Junior School Teaching Staff

Rosie Roland

Assistant Principal

MEd; BEd
Phone: 04 388 0850 ext 593
Email: rolandr@scotscollege.school.nz

Rosie Roland joined Scots College in 2017 as the Senior Syndicate Dean and Year 6 Teacher. With 14 years experience as a teacher both in New Zealand and overseas, Rosie has a passion for inquiry based learning. She has worked with the Primary Years Programme in multiple schools around the world and enjoys offering the students opportunities to explore personal inquiries.

Completing her Masters in Educational Leadership in 2015, Rosie assumed the role as Assistant Principal in a large international school in Jakarta, Indonesia. Rosie looks forward to coming back into the role of Assistant Principal, after a few years of being back in the classroom, bringing her leadership experience and curriculum knowledge to support the Junior School staff and students with their learning journeys.

Outside the classroom, Rosie is a mum to a seven month old baby, who she loves watching develop and grow. She has developed an even deeper understanding of inquiry learning by watching the curiosity of her own son. Rosie loves being outdoors, hiking, swimming and camping.

Trudi Bell

Junior Syndicate Dean
Year 3 teacher

BA, Dip Tchg
Phone: 04 380 7584
Email: bellt@scotscollege.school.nz

Trudi joined the Scots College staff in 2001, and has worked in various roles as Teacher/Librarian, Year 2 teacher, Year 3 teacher and PYP Coordinator. She is currently the Year 3 teacher and Junior Syndicate Dean. Prior to training as a teacher, Trudi worked in banking.

Born and raised in Wellington, Trudi returned from overseas to complete teacher training. She is a strong believer in the ethos of independent schools – high standards and wide ranging opportunities to develop well rounded students who become lifelong learners. She chose to educate her own son at Scots College.

During her time at the school, the IB PYP programme has given her many opportunities to develop her knowledge of inquiry learning which is evident in her classroom. With the IB framework behind her, Trudi challenges and supports her students to build upon existing knowledge, to extend their thinking and to provoke further thought. Maximising student’s potential is an essential element of education, and Trudi finds this immensely rewarding.

Outside the classroom, Trudi is involved with Miniball and Minipolo teams as well as being the House Dean of Bedding House.

Kirsten Beard

Year 1 Teacher

BEd; BA
Phone: 04 388 0850 ext 617
Email: beardk@scotscollege.school.nz

Originally from Christchurch, Kirsten studied at Canterbury University for her B.A then moved to Canberra where she received her B.Ed. Kirsten then moved to Sydney where she taught all year groups, from Year 1-6 in the inner city teaching. Kirsten has a particularly strong interest in teaching younger children.

Kirsten moved back to New Zealand and settled into life in Wellington. After having three children her family moved to Paris, France and absolutely loved the food, culture and language. In Paris her children attended an international IB school which ignited her interest in this rich and interesting curriculum. Arriving back in Wellington, she returned to teaching and is delighted to now be teaching the Year 1 class at Scots. She says “It is a truly rewarding age group to teach and we have a fun time learning together.”

Her free time is spent with her family. “We love to escape to the beach for camping holidays and enjoy travelling. I love watching movies and listening to music.” Their three children and cat, Apple, keep her and her husband pretty busy so any quiet time is enjoyed reading or just chilling out at home.

Nicola Perniskie

Year 2 Teacher

BA; DipTchg
Phone: 04 388 0850 ext 881
Email: 

Nicola has been teaching for over 20 years mainly in the Wellington region. Her last role was at Miramar North School where she was a Syndicate leader and a Deputy Principal. During her time at Miramar North School, she led writing development across the school, worked as part of the Management Team to embed teaching programmes, analysed school wide data to identify trends and patterns to support planned actions for lifting achievement, completed formal appraisals on staff and gave support and guidance to beginning teachers. She is a passionate and dedicated teacher who is committed to working with all children to reach their learning goals.

Greg Wright

Year 4 Teacher
Potatau House Leader

BA; DipTchg
Phone: 04 388 0850 ext 521
Email: wrightg@scotscollege.school.nz

Greg Wright has been teaching Year 4 at Scots College since 2005. Watching the students develop academically and socially over the course of a Year is hugely rewarding. Greg is also passionate about the inter-house rivalry and supports the Potatau boys in the opportunities to compete.

Out of school Greg is a regular visitor to the mountain in the winter and competes on a national level in sailing. Talking to his tomatoes after school has proven to be an opportunity to release stress to an attentive audience.

Greg has a family of four children who keep him busy in  the usual manner children can occupy their parents time.

Alistair Hamilton

Director of Junior PE and Sports
Teacher of PE and Health Middle School

Diploma of Teaching
Advanced Trade Cert Telecommunications
Phone: 04 388 0850 ext 853
Email: hamiltona@scotscollege.school.nz

Alistair began teaching at Scots College in 1996 as a Year 7 teacher. As well as classroom teaching, he coached sport and established and ran EOTC programmes from Years 4-11. At the end of 2002 Alistair moved to the UK where he taught PE and coached Rugby and swimming.

Returning to New Zealand, Alistair worked as Director of PE at St Marks Church School and Medbury School before returning to Scots College.  Currently Alistair is the Year 1-6 Director of PE and Sports and teaches PE in the Junior and Middle Schools. He enjoys coaching teams from Year 4 to 13 in a range of different sports.

Alistair is the Year 8 Glasgow tutor and enjoys helping develop the house spirit and being involved in all aspects of College life.   

Alistair was born and raised in Central Otago and enjoys going home whenever he can. He loves getting into the mountains – skiing, tramping, hunting and fishing and catching up with friends. Alistair is married to Mary.

Emerson Nikora

Te Reo Maori (Language and Culture)
Junior, Middle and Senior Schools

DipEd (Prim); BEd; DipPE
Phone: 04 388 0863
Email: nikorae@scotscollege.school.nz

Emerson has previously taught at Te Puna Reo o nga Kakano, a Maori based Early Childhood centre to Year 13 as a release Teacher in Aotearoa and in NZ Schools and the UK. Much of his teacher experience is in Primary Schools as a Kaiako of Maori language and culture. Emerson’s experience is also based in emotional literacy with teenage student.

For Emerson the decision to teach Te Reo Maori and culture here at Scots was based on genuine and honest conversations with the Principals of the Junior School. Their korero centred on Scots long term vision of strengthening Maori language throughout the College. A Korowai, cloak of support for students, Teachers, whanau to have an appreciation for Maori as tangata whenua, first people of Aotaeroa, New Zealand. Extending Maori tikanga, bi-cultural, Pacifica values to the rich tapestry of diversity at Scots.

Ako in Maori means to teach as well as learn. Emerson describes his responsibility as a Kaiako is to provide engaging and interesting programmes for students of all levels in Te Reo Maori. The motivation and passion to teach his culture derives from Te Atiawa and Maniapoto Whakapapa and also a personal educational goal of supporting and protecting an essential cultural taonga in Aotearoa.

Alongside his sisters Emerson was privileged to learn through Maori based education. He has two boys, Rawiri the potiki (youngest) and Tama the mataamua (oldest). Outside of teaching Emerson’s interests include Health and fitness, rugby, Kapa Haka, tennis, water sports and Kaitiakitanga of Papatuaunuku for our mokopuna.

Anand Ranchod
BEd

Junior School Senior Dean
Pastoral Care

Year 5 Teacher
Junior School

Telephone: +64 4 388 0850 ext 543
Email: ranchoda@scotscollege.school.nz

Anand joined Scots Junior School in 2020 as an experienced primary school teacher. Anand was previously teaching at Wellesley College where he taught Years 7 and 8 and coached both cricket and hockey teams.

He arrives with a wealth of knowledge and a strong passion for sport and numeracy. Anand has spent his time teaching in Auckland, United Kingdom and at other schools in the Wellington region. Anand has a strong passion for children education and enjoys challenging the students to take risks and reach their goals. He enjoys the great conversations the student have and moulding minds for the future.

Spending time with his young family is what Anand loves to do in his spare time mixed in with a little bit of exercise.