emergency management planning for schools, whose procedures have been successfully implemented in hundreds of schools throughout New Zealand.

As part of maintaining our emergency procedures in our school, specialised training is being conducted with our senior leadership and staff by Harrison Tew®.

The students will also receive information on how to respond in an emergency directed at their respective age groups from either their teacher or Harrison Tew®.

We will then be conducting a lockdown exercise under the guidance and support of Harrison Tew®.

During the exercise you will receive a notification from the school, so it is important that your emergency contact details are up to date and correct.  The notification will emphasise that this is an exercise/practice and will explain that all updated information will then be posted on the school website.

In a genuine incident, should you become aware of a lockdown or evacuation at the school, can I please ask that you do not attend the school or phone, as we will not be able to respond.  Your presence or contact may make it more difficult for us or the emergency services to manage a situation.

We thank you for your support.

School Policies and Procedures

Rutherford College subscribes to SchoolDocs for all policies and procedures. These policies are available to staff, students and whanau. You can read or review any of the policies on our site. A guide to using or reviewing SchoolDocs is available here.

Log in to SchoolDocs

Username: rutherfordcollege
Password: kotuku

This term policies to be reviewed are:

• Alcohol, Drugs and other harmful Substances Policy
  Sun Protection
  Digital Technology and Online Safety
  Safety and Welfare for Students on Work Experience

Tuesday 17 February - Whanau Fair and New to Rutherford Event

On Tuesday 17 February we are running the Whanau Fair and the Year 9 and new to Rutherford evening together. Traditionally this event was the Year9 BBQ  but this year we want to try and combine the two events so that more people get involved. The Year 9 tutor and subject teachers will be in the Hall from 5pm. It is a great opportunity for students and parents to meet their teachers in an informal setting. Afterward there will be activities, music, stalls and food trucks in the carpark and outside B Block to keep everyone entertained until 7.30pm. The whanau fair is for anyone in the community to enjoy. Bring a picnic if you would like to and enjoy the music and atmosphere. 

What's coming up

16 Feb - ID Photos
17 Feb - Whanau Fair and New to Rutherford Evening
18 Feb - Swimming Sports
20 Feb - Athletics Day

Ngā mihi 

Gary Moore