School Culture - Week 2

History

On Monday 28th January 1884 Rangiora High School (RHS) opened for its first day with a roll of 19. One hundred and thirty three years later on Wednesday 1st February 2017 a new cohort of students were welcomed into RHS with a roll of around 1800. History and tradition is important to our school and is frequently mentioned in introduction and graduation speeches. Indeed a book has been published that documents the journey the school has taken though the late 19th until the late 20th  
century(1). The age of the school has certainly had a impact on the culture and according to the development stages identified by Schein(2) would be considered midlife where continued growth and renewal is essential to avoid move towards decline.

Community

Rangiora has seen a huge change over the past 100 years from small farming community in North Canterbury to a thriving community of over 15,000 people.  Indeed the biggest change has happened in the past five years due to the Earthquakes of 2010 and 2011 where there has been a big migration from Christchurch. Over the 10 years I have been there the roll has grown from 1200 to 1800 students despite the reduction in our school zone. This made its impact felt in a number of ways not least moving our decile rating from 8 to 9 but also in the nature and make up of our community of parent and students.  No longer do many of our students come from farming background with the aim to move to agricultural trades after school but a more cosmopolitan mix with the aims far more diverse.  The school needs to adapt to this new reality and change its rural community outlook to a more global and inclusive mentality.

School Culture

Currently I believe that our school culture is in transition and given the issues and challenges we have faced over the past couple of years regarding the removal of the principle and the ensuing court case has left a degree of uncertainty among the staff.  In fact the teacher culture within the school is in a high state a flux with a concerted effort to move from 'Individualism' towards 'collaboration' as identified by Hargreaves (3). This is due in part to the Innovative learning environment that is due to open May 2017 and the move to 21st century learning.  However the as I experience the current teacher culture it more a like 'Balkanisation' where smaller collaborative groups have been formed to teach the incoming Year 9. This initiative been labelled as connected learning and group of 30 teachers from across multiple departments have been placed in groups 5 to team teach 60 students. 

In terms of the typology of the school culture this very much depends on who you ask with the responses ranging from moving, cruising, strolling or struggling (4).  However whatever the typology of our school culture one thing is for sure it going to significantly and radically change to accommodate the needs of the community and its learners. This may indeed be facilitated by the appointment of a new principle this year. 

Currently much of the change has focused on structure especially roles and responsibilities this is the easy stuff the hard issues still have to be addressed.  This will make the next two years and interesting and some what exciting journey.


1. Gunby, D. C., & Rangiora High School. (1984). Rangiora High School, 1884-1984: A centennial history. Rangiora [N.Z.: Rangiora High School Centennial Committee.

2. Schein, E.H. (1985).

3. Hargreaves, A. (1994). Changing teachers, changing times: Teachers work and culture in the post modern age. London: Cassell.

4. Stoll, L. (n.d.). School Culture: Black Hole or Fertile Garden for School Improvement? School Culture, 30-47. doi:10.4135/9781446219362.n3