Read the latest news from Rutherford College

Kia ora te whanau ō te Kōtuku

Kotuku Street Parking and Pickups

A reminder to our community to please avoid parking or stopping on yellow lines, particularly along Kotuku Street. While our students are older, there are younger tamariki in the area, and this significantly reduces visibility and creates a serious safety risk. Even brief stops can make it unsafe for children to cross the road. The church on Old Te Atatu Road is an alternative option for dropping off/picking up students, even in wet weather.

We appreciate your support in helping keep everyone in our community safe. 

NCEA Co-requisite Literacy and Numeracy Exams (CAAs)

Today I spoke to year 10 about the NCEA Co-requisite Literacy and Numeracy Exams (CAAs) coming up in week five of term two. Our Year 10 students sit three exams: Reading, Numeracy and Writing. These exams are designed to test students’ levels of functional Literacy and Numeracy and a pass in all three is a requirement for passing Level 1, 2 and 3 NCEA. Starting on Tuesday May 19, Year 10s will sit their writing, reading and numeracy exams with one assessment each day. This is the first of two opportunities to pass the CAAs in 2026. Some students will find these assessments challenging and we want year 10s to see this first opportunity as a practice run. It is perfectly ok to need another go later in the year. The second opportunity is in September. 

We are preparing the students by ensuring they have an online exam account set up with NZQA and introducing students to the types of questions they will encounter in each assessment. Parents can assist with preparation for these exams by ensuring students have brought their device to school to make sure it connects to our school wireless and by directing students to our study website study.rutherford.school.nz to practise past papers. 

Year 11-13 students who are yet to pass the Co-requisite exams, will sit the assessments in week 6.

Assessment Pressure

As we move through the last weeks of term one, I notice the pressure students feel as assessments deadlines overlap. This is particularly so for our seniors. NCEA assessments tend to cluster at the end of each term, and it’s important to acknowledge that the workload can feel overwhelming. How students respond to this pressure matters just as much as the workload itself.

When things feel busy, it can be tempting to put tasks off, avoid them, or feel stuck about where to begin. What we want to encourage instead is a more productive response: planning, prioritising, taking small, manageable steps forward or simply asking for help.

One of the most valuable skills students can develop is learning how to organise themselves and work backwards from a deadline to map out all the steps required to reach their destination. We are surrounded by using simple, effective tools for planning but I don’t see nearly enough students using them. These are the same tools adults rely on every day in workplaces and in life. I believe that students who learn to use these tools early have an enormous edge in managing NCEA deadlines, sporting and cultural commitments and life in general. If you get a chance to chat to your kids about the pressure they are under please encourage them to take a positive step forward and:

• Use calendars to map out assessment dates and deadlines

• Break tasks into smaller steps and track them using lists

• Use reminders to stay on top of what needs to be done

• Communicate proactively with teachers via email if they are unsure or need support

Apps such as Google Calendar or Google Keep, as well as traditional diaries or planners, can make a significant difference. These tools help students move from feeling overwhelmed to feeling in control.

Developing these habits now is not just about getting through the term—it’s about building lifelong skills. The ability to manage time, plan ahead, and take action when things feel challenging will support students to excel and manage their wellbeing.

We encourage you to have conversations at home about how your child is organising their time and to support them in building these routines. With the right approach, this busy period can become an opportunity for learning some important life lessons.

Slides from the NCEA Information Evening

It was pleasing to see so many parents on Monday evening interested to hear about NCEA. For those that could not make it please access the slides here.

Pastoral Leadership Structure

Many of you will be aware we have had a significant restructure of our pastoral system this year following a pastoral review in 2025. We have made a further change which is unlikely to affect many students directly as the Deans remain unchanged. The change is moving SLT into direct house leadership roles and working in teams with their House Deans. The diagram below shows our House Dean and SLT House Leader structure.

Attendance - Being on Time

Being on time for school is critical in order to maximise the teaching and learning time available. Arriving early provides a transition period to settle in, connect with peers, and mentally prepare for the day, which reduces stress and boosts confidence.

Students arriving to school after the start of Period 1 are required to sign in where they will be issued with a Late Pass. This is to be presented to the Teacher when the student arrives to class. ALL students arriving to class should be recorded as ‘L’ on KAMAR Attendance. If a student arrives to class late without  a note from home or SchoolBridge entry, they will be issued with a lunchtime detention.

Ngā mihi

Rozanne Donald
Associate Principal