Our story

About Rolleston College

Rolleston College was established in 2017 and is a modern and future focused school, where we develop self, build communities and transform futures. 

Supporting learners to develop their self awareness, sense of community and their future are key values and dispositions that international research shows are important to flourish in today’s modern world and workplaces. 

The name Horoeka Haemata, gifted by Te Taumutu Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu to Rolleston College means flourishing lancewood. The lancewood tree is an important and powerful image that lies at the heart of Rolleston College’s purpose and motivation. It captures the essence of how we define the learning and personal development journey at Rolleston College. 

The tree represents education – it starts as a seed, grounds itself firmly in Papatūānuku and with love, care, and guidance it then grows up to take its place on the landscape. The branches reach out and up, always striving to reach Ranginui, therein portraying a desire to reach greater heights. It provides shelter and shade, a home and resting place for our birds and insects, and a source of warmth for our people.

A unique tree that changes dramatically as it matures, its juvenile form changes after 15-20 years to a mature tree. This also represents our learners' journey as they transition from adolescence to adulthood, developing who they are, their identity, accepting challenges and growing through obstacles during their college journey. 

Tauwharekākaho/Rolleston cultural narrative

Read the cultural narrative report to provide insight into the cultural history of our surroundings to allow these aspects to be incorporated into the design of existing and new educational institutions.

For this report ‘design’ refers to both physical (buildings, planting etc.) and non-physical
(curriculum, values, kaupapa etc.) aspects of the educational institutions.

This report was prepared on behalf of Te Taumutu Rūnanga in the expectation that this information will aid in educational institutions’ engagement with te ao Māori (the Māori world), including mana whenua, as well as the whakapapa and cultural history of the Educational institution’s wider environment.

Click or tap on the image below to read the cultural narrative.

The Rolleston Spirit

The qualities that make up the Rolleston Spirit identify the key values and dispositions that we believe are important for our learners to develop during their time at Rolleston College. They focus on developing the learner's awareness of self, community and future.

These qualities are based on international research highlighting the key skills that are most valued in the workplace and the attitudes required to flourish as an individual in the modern world.

By providing a learning environment that both nurtures and challenges, supports and extends, it is our aim that all learners will develop their self-awareness and social responsibility, fostering and reflection on these qualities.

These qualities closely aligned with the vision, principles, and values outlined in the New Zealand Curriculum (2007) speak of developing confidence, connected, actively involved, lifelong learners.

In developing the Rolleston Spirit, we aim to equip learners to…

Our environment 

As a modern and future focused school, our campus has been designed to provide the best facilities possible within the physical environment that best encourages the learning process. 

Our spaces are flexible and adaptable, incorporating small and large spaces for general learning plus specialised areas for physical education, sport, technology and the creative arts. We have spaces and furniture designed to accommodate a variety of learning opportunities and styles, where learners can be grouped in large or small groups as appropriate to the learning context.