Day girls live within 50 minutes of school. They arrive at school at 8.15am, ready for class to start at 8.30am. They sign into school and sign out in their year group boarding house. Day girls eat lunch in the dining room with the rest of the school and leave prior to dinner at 5pm. Day girls are expected to fully participate in school and co-curricular events. Senior day girls can access boarding at break times and lunch to spend time with their friends. Year 13 day girls study in the library during their study periods. Demands for care and management of a horse mean keeping a horse at school is not an option for day girls.
This is an option available to students who live within 50 minutes of Nga Tawa. Students are classified as boarders and are allocated a bed (for students in Years 9-11) or a room (for Years 12-13) exclusively for their use. Students have access to facilities on the same terms as full boarders. Students board for two nights each week and these nights are selected and fixed at the beginning of each term. Students return to their home on their non-boarding nights before 5pm. Two day boarders can stable a horse at school but are responsible for its daily stable management and care. Having a horse at school will not suit those catching school transport.
Weekly Boarding at Nga Tawa means you spend from 8am Monday until 5pm on Friday at school. Shuttles, when available, can be utilised for transportation to and from school.
To be a weekly boarder you need to live within a 60 minute drive by car from Nga Tawa. Co-curricular commitments, sport competitions, performing arts events that are scheduled during the weekend still need to be attended by weekly boarders. Transport to and from events, is the responsibility of your family responsibility e.g. tennis, netball and equestrian competitions are weekend events. Equestrian families need to consider the care of your daughter’s horse if you are a weekly boarder. This can be managed by taking the horse home for the weekend or coming to school for a short time on Saturday and Sunday to maintain the horse. Access to school in the weekend will only be for calendared special school events e.g. Swimming Sports.
Full Boarding is when students spend seven days a week at school. It is their home away from home. However, students can request weekend leave and there is often one EXEAT weekend each term which are compulsory weekends girls must go home or stay with a friend. A lot of of our equestrian students full board so that they can care for their horse/pony.
We suggest girls bring familiar bedding and other items that will help them feel comfortable. There is a laundry service as well as washing facilities at school, so a lot of clothes aren’t necessary and can be difficult to store.
One of the things students learn at boarding school is how to get on with others. Girls may room with a friend or they may have the opportunity to get to know someone they wouldn’t normally spend time with. Year 12 and 13 students have single study bedrooms.
There are many people at Nga Tawa to help students who are struggling at any time. Each student has a house dean, year level dean, a mentor teacher and, in boarding, a boarding manager. There is also a school nurse, school counsellor, big sisters, peer mediators, peer supporters, teachers, the Director of Wellbeing, Deputy Principal and the Principal. There are also sports and equestrian coaches and the school prefect team.
There are a variety of trips and activities planned each weekend. Several times a term there is a visit to the Plaza in Palmerston North and Friday or Saturday movies are popular. Students sign up for trips they are keen to go on, such as a ski trip to the mountain. Any trip that is anticipated to cost over $50 has parental approval first.
