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Pastoral Care

Led by Assistant Principal Alison Glass, pastoral care is provided by a network of experienced staff. They are available to guide, support and encourage girls who face life challenges, large or small.

In 2017 St Matthew’s changed its pastoral network to Whanau groups operated through our House system. Here the girls are in a group from year 7-11. They meet every day at 3pm with a Whanau teacher who is their pastoral ‘go to’. They girls stay in this group until they leave school. Year 12/13 are also placed in a Whanau group and join in whenever they are onsite or every Friday morning.

Girls are placed in an ‘Ako’ group for their academic classes which are year level based.

Providing Support

The next level is the Dean who provides extra support and will address major issues for the year group as a whole if they arise. The Dean meets with the year group weekly and the girls are given areas in their school life to focus on.

  • Ms Aleisha Mahony – Year 7/8
  • Ms Andrea Borland – Year 9
  • Mrs Nicola Veale – Year 10
  • Miss Alison Glass – Year 11
  • Mrs Angela Lammas – Year 12
  • Miss Suzanne Leckie – Year 13

Beyond this, matters are dealt with by Senior Management:

  • Miss Alison Glass (Assistant Principal) – Years 7-9
  • Mrs Sandie Sherwen (Deputy Principal)– Years 10-12
  • Mrs Kiri Gill (Principal) – Year 13

Georgie Reid (St Matthew’s site), and Leah Rahui (Senior College) are our trained counsellors to assist girls when and where they need it. Wendy Smyth is our Chaplain who provides moral and spiritual support in times of need.

When our girls move to Senior College in Year 12 we ensure they are transitioned and supported throughout this change.

Other pastoral initiatives at St Matthew’s

Big Sister/Little Sister

New girls to St Matthew’s are given a ‘Big Sister’ so as they transition to St Matthew’s they have a point of contact and a friendly face on the first day.

Peer Support

A group of Year 11 volunteers work with our Year 9 students in the first term of their secondary school life. They meet on a Tuesday morning in Term one and are involved in activities to get to know one another and their older mentors. They are in small groups and have the opportunity so ask questions and seek help as they assimilate into their new environment.

We pride ourselves on the way in which are students interact with each other during the school day. Being a small school gives us the advantage of being able to ‘scoop’ up girls who need extra support and help them to move forward. Our values of compassion, integrity, commitment, respect and inclusiveness and threading through everything we do.