International Student Programme

Southland Girls' High School is a school with a long and proud 130 year history of academic excellence.    

The roll is 1150 students and usually between 10 to 20 international girls are enrolled each year.  This small number of international students gives them the chance to fully integrate into the school and community. 

All international students are offered special English classes as well as studying in other subjects.  Learning is tailored to each student and a high standard of achievement and personal conduct is expected.

The School arranges either School Hostel or Homestay accommodation.

Our caring international  staff look after the students throughout their time studying here.

 Mission Statement

 "A Quality Learning Community where Relationships Count and excellence is expected."

 Reasons to study at Southland Girls' High

Southland Girls' High girls are successful young women who enjoy and value all the advantages that our unique environment provides.

We have high expectations  of our students and have contact with our international girls  each day at school as they use our international office facilities including equipment to heat their lunches.  We keep in close contact with their parents / agents and find that many visit their girls here in Invercargill during the year.

 Location

Our school is located centrally in the City of Invercargill with convenient  access  to public transport.

Excellent facilities and shops are within walking distance and girls can take full advantage of city resources.

Invercargill is a city of just over 40,000 people, it is recognized as a friendly and safe environment for our international girls.

Find out about our City at www.invercargill.org.nz and our beautiful province of Southland at www.southlandnz.com

Excellent Academic Programme

Our well-established programme provides specialist tuition in English (ESOL, IELTS)   Pitmans and NZ Speech Board exams are also undertaken.  For the rest of the school day our girls are integrated into school classes where they are prepared for National Certificate of Educational Achievement at all levels.

Our international students achieve impressive results in national examinations and top rankings in the school.  Over the last few years, three international students have been Dux of our school.

Girls are encouraged to participate fully in all aspects of school life and develop their talents in all areas.

 Facilities at Southland Girls' High School

The school is extremely well equipped with modern classrooms, including a cyber café.   Girls have free access to the Internet and computers.  The school also boasts a new Gymnasium,  dance suite, science rooms and labs, new home economics rooms and a new Piazza.  All the rooms in our East Wing Block have been freshly redecorated in bright modern colours.  The school is set in landscaped grounds and is only five minutes from the airport.

Contributing to the School Community

Girls are encouraged to look beyond the school, to the rest of New Zealand, and to the Global Community.  Our Global Citizenship Committee is a newly formed group of Senior Girls who are very active in promoting cultural awareness in our School.  They have held a lunch with our international girls, promoted various cultures during Languages Week, spoken at Assemblies and organised cultural activities within our school.

Student Support

A full time Director is responsible for the students' progress, their pastoral care and their safety.  She helps and supports all our international girls in their day to day life and is able to help students settle quickly into their new school and new country.  She is genuinely interested in their welfare and academic progress. 

Southland Girls' High School is a signatory and has agreed to observe and be bound by the Code of Practice for the Pastoral Care of International Students published by the Minister of Education.  Copies of the Code are available from us or from the NZ Ministry of Education website at www.minedu.govt.nz