Welcome to Marsden Years 7-13!
Welcome to Marsden Years 7 – 13
Welcome back everyone, and a special welcome to students new to Marsden in 2024.
Please see our 2024 term dates here. Note the attendance requirements for Year 7 students, all students new to Marsden in Years 8-13 and our Head Students’ Committee on Monday 5 February 2024.
All Year 7-13 students are back to school from 8.25am-3.25pm on Wednesday 7 February 2024.
Welcome Week Timetable
Monday 5 February
- 8.30am - 3.25pm All Year 7 students
- 10.30am - 12.30pm All students new to Marsden in Years 8-13
- 8.30am - 3.25pm Head Students' Committee
All students are to wear their uniform and are required to bring their laptops.
Wednesday 7 February
- Period 1 - Whole school Pōwhiri in Auditorium
- Periods 2 and 3 - Form/Tutor time for ALL students and teachers
- Period 4 - Y7, 9, 10 11 Academic lessons, Y8 William Pike, Y12/13 NCEA processes
- Period 5 - Y7-9 Dean's activity, Y10 Duke of Ed, Y11 NCEA processes, Y12-13 House activity planning
- Period 6 - House activity
Thursday 8 February
- 8:25am – Y7-12 Form/Tutor Time (Y13 at Leadership Camp all day)
- Periods 1-4 - Y7-12 Academic lessons
- Period 5 - Y7-9 Form time, Y10/11 Dean’s activity, Y12 Tuakana-teina activity planning
- Period 6 – Tuakana-teina activities led by Y12
Friday 9 February
- 8:25am – Y7-12 Form/Tutor Time (Y13 at Leadership Camp all day)
- Periods 1-4 - Academic lessons
- Periods 5 and 6 - Give It A Go afternoon led by Y13
Parents/caregivers are warmly invited to our whole school Pōwhiri, 8.45-9.30am on Wednesday 7 February 2024 in the Marsden Auditorium. If you are attending, please RSVP to rsvp@marsden.school.nz with your name(s).
- Year 13 Leadership Hui – 8/9 February
Year 13 students will attend a leadership hui on Thursday 8 and Friday 9 February 2024. They will be staying the night at Victoria House, a university hall of residence on Thursday night. All Year 13 parents/caregivers should have been sent an Operoo form to complete regarding this.
- Year 13 Communion, Breakfast and Induction Service – 19 February
Year 13 students and their parents/caregivers are invited to share communion followed by breakfast and attendance at the induction service assembly from 7.30-9.30am on Monday 19 February 2024.
- Information Sharing Evening (parents/caregivers with form teacher/tutor) - Wednesday 14 February 2024
At the start of term, you will be invited to make a 10-minute appointment on date Wednesday 14 February 2024 with your daughter’s form teacher/tutor. The purpose of this brief meeting is to share relevant information to ensure a successful start at Marsden for your daughter. Appointments will be available from 3pm to 5.30pm and 6pm to 8pm.
The school day will finish at 2.30pm on date Wednesday 14 February 2024. There will be supervision available between 3-3.30pm, if required, and buses will depart at the usual time.
Please refer to our Student Handbook below. We ask all students to read this.
See you at school in 2024!
Ngā mihi
Jenny Caldwell, Deputy Principal & Head of Senior School
Dianne Smith, Head of Middle School
Marsden Students Year 7-13 Handbook
The School motto “Ad Summa” forms the guidelines for behaviour at Marsden School. High expectations are set for all students in academic, cultural, sporting and social development. The Handbook includes information Year 7-13 students need for daily school life.
If your daughter is new to Marsden in 2024 she will have a student buddy for her first few weeks at Marsden and we encourage her to ask questions. A good idea is for her to go through the school calendar for the upcoming week with her buddy, so her buddy can explain the events coming up. All staff and students are here to help her settle in. Things may be different at Marsden than at her previous school. Please assure her that she is not expected to know everything, she can observe and participate as best as she can to start with. For example, we don't expect her to know all the songs and actions straight away!
Stationery and Digital Devices (Years 7 -13)
Stationery lists for Years 7-13 for 2024 can be found here. You will find details about digital device requirements on the same page, and details of the specials that OfficeMax is offering Marsden families. Year 7-13 students, please bring your stationery to school when you start, it can be stored in your locker.
Students from Year 7 upwards are required to bring their own digital devices for learning. We recommend a laptop for Years 7-13. If Year 7 to 9 students currently have a tablet or Chromebook they can continue to use these across their subjects. The iCentre has a range of devices that can be issued on a day-to-day basis. New students, please bring your device to school when you start so that we can organise logins for you.
Performing Arts Programme
Marsden offers a wide range of performing arts activities and there are many opportunities for your daughter to get involved. Playing and enjoying music at Marsden opens the door to a lifelong appreciation of the performing arts. We have choirs, orchestras, a rock band, ensembles and handbell ringing, as well as the academic Music curriculum which includes our fun and innovative Year 7 Band programme. Specialist teachers are available during the school day for students to have private tuition in the instrument of their choice.
There are opportunities to perform in the school production, Sheilah Winn Shakespeare Festival, to debate, dance, join Kapa Haka or take Speech and Drama lessons from our specialist tutors.
Please find further co-curricular details and registration forms here.
Performing Arts Handbook
At Marsden School students are encouraged to strive for excellence in their academic, performing arts and sporting pursuits; to value creative, innovative and independent thinking and to understand their responsibilities as local and global citizens. We provide an environment where students can choose to take part in a wide range of performing arts activities.
The Performing Arts Handbook contains information on the range of activities at Marsden. To sign up for activities, click here. If you have any questions, please email our Director of Performing Arts, Sarah Wilson at sarah.wilson@marsden.school.nz or phone (04) 476 8707 Ext 844.
Private music lessons
Private music lessons are available for students in Years 3-13. Please see here for details and the registration form. Registrations are due by Monday 5 February 2024 if requiring lessons in Term 1.
Performance Diploma in Speech and Drama
Your daughter can leave school with a Performance Diploma in Speech and Drama. She can start her journey at Years 7, 8 or 9. Speech and Drama classes are also available for students in Years 3-6. Classes are available at lunchtime or after school. There are no Speech and Drama classes in Term 4. For registration details and further information please visit our Speech and Drama page.
Sport
Sports Programme
At Marsden, we believe that sport teaches students about sportsmanship, teamwork, courage and healthy physical activity. Sport plays an important part in the lives of most Marsden students. With an 86% participation rate, one of the highest in the country, Marsden offers students the opportunity to participate just for fun or in pursuit of excellence. We encourage all students to take up a sport in 2024. Whether competing in a team or as an individual, there’s something for everyone.
Director of Sport Rosie Kirkpatrick and Sports Coordinator Caitlin O’Sullivan organise all registrations, teams and sporting opportunities for our students. Rosie looks after sports for students in Years 9-13. Caitlin looks after sports for students in Years 1-8 and all school netball during the winter season.
Marsden Sports Website
The Marsden sports website is the best place to find all information about sport at Marsden. This site is dedicated to Marsden sport draws, registration information, news, results, details of the Swifts Talent Centre, our Physiotherapy Clinic and more. Please refer to it throughout the year: www.marsdensport.school.nz/
Sports Registrations
- Registrations for summer sport (Term 1) in 2024 opened on Thursday 7 December 2023 and close on Friday 2 February 2024. A list of all sports available at Marsden can be found on the Marsden sports website . You can click on each sport for information about important dates, uniform, and cost. On each sports page, there is also information about trials. Please note that trials or pre-season practices for some summer sports will be happening in the holidays, so check dates carefully. You are then able to register for each sport via a link on the right-hand side of the individual sports page.
- Registrations for winter sport (Terms 2 and 3) in 2024 opened on Thursday 7 December 2023 and close on Friday 16 February 2024. There will be opportunities for students and parents to find out more about our winter sports programme at the beginning of the school year. Our ‘Give It A Go’ afternoon, 1.35-3.25pm on Friday 3 February will provide students with an opportunity to experience the various sports on offer at Marsden.
Once your daughter has been placed into a team for the 2024 season, all draws for sports can be found here on the Marsden sports website.
Please do not hesitate to reach out to Director of Sport, Rosie Kirkpatrick (rosie.kirkpatrick@marsden.school.nz) or Caitlin O’Sullivan (caitlin.osullivan@marsden.school.nz) if you have any questions
about sport at Marsden.
Years 7–13 Athletic Sports, Newtown Park, Thursday 29 February 2024 (Week 4)
Our first sports event of the year is Athletics, which will be held at Newtown Park on Thursday 29 February 2024. This is a fun day filled with lots of school spirit. It is a House competition that allows everyone to compete both on the track and in a range of field events.
Students are to wear their House t-shirts and PE shorts or track suits. Sports shoes are a must. Students make their own way to Newtown Park for an 8.25am roll call and will be dismissed from the park at approximately 2.45pm. There is a bus available to take students back to Karori and regular school buses leave Marsden at 3.30pm. You will
receive an email to reserve a seat on the returning bus. The day’s activities include the March Past, a sausage sizzle and the highlight is form class and House relays to complete the day. A programme will be included in the weekly Marsden Newsletter and will be emailed to you and will be available on the Marsden App. Parents are encouraged
to come along and support their daughters on this exciting and action-packed day.
Subject selection - new students Years 9-13
If you have recently enrolled (December 2023 – January 2024) and have not yet completed a subject selection form, please complete your subject completion form and email it to Enrolment Registrar Leigh McCathie (leigh.mccathie@marsden.school.nz).
You can find copies of our Year Programmes and Curriculum Overview for 2024 under the Academic sections in Our Schools here.
Houses
Marsden has six Houses in the Upper School (Years 7-13):
- Baber - green
- Hadfield Beere - purple
- Jellicoe - yellow
- Johnson - orange
- Richmond - blue
- Swainson Riddiford - red
Houses are allocated to students on enrolment. If a student has a family member who has previously attended Marsden, she will be allocated to the same House. Houses will otherwise be allocated to keep group numbers within each House even. Houses in the Upper School consist of students Years 7-13, with senior students looking after the younger girls. The girls quickly make friends within their House groups.
