Program Finder
Thames High School
- New Zealand, Waikato
- Co-educational
- 300 Sealey Street, Thames 3500, Coromandel Peninsula
- +64 7 8688688
- http://www.thameshigh.school.nz/thames-high-school/
- international@thameshigh.school.nz
James Elder
Director of International Education
| Description | Thames High School (established in 1880) is the second oldest secondary school in the Auckland province. The school motto - "Ut prosim patriae" (That I may be worthy of my country), suggests that pupils past and present consider opportunities for service both at school and in the world beyond. Thames High School is a well-established, co-educational school with modern facilities including a music suite, dance/drama studio, gymnasium, sports centre, lecture theatre, seminar rooms, an excellent library, an art suite, and well-equipped specialist rooms. In addition, the school has its own swimming pool and makes use of a number of other local amenities. The school has high aspirations for its students and aims to assist them to reach their potential in a wide range of activities. There is a priority given to academic attainment and to the importance of developing students' initiative, creativity, self-esteem and self-discipline. |
| Tuition costs | Per year (2019): |
| Accommodation | homestay,
The school can arrange homestays to suit a variety of student needs i.e. rural, urban, coastal, young families, older couples and suchlike. |
| Student support | The school has an onsite student guidance counsellor, careers advisor, Deans for each year level as well as Roopu/Whanau ‘Form’ classes that provide students with the support they need to achieve academically as well as socially. |
| Type of programs | Long-term programs (study for 1 year or more), Short-term programs (study for 3-6-9 month), Study Groups, We accept study groups for international students on a case by case basis. |
| English as second language | Yes we offer ESOL programmes on campus and also have a close relationship with a highly regarded English Language School situated across the road from the school campus |
| Years of entry for international students with parents : | From : Year 9 To : Year 13 |
| Years of entry for international students without parents : | From : Year 11 To : Year 13 |
| Sports | Students and staff are encouraged to participate in a wide range of extra-curricular activities. There is considerable co-operation with other community groups and a full range of sporting and cultural activities is available. Some examples are : Athletics, basketball, cricket, hockey, football, rugby union, touch rugby, cycling, volleyball, badminton, netball, lawn bowls, triathlon, golf, squash, swimming, Hillary challenge, equestrian, tennis, debating, kapa haka, drama, and we are always adding new sports to this list. Many of these sporting activities involve students in local, regional and national competitions. |
| Application process | This is facilitated by accessing the international tab on the school’s website; http://www.thameshigh.school.nz/thames-high-school/ Enrolment is conditional on The student completing an accredited course of Intensive English Language instruction at a Registered New Zealand Language School if necessary, receiving good attendance and behaviour reports and reaching at least a pre-intermediate level of English. |
| Features of the local area | Thames is a thriving, semi-rural town of about 7000 people. It is situated at the base of the Coromandel Peninsula and is just over one hour's drive from Auckland, New Zealand's largest city, (with over one million citizens.) The town, which has a rich history of gold mining and timber milling, is famous for its beautiful beaches and natural scenery. In summer, many New Zealanders come to the Coromandel for their holidays. Fishing, boating and sailing are enjoyable past-times. The main industries in Thames are a large timber mill, a large engineering factory, and a large factory that upgrades imported second-hand cars. Thames is a service town for the Coromandel, and has a busy shopping centre, a large hospital, good public library, and numerous sporting and cultural facilities. Besides the main sports such as rugby, soccer, tennis, squash, basketball and netball there are a number of niche sports such as sailing, kayaking, cycling, horse-riding, Karate, Taekwondo and shooting which welcome new members. The aero club operates from a relatively busy local airport which operates every day of the week. If the desire is there, students can start to learn to fly from the age of 15 and solo from 17 years old. Gliding and tandem parachuting is also an option. Culturally there are a number of organizations that one can become involved in. There is a very active Musical Theatre Group which stage at least two major shows each year. The Thames Concert Band plays an active life in the community and also achieves well in the NZ Concert Band Festivals. Art groups are popular and there are numerous other clubs which cater for interests ranging from dancing to stamp collecting! Thames is the gateway to the Coromandel Peninsula and all the main tourist beaches and destinations are easily accessible. |
| Curriculum | There is a wide range of curriculum choice, encouragement for senior students and adults to undertake multi-level courses, and considerable guidance is given in making these choices. Academic courses leading to University and other tertiary options are our major pathways for many students. However, there is the opportunity to have links with local businesses to gain work experience and opt for vocational unit standard achievements in the Transition, Employment Skills and STAR Programmes. The school has a commitment to equity and actively promotes a full bicultural understanding for our students. The school offer an outstanding Outdoor Education programme that takes full advantage of the beautiful local natural Coromandel environment. Maori language courses are offered at all levels and emphasis is placed on developing confidence in speaking Maori and on an appreciation of Maori culture and values. Students can learn European languages, in particular French. Every year two students are selected to live in France for eight weeks on an exchange scheme. The only prerequisite for these courses is a desire to learn the language. |
