Diocesan School for Girls: Auckland, New Zealand

Junior School

Diocesan’s Foundation Class is designed to offer challenge, stimulus
and inquiry in a fun, caring environment for girls from four to five
years old.

“Nothing without joy” expresses our approach to the children’s
education, balancing focused play with structured group experiences so
they are emotionally and intellectually engaged in their learning.

The class establishes foundations for learning by teaching the
competencies and routines required to succeed at school. We also help
students learn to work together through cooperation, negotiation and
collaboration.

The children join the girls in Years 1-6 in Chapel services and
assemblies and visit the school library as they get to know Dio. Weekly
visits to Mt St John, baking bread and pizzas for their lunch and
swimming at the Aquatic Centre are also highlights of their week. The
Foundation Class teaches a specialised early childhood programme. It
focuses on the development of early mathematical skills and all areas of
early language skills – reading, speaking, listening and writing.

A start in our Foundation Class ensures a seamless transition directly into the Year 0 and Year 1 classes.

Years 1-6
As your daughter enters Years 1-6 at Diocesan, our vision is to give her an education that will set her up for life.

Teaching and learning philosophy
Diocesan’s Junior School offers your child individualised learning to
identify and develop her strengths so she can achieve her full
potential. We give students the skills and tools they need to be
innovative thinkers and effective leaders in tomorrow’s challenging
world, focussing on the growth of the whole child.

Each class has a home-room teacher and we have specialist music, art,
physical education, health, drama, French, and science and technology
teachers.

Programme of delivery
Our School is accredited to teach the Primary Years Programme (PYP)
of the International Baccalaureate. We engage children in learning and
inspire them to take risks as they explore new concepts and ideas that
deepen their understanding.

PYP addresses each student’s academic development as well as her
physical, emotional and cultural needs. Our teachers design their
curriculum and learning pathways with students in a collaborative,
structured process that caters for their learning styles, passions and
strengths.

The curriculum
PYP links to the New Zealand Curriculum and is part of Diocesan’s
school-wide approach to unified learning for years 1 to 13. Our Year 1
to 6 students study six learning themes each year which are connected
across the curriculum.

PYP is a trans-disciplinary programme of international education
designed to foster development of the whole child, encompassing her
social, physical, emotional and cultural needs as well as her academic
development.

PYP prepares students for Dio’s dual educational pathway where they
can choose to study for the National Certificate of Educational
Achievement (NCEA) or the International Baccalaureate Diploma offered in
our Senior School.

Our academic programme includes languages, mathematics, science,
technology, social sciences, the arts and health and physical wellbeing.
Every child is offered specialist French, music, art, physical
education and fitness teaching.

Our Copernicus Programme for gifted and talented students at all
levels includes creative writing, art, mathematics, video, web and
computer skills.

Senior School Year 11-13

Diocesan’s strong focus on academic achievement is reflected in our dual educational pathway. This offers students the choice of studying either the NCEA or International Baccalaureate
programmes so they can gain the most relevant qualifications to realise
their future ambitions. A wide range of sporting and cultural
activities complement the academic curriculum.

Senior academic courses

The Senior School curriculum covers the core subjects of English and
Mathematics and four other subjects in Years 11 and 12, and five in Year
13 for NCEA students. IB Diploma students take six subjects over their
two-year programme in Years 12 and 13.

High achieving students have the opportunity to study university
papers as part of their Year 13 programme. This can be at The University
of Auckland as part of the Young Scholars Programme, or selected papers
by distance learning through The University of Waikato. Diploma
students take six subjects over their two year programme in Year 12 and
Year 13.

See our curriculum here

Preparing girls for great careers

Girls’ career development and decision making is assisted through
career education programmes at different year levels and professional
career counselling. In Years 11, 12 and 13, Diocesan students have
increased leadership responsibility and are role models for younger
students. The leadership opportunities we offer senior students,
including our prefect system, buddy system and peer support and
community service programmes, help them to learn to manage change, be
resilient and work with diversity.

Leadership programme

We have a school-wide leadership programme which all girls take part
in. Students are challenged to understand that leadership is not a
position but an attitude and way of being. Everyone gets called upon to
lead at some stage in their life and we want students to have the
confidence and skills for leadership.

Extra curricular activities
Senior students fine-tune their time management skills as they take
greater responsibility for managing their involvement in the wide range
of extra curricular activities offered at Diocesan. These include sports
and performing arts, which give girls the opportunity to stretch their
talents.