ASTRA Values

ASTRA is the acronym for the core values of Wanganui Girls’ College:

A – Achieve
S – Safe 
T – Tipuranga
R – Respect 
A – Awhi 

These are further defined as:

Achieve: Each student should work to reach their potential.

Safe: Students should work together to ensure learning happens in a safe and understanding environment.

Tipuranga: Growth happens in academic, cultural, sporting and emotional spheres.

Respect: A culture of mutual respect is a pre-requisite to achieveing successful outcomes.

Awhi: Supporting peers is key to ensuring a strong culture within our school.

Our ASTRA Programme aims to cultivate these values schoolwide. We do this through:

• Every teaching staff member, including our principal, being an ASTRA mentor.
• ASTRA mentor teachers meet with their ASTRA girls once a week.
• The number of staff involved enables these groups to be kept to around 13 girls.
• The weekly meetings support our students in managing the challenges of study and school life.
• Teachers include practical skills for life beyond the classroom relevant to the year group they mentor.
• Full academic reporting to parents occurs twice a year in the form of a three-way conference – parent, student, mentor teacher. This is a time to review where the student is at and set goals for further achievement.

Since implementation of our ASTRA programme NCEA pass rates are consistently above 90%, making them amongst the best in New Zealand.