AUCKLAND METRO MAGAZINE ARTICLE

BEST SCHOOLS

The Auckland Metro magazine in a feature article has used a range of criteria to rank 77 Auckland schools. We are delighted to report that Auckland Girls is ranked in the top ten overall schools for 'adding value' to its students. This is very pleasing public recognition of the hard work of our staff and students.

International Students

Educated in Auckland - Equipped for the World

Auckland Girls' Grammar School has 1350 students from more than 50 different countries (in 2010 we have over 30 International Fee Paying students). We celebrate our cultural diversity officially with an International Week in Term 1.

Auckland Girls' Grammar School is a signatory to the New Zealand Ministry of Education's Code of Practice for International Students. Copies of the code are available on request from this institution or from the New Zealand Ministry of Education website: www.minedu.govt.nz

AGGS International Students

We welcome student exchanges and have hosted students from Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Hungary, Japan, South Africa, Switzerland, Tahiti and other countries.

Academic Achievement
Auckland Girls' Grammar School prepares students for studying at University and other tertiary institutions. Our wide range of academic and vocational courses enable our students to achieve excellent results in the national qualification assessments and examinations.

Academic Programme
We offer a wide range of courses from the following learning areas:
  • The Arts (Music, Drama, Fine Arts and Photography)
  • Languages (English, Spanish, French, Japanese, Latin, Samoan and Maori)
  • Mathematics & Accounting
  • Science (Chemistry, Biology and Physics)
  • Social Sciences (History, Geography, Sociology, Economics and Classical Studies)
  • Physical Education
  • Technology (Computing, Graphics and Design)

English Language Assistance (ESOL)
We offer a full range of English classes at every level from beginners to those studying reading and writing for University study. This is included in the tuition fee.

Student Support Services
The Dean of International Students and the International Sudents Co-ordinator are available to help with any problems students may have at school or at home. The school also employs two fully trained guidance counsellors, a registered nurse and a careers advisor.

Extra-curricular activities
We offer a wide range of cultural activities:
  • Debating
  • Drama
  • Orchestra
  • Choir
  • Cultural Groups - from most cultures represented at our school
  • Sports - We offer a full range of team and individual sporting activities
   (Auckland Girls' Grammar School holds NZ and Auckland titles in several sports).

Accommodation
The school requires all International Students to stay in homestays. We do not have a boarding establishment but use very responsible agencies to organise the homestay accommodation. Homestay fees for 2011 are $NZ11,500. The school employs an International Sudents Co-ordinator to oversee the Homestay Programme and ensure that students are happy and well cared for in their homestays.

Jenny Goodwin, Homestay Co-ordinator with Belle

Student Stories and Experiences

Jae-Eun was a Korean international student at Auckland Girls' Grammar School. She won a number of prizes for academic performance during her years with us and was the international student prefect in 2007. Jae-Eun is now studying at University in Korea.

Ly comes from Vietnam. She spent three years at Auckland Girls' Grammar School, during that time she achieved excellent academic standards and participated fully in school life. Ly's 2008 NCEA Stage 3 results were so good that she was offered a place into the second year of Engineering on the accelerated programme at the University of Auckland. Ly also sat the Scholarship Examinations and was awarded a Scholarship in Mathematics with Calculus.

Maggie Hames, Student Services Director with Ly.

Svetlana is our 2009 International Student Prefect. She has been invited to speak at the Study Auckland Civic Welcome. She will speak to all of the new international secondary school students about life in New Zealand. Svetlana is living with a homestay family, this has allowed her to experience " Kiwi" life, including camping holidays with her New Zealand Kiwi family. Svetlana's advice to new international students is to take up all opportunites offered to you at school and with your families.

Svetlana, International Prefect 2009

Ploy is from Thailand. She lives in Auckland with family members. When she arrived last year she was a quiet and shy girl. One year later she has lots of new friends. Her English and confidence have improved so much that she now has a part-time job.

Ploy extreme right on bus trip

My name is Ying. I'm from China. I have been inAGGS for two years. When ijust arrivedhere,my English was not so good; I couldn't speak and understand at all. Later on I started in ESOL class with the literacy level, during the first few months, I could hardlyread novels and write essays, but later on my English has greatly improved and last year I passed ESOL level 2.In year 12, I chose 3 sciences (Physics, biology, chemistry),3 maths (algebra, calculus, statistics) plus2 languagecourses (history, English),and at theend of the last year, I overall achieved at merit leveland I gotan excellent certificate on calculus. My dream is to become a surgery doctor. Hopefully, I can get into Auckland University to finish my tertiary education. I'mvery proud of being an AGGS student. AGGSisone of the oldest schools in NZ.It has really good education system with greatquality teaching. We can not only learn how to pass the exam at school, but also learn someother skills.

我是莹，来自中国。我在AGGS 两年了。 刚到校时，我的英文不太好，根本无法说和理解。稍后，我开始入读英语读写级。最初几个月， 我几乎无法读小说和写文章，但后来我的英语水平有了很大的提高。去年我通过了英语2级。 12年级时，我选了三门科学（物理，生物，和化学），三门数学 （微积分，代数和统计），加上历史和英语。 去年期末时，我取得了总分良好成绩，微积分还获得了优秀证书。 我的梦想是成为一名外科医生。 希望我能进入奥克兰大学就读。我为自己是AGGS的学生感到很自豪。 AGGS是新西兰最古老的学校之一。它拥有优良教学质量，我们在校不仅仅是学习如何通过考试，还学习其他的技能。

I am Xiaoye Zhang and I come from China. I came to AGGS when I was 17. I started in literacy in AGGS. I feel it's quite easy for me to get into this English level class because I've been started study English since I was 5 in China. After I came to AGGS, I found out I should make more kiwi friends, not just stay with Chinese girls all the time. I can practice my English a lot as I talked to kiwi girls. All my friends said to me that my English actually improved really fast during these 2 years.

I did economic, accounting, math with algebra and statistic, information management (IMA), science and English when I was year 12, which was the 1st year thatI came to NZ. I found it's really hard at the beginning of the year as I never did these subjects before in China,from my point of view accounting and IMA were the hardest, but as long as I studied for it, it's just all good to me. Especially for IMA, I was struggling really hard in year 12, but I got 3 excellences and won the algebra prize at the end of the year. I love my year 12 in AGGS.

Later on, I did economic, accounting, math with calculus ad statistic and English reduce credits in year 13, I am not really satisfied with my year 13's results since I didn't do lots of studies compared with year 12, I become really lazy in year 13. HAHA. But at the end of year 13, I studied really hard to get into Auckland University, but now I am doing a conjoint degree in the University Auckland of which is commerce and property. I think i will try to major in property and accounting next year.

I feel so proud to be an old girl who graduated from AGGS. AGGS taught me so many things. The teachers were so helpful and friendly and I made so many lovely life-long friends from AGGS. I think friends are so important for international students; sometimes friends can help us a lot. I am studying in university now, but I am still really good with my high school friends. We always sit together and gossip about hot guys just like we were still in AGGS. When someone asks me about which high school did u come from, I am so proud to say I came from Auckland Girls Grammar School.

我是晓烨，来自中国。我到AGGS时17岁。一开始我入读英语读写班，这个级别的英语对我来说比较容易，因为我在中国学了12年的英语。 到AGGS后，我发现自己应该多交本地的洋人朋友，而不是整天跟中国同学 在一起，这样我可以有更多的机会练习英语。我的朋友都说我的英语在两年内提高很快。 12年级时我选了经济，会计，数学的代数和统计，信息管理，科学和英语。那是我到新西兰的第一年。刚开始的确感觉非常难，因为在中国我从没有学过这些科目。就我个人而言，会计和信息管理是最难的。但只要努力学习，就会战胜它。特别是信息管理这门课，我挣扎了很久。12年级末，我拿到了三个优秀还赢得了代数奖。 我喜欢在AGGS渡过的12年级。 13年级时，我选了经济，会计，数学的微积分和统计和英语。我对于我自己13年级的成绩不太满意。相对于12年级时， 我变懒了，呵呵。到13年级末，我很努力学习，以便能考上奥克兰大学。现在我在奥克兰大读双学位-商业和房地产资产。我打算明年主修会计和资产。  我为自己是AGGS的毕业生感到很自豪。它教会我很多东西。老师很友善，我交了很多可爱的朋友。 我认为朋友对国际学生来说很重要，有时朋友可以帮助我们很多。我现在大学学习，但还与高中朋友保持良好的关系。我们仍然坐在一起讨论那些热门的家伙，跟高中时一样。当有人问我毕业于那所中学，我会很自豪地说我来自AGGS。

SPREADING THE LOVE WITH LUNCH!
On Wed 5 May, the Student Council invited the International students for lunch in the Jubilee Library. The event was a great success - with much pizza and home baking consumed, many noisy conversations had and new friendships formed!

The event was part of an initiative this year to promote stronger relationships between international students and other students at our school.

Fees
Our tuition fee is $11,800 payable in advance for the year 2011. Administration fee is $1000 (not refundable). Fees are subject to annual review. The homestay fee ($11,500 payable in advance) is subject to annual review. Designated Care Fee is $1,000 and Insurance is $500.00. All fees are in New Zealand dollars.

Students from Year 9 to 12 wear school uniform which costs approximately $400.

There are small additional charges for individual subjects and some charges for class trips which may amount to approximately $200 .(All prices quoted are in NZ dollars.)

Applications
Applications will need to include:
• Completed application form.
• Original recent passport size photo
• Certified copies in English of the students latest school reports
• A letter or recommendation from the Principal

If the application is successful and we have a place we will send an Offer of Place form. The student must then pay her fees and take the receipt and Offer of Place form to the nearest New Zealand Embassy or Office of the New Zealand Immigration Service. They will issue a Student Permit to study at Auckland Girls’ Grammar School.

Download the application pack (240 kb pdf file)

Student Visa
Students who are coming to New Zealand to study full-time for longer than three months must obtain a student visa. Once an application has been accepted, Auckland Girls’ Grammar school will provide an Offer of Place letter and receipt for school fees. Full details of visa and permit requirements including work permits, and reporting requirements are available through the New Zealand Immigration Service. www.immigration.govt.nz

Insurance
International students must have appropriate and current medical and travel insurance while studying in New Zealand.
Insurance can be arranged through Auckland Girls’ grammar using Uni-care and should be organized before the student leaves their home country. www.uni-care.org

For further information please contact:
Jennifer Sturme, Dean of International Students, or Sue Porter, International Student Director
Auckland Girls' Grammar School, PO Box 68-053, Newton, Auckland 1145, New Zealand.
Telephone 64-9-307-4180, facsimile 64-9-309-9152.
Email: international@aggs.school.nz