Community Profile
| 10 May 2009
College Street Normal School is situated in the Palmerston North suburb of Hokowhitu, in close proximity to the city’s central business area.
Whilst Rangitane are the Tangatawhenua, the school has a comparatively low population of Maori families. The trend is more toward a multicultural rather than bicultural learning community.
Palmerston North’s tertiary and research facilities attract employees from all around the world. Massey University, Universal College of Learning(UCOL), Massey University College of Education, the Fonterra Co-operative Group, Landcare Research, Hort Research and Ag Research are alllocated within the school’s catchment area and provide employment for many of our parents.
The Lido Swimming Centre, the Manawatu Art Gallery, the Science Centre and Museum, the City Library and extensive public playing fields and courts are also in easy reach of the school.
C.S.N.S. draws children from all over the city with approximately one third living outside of the school’s designated zone. The school is Decile 9 ( the Ministry of Education socio economic rating) meaning that most of our children come from quite privileged home backgrounds.
Parents and teachers have high expectations of the school particularly in relation to pupil academic achievement. Accordingly there is a strong emphasis on high quality classroom instruction particularly in the key curriculum areas of literacy and numeracy.