How a services academy is improving achievement and attendance
Building futures with One Tree Hill College’s mentoring programme
Heading to secondary school with clear aspirations in Northland
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Editor’s note
As we approach the end of the year, many of our ākonga are heading into seasons of change. It might be that they are transitioning to the next stage of their education journey –moving from early learning to primary school, primary school to secondary school, or secondary school to tertiary or vocational education. Or it might be that they are exploring different subjects or courses and thinking about future pathways. This issue is about those transitions and pathways.
It explores services academies, trades academies and careers programmes.
It delves into courses that present real opportunities for future jobs, and subjects that support students to develop skillsets that will benefit them throughout their education and beyond.
It looks at programmes setting ākonga up for success in tertiary education, and programmes giving rangatahi hands-on experience, providing them the confidence and knowledge to thrive in the workplace.
Beyond transitions and pathways, we also look at how Lemonwood Grove School in Canterbury is creating strong connections with its increasingly diverse community, and how young learners at Kew Pacific Island Early Learning Centre in Invercargill contributed to an award-winning artwork.
Be sure not miss the new resources from the Ombudsman or the range of tools and policies schools and kura can use to keep students safe online.
I look forward to bringing you one final issue of Education Gazette this year.
Noho ora mai
Keri McLean, Ētita | Editor
View the PLD, general notice listings and vacancies at gazette.education.govt.nz
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2 Services academy honours Ngarimu VC and 28th (Māori) Battalion 8
Mentoring programme meets trades academy to build futures at One Tree Hill College 12 Building careers and aspirations at Matakohe School 16
Gone bush: Protecting our native species at Heretaunga College
20 Hautūtanga: Whangārei Girls’ High School ākonga lead the way in inclusive sports
24 Poutama o Hauora Hokianga: Rangatahi take first steps toward healthcare careers
28 Pathway to success: The ākonga heading to tertiary education with MATES by their side 32 How Lemonwood Grove School is embracing their diverse community 36 Young Pacific learners shine with awardwinning art 40 Supporting civics education: The Ombudsman’s new resources for schools and kura
The deadline for display advertising to be printed in the 9 December 2024 edition of Education Gazette is 4pm on Friday 22 November 2024.
This publication is produced using FSC® Certified paper from Responsible Sources.
Services academy honours Ngarimu VC and 28th (Māori) Battalion
Knowing it would be a good fit with both their local curriculum model and community’s strong services history, Ngata Memorial College in Tairāwhiti joined the services academy programme this year, an opportunity designed to improve achievement, attendance, and engagement – and one seized by students.
The Ruatōria community has a proud services history, so a services academy programme fits well with their local curriculum model.
Ngata Memorial College is an isolated area school in Ruatōria, Tairāwhiti, about a two-hour drive north of Gisborne along State Highway 35.
This year the school applied for and was awarded a services academy.
“Ngata Memorial is 98 percent Ngāti Porou and we have 130 students,” says tumuaki Peter Heron. “We applied for the services academy programme because it fits with our local curriculum model.
“Our community is very proud of the 28th (Māori) Battalion’s C Company who whakapapa to this area, and in particular Moana-nui-a-Kiwa Ngarimu VC.”
The 28th (Māori) Battalion was made up of Māori servicemen and active during World War 2. Each of the five companies in the frontline infantry unit forged strong reputations on battlefields in Greece, Crete, North Africa and Italy.
Companies were established from iwi boundaries, with C Company comprised of Ngāti Porou iwi members, including second lieutenant and platoon leader Moananui-a-Kiwa Ngarimu.
One of the most recognisable figures in the battalion, Ngarimu displayed ‘courage and leadership of the highest order’ during heavy fighting in Tunisia. He died in battle in 1943 and was later awarded the Victoria Cross for his showing of bravery, determination and leadership.
Peter says that as well as pride in this history, the Ruatōria community has strong representation from people in the forces and that “many retired servicemen and women are our students’ parents and grandparents”.
“We also have a wealth of inter-generational experience of the services at our school,” he adds.
“I am ex-British Royal Air Force; two teachers and our school board’s presiding member are ex-New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF); and another two teachers have children in the Royal New Zealand Navy.
“There is massive whānau support for the services in our area.”
“We are finding that the academy has improved student retention through to higher NCEA levels – more students are staying into Year 12 and 13. It is also improving attendance – students engaged in the programme have higher attendance than the school as a whole.”
Peter Heron
The programme is run in partnership with NZDF.
The academy supports ākonga to attain NCEA at Level 2 or higher, and to develop leadership and life skills.
Top and bottom left: Now and then – Ngata Memorial College tumuaki Peter Heron is a former member of the British Royal Air Force.
Top and bottom right: The academy is a year-long programme and includes five weeks of camps. It gives rangatahi the chance to be part of an exciting learning environment following a military ethos.
“I thought, ‘Yay, I’ll be able to do some push-ups, do a little running, get what I was told would be easy credits and go on road trips to places I’d never been before’. But service is much more than that: with service my confidence, patience, leadership and relationship with my peers has grown.”
Riria, Year 13
Unlocking potential
Run in partnership with NZDF, services academies support ākonga to attain NCEA at Level 2 or higher, and to develop leadership and life skills. The ultimate aim is to see students transition to tertiary education, vocational education, or employment.
Peter reinforces this, saying that the learning happening in services academies sets students up for success in the workplace and provides pathways for their future.
“The academy is a year-long programme and includes five weeks of camps. It gives rangatahi the chance to be part of an exciting learning environment following a military ethos.
“It’s not a boot camp or automatic entry into the forces – they follow an academic programme tailored to their individual needs, but it’s embedded in fitness and adventure training.
“It’s designed to engage them in meaningful learning to help them attain NCEA, and, because they have to meet expectations around conduct and are developing key competencies relevant to employment or future study, it prepares them for the future.”
Academy co-director Hemi Flavell, a former soldier and former staff member of NZDF’s youth development unit, agrees, highlighting the programme’s purpose of preparing, developing and unlocking the potential in each trainee.
“They become more confident, and they become better role models and future leaders,” he explains. “The ethos of the academy is based on producing proud, alert, obedient, well-disciplined trainees as individuals, in order to work effectively as a team.”
Hemi says that as well as the regular physical training and drills, students gain a wealth of military and life skills knowledge provided by the directors and the teacher in charge within the school.
Trainees are also facilitated by tri-service representatives (army, air force and navy) and staff from the youth development unit.
Fellow academy co-director Wayne Palmer, as well as being another former member of NZDF, is also an alumnus of Ngata Memorial College. It’s a connection he says helps him relate to the students in the programme.
“I was exactly where they are a few years ago. I enlisted into the NZ army after leaving Ngata College and completed 25 years’ service,” he explains. “I want these students to have the same experiences, skills, qualifications, and travel that I had – and that is what the academy provides.
“It offers opportunities and experiences they can otherwise only receive by enlisting into the services. That alone gives our tauira firsthand perspective of what they can achieve.”
Peter says the programme has already had a strong impact on engagement and attendance.
“We are finding that the academy has improved student retention through to higher NCEA levels – more students are staying into Year 12 and 13.
“It is also improving attendance – students engaged in the programme have higher attendance than the school as a whole.”
A once-in-a-lifetime experience
Year 13 ākonga Riria is one of Ngata Memorial College’s deputy head students, and says she had “no clue what I was getting myself into” when she joined the services academy.
“I thought, ‘Yay, I’ll be able to do some push-ups, do a little running, get what I was told would be easy credits and go on road trips to places I’d never been before’,” she laughs.
“But service is much more than that: with service my confidence, patience, leadership, and relationship with my peers has grown.
“Being in service has helped me get to school on time most days and has kept my attendance up. I have struggled at times to keep up with both my service and mainstream work, though I have to say that has mostly been due to not managing my time well.”
Head student Brianna says she joined the academy to make the most of a “once-in-a-lifetime experience”.
“I’ve lived in Ruatōria my whole life and have learned things in this programme outside of my day-to-day life. We’ve experienced and accomplished things that aren’t on offer in most courses – the trips we went on were challenging, team bonding and barrier pushing.”
As a result, she says she has noticed changes in both herself and her peers.
“My fitness, communication skills, attendance, time management, survival skills, and nutrition have improved,” lists Brianna. “I’ve also had time to achieve unit standards for my core subjects, and we’ve helped within the community and given back to the locals.”
Year 12 ākonga Ariki says he seized the opportunity to learn things in a different way, and that being part of the academy exceeded his expectations.
“I feel really fortunate that I’ve been able to experience what the army looks like and have the chance to gauge whether or not I want to make that my first step into adult life.
Head student Brianna (left) joined the academy to make the most of a “once-in-a-lifetime experience”.
“I had a feeling about what the programme would be like, but I didn’t know how many friends I’d make along the way.
“I have always found it difficult to communicate and be part of a team, but throughout the year I’ve gotten better at getting my thoughts across to others.”
Future aspirations
Students in the programme all agree services academies are a character-building experience. They say they’ve gained greater clarity about what they’d like to do in the future.
“It pushed me out of my comfort zone at times, but I have made many accomplishments along the way,” says Year 12 student Naomi. “I now have an insight on what my future holds.”
“I’ve grown as a person, and it has changed my point of view about the next steps in my life,” agrees Ariki, adding
that he plans to do the academy again next year.
Brianna says they’ve all thrived under the guidance of Matua Wayne and Matua Hemi.
“They helped every single one of us through each step. It wasn’t easy on them, but not once did they give up on us,” she says, highlighting the directors’ strong belief in students’ abilities.
“They guided us through every complaint, excuse and mistake we made and in the end, we accomplished what we thought we couldn’t and what they knew we could.”
It’s an experience the students have become strong advocates for.
“I could go on and on about service,” says Riria. “I would definitely recommend this to other students.”
“I highly recommend it to all students who look to better themselves,” echoes Brianna. “It’s made me eager to try new experiences and given me a sense of adventure for next year.”
The 28th (Māori) Battalion’s C Company whakapapa to the area, including Victoria Cross recipient Moana-nui-a-Kiwa Ngarimu VC.
TRADES ACADEMY
Mentoring programme meets trades academy to build futures at One Tree Hill College
When entering the workplace, students need skills and experience relevant to the job –but they also need confidence to communicate and express themselves. To build these skills among their trades academy ākonga, One Tree Hill College partnered with Penrose Rotary Club for pilot mentoring programme ‘RAP’, helping build a bridge between students and the workplace and setting them up for career success.
When One Tree Hill College started a trades academy programme for its Year 13 cohort three years ago, it collaborated with building and construction apprenticeship provider BCITO to place students on work placements and apprenticeships.
But then, seeing an additional need to help students overcome ‘adulting’ barriers such as communication and organisation skills, the school also partnered with their local Rotary club.
Penrose Rotary Club has since supported ākonga by
providing mentoring support.
“When we heard the trades academy teachers saying there was a real need for the young adults in their programme to develop employability skills, I immediately said mentors are the solution,” explains Youth Mentoring Network facilitator and former One Tree Hill College principal Ann Dunphy. “Rotary were more than happy to help out.”
The Rotary apprenticeship/aspirational programme (RAP) was born.
One Tree Hill College’s trades academy students are benefitting from additional mentoring to help them gain communication and organisational skills.
School to apprenticeship to employment
In RAP, volunteers with trade and business backgrounds are paired with a group of three students to support the transition from school to apprenticeship, and apprenticeship to employment.
“Rotary volunteers bring skillsets that are not widely available within the education workforce,” says Ann.
“Mentoring and having a one-on-one relationship with someone who walks beside you as you’re going through whatever transition in life is a fabulous thing,” adds Deborah Cane, a trustee of the Youth Mentoring Network who leads the team of volunteers.
Some students already have that from their whānau, but for others “it’s a really big thing” that a volunteer gives their time and support freely to them, she explains.
“It’s always remarkable to see how positive the students immediately feel about having a group of strangers arrive once a week into their workshop or careers session to offer individual, focused support for stepping up to work opportunities and enlarging horizons,” says Ann.
One Tree Hill College technology kaiako and head of the trades academy Charlotte McKeon says that mentors provide an essential service for her students.
“Placement opportunities were falling over because students couldn’t manage themselves independently,” she says. “They had trouble with anything that involved communication over lateness, sickness, or issues at home.”
RAP offered solutions, with mentors providing guidance in many forms, including how to communicate about calling in sick, and even conducting simple checks to find out whether students have bus money to get to their work experience placements.
Ākonga practise making phone calls, learn about the best route between home, school and their work, and mentors check in with students if they’ve missed a class or placement.
“Mentors give ākonga a safe place to talk where students are able to have their own voice,” says Charlotte, noting how it’s all about identifying and addressing hurdles before they come up.
It is also driven by the trades academy curriculum. For example, mentors will help ākonga complete and adjust their CVs, and monitor their progress in achieving their driver’s licence – tasks that individual teachers do not always have capacity for.
The 1:3 ratio of mentor to students is to model teamwork essential in the workplace – students are learning to work with a range of adults, says Ann.
Students will share their goals for the trades academy with their mentors too, often including how to decide which trade is for them and how to communicate this with their family.
Empowering young women to enter trades
The programme is also empowering more young women interested in the trades to enter the traditionally maledominated industry.
Deborah is a mentor to three “fabulous young girls” and is helping them see a different path forward.
“It’s about that quality of care that’s present when people are able to relate one to one and really understand what’s going on in people’s lives and how they can fill gaps.”
Ann Dunphy
The programme supports transitions from school to apprenticeship, and apprenticeship to employment.
“Mentoring and having a one-on-one relationship with someone who walks beside you as you’re going through whatever transition in life is a fabulous thing.”
Deborah Cane
For example, she says one student’s confidence has “grown astronomically” in the mentoring programme, despite not having any qualified tradespeople in her family.
“The girls speak really warmly about how the boys are so welcoming and how much they enjoy their inclusive sense of humour,” adds Ann, noting that RAP “represents a valuable new dimension” in mentoring students.
“There’s a shared purpose among all the trades academy students. They are facing similar challenges in finding pathways beyond school, so they co-operate really well in sharing experiences and offering support to one another,” she says.
“We’ve got these incredible community partners who want tradies, then we have the students who want to go out and try. The mentors are the bridge between this, equipping the students with the skills to handle the jobs,” she says.
Everyone is extremely proud of one particular RAP alumnus, a student part of the programme in its first year.
“The student’s mentor took a real interest in him and carried on supporting him in-depth all the way through,” says Ann, noting how this supplemented leadership from the school’s social worker.
“It’s about that quality of care that’s present when people are able to relate one to one and really understand what’s going on in people’s lives and how they can fill gaps.”
Once shy and nervous, the student interviewed with a local company, demonstrating new skills, looking his potential employers in the eye, and answering their questions with confidence.
They made him an offer for an apprenticeship on the spot.
“This is an awesome example of a student who wouldn’t have been able to manage a situation like that before mentoring,” says Charlotte, adding that he is due to finish his apprenticeship soon. “And it’s the same for a lot of our students – they just don’t have the confidence or experience to be able to speak to older people.”
It takes a team effort, notes Deborah. “The mentors are enthusiastic adults who help support Charlotte’s team –they bring a lot of energy, too.”
One Tree Hill College principal Nick Coughlan says students not only need technical skills for the apprenticeships but, more so, they need the confidence to leave school and enter the workplace.
“This is where the RAP mentors play a major role,” he explains.
“We see the programme playing a long-term role in the success of the trades academy at One Tree Hill College.”
Top: Volunteers with trade and business backgrounds are paired with a group of three students.
Bottom: Mentors provide guidance in many forms, including how to communicate about calling in sick.
Start a mentorship programme at your school
Ann’s advice for teachers or school staff is to reach out to the New Zealand Youth Mentoring Network in the first instance.
“We’ve been working on a model which can be made available to other schools, and we would love to help,” she says.
“It’s a model where the community gains from it, the students gain from it, and it doesn’t cost anything,” adds Deborah, highlighting that mentors also get a lot of joy from the programme.
“It’s a win-win and we would absolutely love for it to be in other schools,” she says.
Visit the New Zealand Youth Mentoring Network website for more information.
The programme is empowering more young women interested in trades to enter the industry.
The school has been collaborating with building and construction apprenticeship provider BCITO to place students on work placements and apprenticeships.
Matakohe School’s aspirations programme supports students to develop an idea of what they want to do – so when they start high school, they choose relevant subjects for that career pathway.
Building careers and aspirations at Matakohe School
Wanting their Year 6, 7 and 8 students to head to high school with a clear vision for their future, Matakohe School has introduced a careers and aspirations programme, equipping ākonga with the skills and knowledge to propel them down a pathway of their choosing.
At the beginning of this year, Matakohe School in Te Tai
Tokerau Northland’s rural Kaipara had a dream.
Wanting their Year 6, 7 and 8 students to begin high school with a clear vision for their future, the school turned their dream into reality during term 2, introducing a careers and aspirations programme.
Its goal? To equip ākonga with essential skills and knowledge to open a door and take the next steps down the pathway to their future.
“We want to ignite curiosity, cultivate a sense of purpose and instil confidence in ākonga to navigate their educational journey,” says principal Robyn Young, emphasising the strong support the school received from Ministry of Education transitions advisor Jessica Kean.
“My whole drive is to prepare the children I teach for their future.”
Choosing a subject pathway
Robyn says she has taught at the intermediate age level for a long time. Alongside having children of her own, this made her realise that students can get to the end of high school and still have “no clue” what they want to do career-wise.
Her own children saw a careers advisor in Year 12, which Robyn thought was too late.
“Many students get lost at high school. With no direction or vision, they often choose to take subjects someone else has recommended,” she explains, adding that some students reach the end of high school eager to pursue a certain career, but didn’t take a specific subject, hindering their progress.
Matakohe School’s careers programme wants to make sure its older students know what they want to do by the time they start high school, so they can choose relevant subjects to propel them down that career pathway.
“They need to reach high school and think, ‘I know what subjects I need to take. I know what action plan I need to put into place so that I’m not just at school wasting time’,” Robyn says.
“It doesn’t matter if that’s not what they become, but I want them to have a vision of what they could do and how they might do it.”
The programme begins with ākonga learning about themselves – they try out personality tests and think about their skills and values. From there, they brainstorm the diverse range of careers that might match those personalities and skillsets.
Student Ryan says this was valuable for him because he got to learn which careers were “available based on how I think and act in different situations”.
“There are jobs on the surface of an industry, but if you think a little deeper, you can take so many avenues,” says Robyn.
For example, she has one student who hates possums, so highlights that he might end up working with the Department of Conservation as a pest controller.
And finally, ākonga start creating a pathway of what they need to do to get to that career and are encouraged to think about what subjects will be relevant to that career at high school. Do they need a licence? Where can you get that?
“So, let’s say a kid wants to be a forklift driver,” explains Robyn. “They’ve got to get a licence, which they can train for and get at NorthTec Tai Tokerau Wānanga. During high school, they can take time out of school to work towards that licence part-time.”
There was a Pak’nSave visit so students could see a pathway to owning a supermarket.
The programme encourages students to be curious about career possibilities.
to encourage the students to see their future is open and something they can work towards.
Setting a child along a pathway early is so they don’t lose motivation or become disheartened, she says. “This way, they don’t get lost in the crowd. Rather, they can tell someone at high school what they want to do and set forth.”
An essential part of the programme is connecting students with professionals, encouraging them to keep their minds open and curious about all the career possibilities out there.
Whatever a student’s dream is, Matakohe wants to encourage them.
“I don’t want anyone to feel left out or left behind or think there’s nothing for them,” says Robyn.
Seeing the potential
The school ran trips to NorthTec in Whangārei and Massey University in Auckland so students could see potential academic pathways.
Ākonga Sidney says during the visit to NorthTec she realised not all jobs are gender specific. “I really like how there were job opportunities for both genders, not just boys doing the building and girls doing hospitality,” she says.
At Massey University, another student, Sydney, says it was inspiring to see Olympic medals graduates had won hanging on the gym walls. “It was good to know they were also able to study for a qualification at university.”
There was a Pak’nSave visit where students could see a pathway to owning a supermarket.
“That was a wonderful ‘work hard, reap the rewards’ message for those young people who aren’t overly academic,” explains Robyn.
“Even if they do get a bit lost in high school, hopefully they’ll remember that interaction and know they can still be successful if they knuckle down and work hard.”
Employers have also visited the school to chat with the students about their particular careers, including from the New Zealand Defence Force, from which student Charlotte says she learned you don’t need a high level of education to get into because you get trained on the job.
Importance of financial literacy
Also incorporated into the careers programme is teaching ākonga to be ‘financially savvy’, says Robyn, explaining that they use a ‘fake’ currency in the senior classroom, and that all students have a bank account and can deposit or withdraw the ‘money’.
Every Wednesday, the students must hire their chairs and desks and pay for their Chromebooks. If they need to charge their device, that’s an extra expense.
“I’m teaching them the value of money,” says Robyn. “We have taxes and I hope that by simulating these real-life situations, tamariki learn to make sensible choices with money throughout their life.”
She says she is seeing her students blossom with their financial literacy.
“You can see just how frugal or entrepreneurial some of them are now. I might sell them a piece of paper and then I see them in the classroom trying to sell what they haven’t used on to someone else at a cheaper rate.
“Some are real scrooges, too, and won’t spend anything. They’ll sit on the floor to save money,” she laughs, adding that others are generous, buying chairs for their friends to sit on.
Changing tack, Robyn says a lot of young people think you have to be book smart and academic to have a career, so the programme uses the terminology “career” over “job” to encourage the students to see their future as something open and that they can work towards.
“I want every young person to know they can have a career and not just slip into any old job, but actually have a vision and a dream and work towards it.”
Real results
Attendance across the programme averaged 89 percent with a class size of 18 students.
At the beginning of the programme:
» 33 percent of students had clear goals for their careers and aspirations
» 50 percent of students did not know what they wanted to do
» 17 percent of students had some idea but were not sure.
After the first stage of the programme:
» 67 percent of students had career and aspirational direction (16 percent or three students’ goals were the same as at the beginning of the programme)
» 33 percent of students were still unsure but felt they had a better understanding of options.
Robyn says a lot of young people think you have to be book smart to have a career, so the programme talks about “careers” over “jobs”
“I want every young person to know they can have a career and not just slip into any old job, but actually have a vision and a dream and work towards it.”
Robyn Young
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The school also ran trips to NorthTec in Whangārei and Massey University in Auckland so students could see potential academic pathways.
ENVIRONMENT & SUSTAINABILITY
Gone bush: Protecting our native species at Heretaunga College
At Upper Hutt’s Heretaunga College, students plan and set traplines in a nearby bush block, checking and clearing the traps weekly. With growing opportunities for careers in pest management, kaiako Brian Benge says it’s an opportunity with real benefits for students, introducing them to future pathways while also protecting our biodiversity.
One Wednesday afternoon in spring, teacher Brian Benge and 10 students gather in a shed at the back of Heretaunga College in Upper Hutt.
The Year 12 and Year 13 boys pull on gumboots, put on hi-vis vests, jump in a van, and Brian drives them a few kilometres up the road. They park in a big subdivision that is springing up on what used to be farmland.
Crossing the road, Brian and the boys disappear from the digger drivers’ sightline and clamber up a steep hill cloaked by native bush. A landowner allows the group to trap predators on his two hilly bush blocks. Brian, a technology teacher at the school, has long
been involved in Pest Free Upper Hutt, a communityled programme helping to eradicate the rats, stoats and possums killing and eating eggs and chicks in their nests – not to mention eating the birds’ food sources: native trees, fruits and seeds.
Keen to get more rangatahi interested in conservation, Brian had the idea to lead a group of Heretaunga College students to do the ‘US29338: Prepare and use traps to control rural pest animals’ course through tertiary provider Land Based Training.
His idea turned to reality in 2021, and this is the third iteration of the group, which Brian says has grown year on year.
Back: Huntar, Adam, Cole, Roarke, JR, Ben, Eddie and Tate. Front: Harrison and Dominic.
“Either we have kiwi or we have stoats. It’s feral cats or it’s kākāpō. It’s possums or it’s rātā trees. We can have one or the other – we can’t have both.”
Brian Benge
Earning NCEA credits through conservation
Ten students are currently completing the course, which earns them Level 3 NCEA credits.
To achieve this, ākonga must demonstrate that they’ve helped control rats, possums, hedgehogs, mice and stoats. They’re required to determine the best trap for the different pests, place baits and set traps, check traps and clear them, and clean, store and maintain equipment.
Heretaunga students usually check the traps weekly, weather depending.
On the aforementioned outing, there has been some rainfall and it’s quite literally a slippery slope. There isn’t much of a track, but the boys are used to that. Their first stop is a Victor trap, baited with peanut butter to lure in rats. A rat is removed, and the trap is carefully reset.
With all the makings of an apple crumble, possums enjoy the combination of apple, cinnamon, golden syrup, flour and sugar used to bait Flipping Timmy possum traps. The boys find that one of these traps – baited with apple and a paste of the ‘crumble’ – has caught a very large specimen.
The group also uses DOC200 traps, which are primarily designed for stoats, explains Brian.
“We bait those with catfood and eggs because stoats, rats and hedgehogs all eat those things. We’ve only caught one stoat to date, but we catch a lot of rats in the DOC200s.”
The tally for the day is one rat, one possum and two mice – repatriated to decompose in the bush. Brian and the boys clamber down the hill. They’ve been out for close to an hour.
Back at school, they’ll spend the next lesson writing up their practical work in logbooks – including writing about native species and hazards – and uploading photos.
What does Year 12 ākonga Tate like about the course?
“It’s good fun out in the bush, good exercise, and good to be helping out with conservation.”
Year 12 student Ben agrees, saying the course is “really interesting. It’s great to get outdoors, learn the research about pests, learn about the types of traps, and learn to operate the traps”.
Brian takes Huntar, a student with mobility issues, out separately to traps placed on flat land. No female students have signed up, but Brian would welcome them.
Top: Possum traps are baited using an apple and a dessert-like paste similar to a crumble. Bottom: Huntar holds up a possum the trap has caught.
“Completing this course shows that students have commitment to a project, and that they can work outdoors. But mainly, I think it demonstrates that they can see issues that are bigger than themselves and work toward a solution. That’s a great attribute in any job.”
Brian Benge
Growing opportunities for careers
Over the course of the past three years, Brian and his students have caught about 250 possums, rats, mice, hedgehogs, and that single stoat.
“We’re doing our bit to help protect our biodiversity,” says Brian. “We don’t do this because we like killing things.
“Either we have kiwi or we have stoats. It’s feral cats or it’s kākāpō. It’s possums or it’s rātā trees. We can have one or the other – we can’t have both.
“With tertiary provider Land Based Training providing all the academic resources and moderating the course, the course is actually quite easy to establish. And with growing opportunities for a career in pest management, this course has real benefits for introducing students to future career pathways.”
Indeed, government website careers.govt.nz clearly states ‘chances of getting a job as a pest control technician are good due to increasing demand for their services’.
As a result of the course, former student Jesse got an internship at Greater Wellington Regional Council and is now a ranger there.
“He says it’s the best job in the world and he never wants to leave,” Brian says. “And JR and Tate are interested in pursuing a career in conservation. This term, they’re on work experience with Greater Wellington Regional Council.”
The course can also help students gain more general job skills, he adds.
“Completing this course shows that students have commitment to a project, and that they can work outdoors.
“But mainly, I think it demonstrates that they can see issues that are bigger than themselves and work toward a solution. That’s a great attribute in any job.”
A strong advocate for the course, Brian says he’s keen for other schools to start teaching it.
“Email me and I can give any advice I’m able to.”
Brian can be emailed at bengeb@heretaunga.school.nz.
JR is interested in pursuing a career in conservation.
Adam and Eddie check another trap.
Students in the group such as Tate, Ben and JR have collectively caught about 250 possums, rats, mice, hedgehogs, and a single stoat.
Whangārei Girls' High School students created and ran an inclusive sports day.
INCLUSIVE EDUCATION
Hautūtanga: Whangārei Girls’ High School ākonga lead the way in inclusive sports
Identifying a lack of inclusive sport opportunities for local tamariki, Year 13 sports management ākonga at Whangārei Girls’ High School organised and ran an inclusive sport day. Designed to get students – both those with disabilities and their able-bodied peers – gaining new skills while having a fun day out, the student organisers learned a few valuable lessons themselves, opening up pathways for the future.
Last year Year 13 ākonga from Whangārei Girls’ High School identified a unique opportunity.
Seeing that there was nothing inclusive in the Whangārei Primary School Sports Association’s calendar, the students decided to create an inclusive sports day.
“Over the last few years, we’ve worked very closely with health and physical education kaiako Janna Dearnley and her students studying sport management,” explains Parafed Northland’s operations manager Anna Hewitt.
“It’s an opportunity that has allowed us to go in and support students’ learning about inclusion – what it looks like and how we can modify activity (if needed) to support people with disabilities.
“Janna’s students came to the conclusion that there was nothing inclusive in the calendar, so they decided to do something about it, working with us. Some of the Year 12 students who supported the day last year loved it so much they wanted to continue it in 2024.”
This year’s cohort of Year 13 sports management students held their second inclusive sports day in September.
“My involvement was mostly in the lead up to the day – since the start of the year I’ve been popping into classes and assisting with planning,” says Anna, explaining that Parafed supports Northlanders living with disability to experience equitable opportunities in sport, active recreation and play.
For the most part, she says, students led the way.
“The students took the lead in the decision making, registrations, health and safety planning, working with providers, volunteers and running the day.”
Benchball, a Whangārei Girls' favourite, was a highlight of the event.
Give it a go
Ella and Emma are two of the student organisers who planned and ran the event.
They say the purpose of the day was to provide an opportunity for all students – both able-bodied and those with disabilities – to “give it a go” and gain new skills in a safe environment while having a fun day out.
“We really wanted children with a range of disabilities, intellectual and physical, to have the chance to get involved in sports they don’t normally get to do,” says Ella.
“It’s important to us that people with disabilities have the chance to be involved with sports,” agrees Emma. “We really wanted to see them have lots of fun and show off their skills.”
Describing the day, Ella says they had a group of about 40 students, who were split into two groups.
The groups worked their way through a rotation of sports events, including table tennis, volleyball, boccia (a precision ball sport similar to petanque and bowls) and “an adapted version of a Whangārei Girls’ High favourite”, benchball.
“Then all students finished the day taking part in play as an entire group so they could interact with each other,” says Ella, noting that the event was well supported by volunteers.
“Throughout the day, students were supported, helped and looked over by the Year 13s who organised the day, as well as a handful of Year 12s who also offered to come along. We were also supported by Naina from the table tennis club, Grant from the volleyball club and Anna and Pele from Parafed.
“Everyone was willing to help the participants and our volunteers were continually encouraging them to give everything a go.”
“It was such a good day and experience for us,” adds Emma. “The participants were involved with different types of sports and games to play which was awesome to
see. I loved the experience of being able to provide a day for younger kids with disabilities.
“To see the enjoyment on their faces just made my day.”
Both say they learned a lot from the experience.
“Problem solving was a big skill developed from this event,” explains Ella. “And learning to take the lead and organise groups of people.
“It perfectly coincides with what we’re learning at school – we’re in the sports management class and that’s exactly what we had a hands-on chance to do: manage sports and people.”
Joy in providing opportunities
Anna, Ella and Emma all agree the day was a success.
“The Whangārei Girls’ students ran a smooth day, and participants had a lot of fun. There were so many smiles and a lot of laughter which was awesome,” says Anna.
“I’d say this event was extremely successful. I had multiple teachers and students tell me how fun and enjoyable it was. Multiple teachers and supervisors also said they were most definitely returning next year,” says Ella, adding that the highlight for her was seeing the confidence of participants grow over the course of the day.
“One specific student was shy and scared at the beginning of the day and required my help when taking part. By the end of day, she was willing to try anything by herself and didn’t care if she made mistakes.
“I also really enjoyed passing the ball with a student named Connor who was attending in a powerchair. He was so much fun.”
For Emma, the day was a wonderful reminder of the joy of providing inclusive opportunities.
“It was an amazing experience. It was so good to see how happy being included in sports made these kids and how talented they are. I really think everyone in the sports community should be more inclusive.”
In her role as guide for the student organisers, Anna
says her highlight was seeing them realise and understand the impact they were having.
“I went into class the next day for a debrief, and students could see the impact that holding this day had had on the participants. They really felt like they made a difference.”
Reflecting on the event, she says she’s impressed by the Whangārei Girls’ students and sees a bright future ahead for them.
“These young women are the future leaders of our community. They’ve become capable event planners and have developed skills to work in the sporting sector. I hope that they find a path in the sporting sector, but if not then I hope they take something from being part of this day to support people living with disabilities in their future.
“They showed amazing leadership and conducted themselves incredibly both prior to the event and during the day. It really lifted the standard – they were able to deal with anything that came up in a professional and timely manner.
“I am extremely proud to be part of this amazing piece of work with these students.”
“It was an amazing experience. It was so good to see how happy being included in sports made these kids and how talented they are. I really think everyone in the sports community should be more inclusive.”
Emma, Year 13
Nina Hood James Laughlin
Kathryn MacCallum
MĀTAURANGA MĀORI
Poutama o Hauora Hokianga: Rangatahi take first steps toward healthcare careers
Creating a bridge between school and a career in the health sector in Te Tai Tokerau
Northland is Poutama o Hauora Hokianga, a programme for recent school leavers or tauira with an interest in the hauora sector. Offering rangatahi the opportunity to gain hands-on, paid work experience, the programme also gives them the chance to support local health and social outcomes – a win-win for the community.
Watch what a day in Macoyha’s life looks like.
Poutama Macoyha and Eve.
Trusted Māori health provider Hauora Hokianga plays a vital role in supporting the wellbeing of Te Tai Tokerau
Northland’s Hokianga community.
Under the governance of the Hauora Hokianga Trust, the provider offers a broad range of health and social services, fully integrated to meet the needs of residents.
To support the development of a local workforce that reflects and supports the community, Hauora Hokianga established Poutama o Hauora Hokianga, a programme for recent school leavers with an interest in the hauora sector. By joining the programme, tauira gain hands-on, paid work experience across various teams within the organisation.
“It provides exposure to many career opportunities and the health sector in general,” says programme participant Eve, explaining that the programme is a full-time paid position for up to six months.
She says being part of the programme has been “an awesome journey”.
Poutama, the name of a stepped pattern found in Māori weaving and plaiting, means ‘stairway to heaven’. It has strong educational symbolism, denoting levels of achievement and advancement. In the programme, students are referred to as Poutama.
“When I first started, I only had a small understanding about the hauora sector, as I’d always been a patient and saw it from a patient’s perspective,” says Eve.
“But from practice management and administration to health promotion and rongoā, aged residential care, te whare awhina (mental health and social services), and community development, me and other Poutama are immersed in the day-to-day workings of a comprehensive healthcare service.”
Tuakana-teina approach
The concept of tuakana-teina is central to Poutama o Hauora Hokianga.
Tuakana-teina, a traditional Māori concept of mentorship, is a model in which the tuakana (older or more experienced person) guides and supports the teina (younger or less experienced person).
Throughout the programme, a dedicated tuakana (an experienced staff member) supports the teina (Poutama) and helps them to develop skills, knowledge, and confidence by giving them the responsibility to carry out assigned tasks and contribute to projects, while also offering them the opportunity to explore and develop an understanding of the breadth of roles in the sector.
Workforce development lead Dr Kristina McGuinessKing, who developed the programme, says another one
of the key strengths of the programme is its focus on professional development. Poutama gain work experience while also being provided with essential training and support to build their skills and confidence.
“During the internship there are many training opportunities, varying from Mental Health 101 (Blueprint for Learning) to mandatory online training such as the Code of Rights and Te Tiriti modules,” explains Poutama Macoyha.
“I found Te Tiriti modules easy coming from a kura kaupapa Māori where we have been educated about it. And with Hauora Hokianga being a Māori health organisation, it is thoroughly incorporated. At times we assist other staff with their training as part of the tuakana-teina work ethos.
“Being a recent school leaver, I think these are great skills to have in my CV and day-to-day life.”
Taking a practical approach to preparing participants for the workforce, courses such as first aid and de-escalation are offered to equip Poutama with critical knowledge for a career in health.
Other courses, such as driver’s licence training, CV writing, and job application support, are offered as part of the wider development package, providing essential stepping stones for Poutama preparing to transition into full-time employment or further study.
Poutama are also offered ‘Te Takapau Taonga’, a series of wānanga that includes ‘wānanga marae’, a local noho marae (marae stay) to witness the knowledge and experience the stories of the people, and ‘wānanga hohipere’, where they learn about the history and kaupapa of their hohipere (hospital) and the Hauora Hokianga Trust.
“We also do wānanga rongoā,” adds Macoyha. “This includes a tour at the māra kai (food gardens) and planting our very own tree.
“We observe our Taumata Rongoā team performing traditional mirimiri (massage) using rongoā (traditional medicines) grown right here at Pou Kara Ariki, our hospital marae.”
“These wānanga allow us to create new connections in our community and finish the wānanga with our kete mātauranga full,” says Eve.
Reflecting on her experience, she adds she has thoroughly enjoyed her time at the hohipere. “I have no complaints about any of the sectors I have been in so far.
“Something that has been impactful for me has been the amount of awhi (support) I have received in each of these sectors. Everyone has been very welcoming and supportive. We are a whānau.
“Everyone has really been good at teaching me what their mahi is about as well.”
“Everyone has been very welcoming and supportive. We are a whānau. Everyone has really been good at teaching me what their mahi is about.”
Top left: A pōwhiri was held for Eve and Macoyha on their first day. Bottom left: Poutama at the beach in Pakanae during ‘Te Takapau Taonga’, a series of wānanga.
Right: Macoyha now works in health promotion.
Contributing to the community
One of the most significant aspects of Poutama o Hauora Hokianga is the emphasis on patient-centred care, with participants learning to understand and appreciate the importance of putting patients at the heart of their work – an approach critical in healthcare, where every patient has unique needs and preferences.
“Being patient-centred and learning the patients’ habits, preferences and needs helps and decides how you care for them,” explains Macoyha, highlighting this as one of her key learnings.
“It makes the job much easier.”
For many Poutama, the programme is the first step on a long-term career pathway in the health sector. By providing exposure to a range of roles and responsibilities, it opens doors to further education, training, and employment opportunities – they see how their contributions directly impact the wellbeing of their community, giving them a sense of belonging and purpose.
“This opportunity has honestly broadened my perspective of Hauora Hokianga and the health sector,” says Macoyha.
“Hokianga holds a huge place in my heart and this role has made me feel like I am doing my part in helping our small community,” adds Eve. “In Hokianga we’re a whānau and we look after each other.
“We are fortunate to have a hohipere that looks after our people and incorporates a huge cultural essence that is of massive value to the people.
“Before, I didn’t understand the depth of mahi that goes into making a rural hospital run. Being a Poutama has meant that I’ve had the opportunity to experience almost all the mahi that goes into providing healthcare to our whānau,” she says.
“I would encourage anyone to jump on board this opportunity.”
Eve and Macoyha both reflect on how the programme has been a fantastic pathway of personal growth, professional development, and community connection.
“During our time in the programme, new job opportunities presented themselves in the hohipere, and we were encouraged to apply for roles we were interested in,” says Eve excitedly.
“We both applied and were fortunately shortlisted and now work in two different areas of mahi within Hauora Hokianga,” adds Macoyha.
“I work as an administrator, assisting with day-to-day tasks in the people and capability team,” says Eve. “While Macoyha is in kaimanaaki tangata – health promotion.”
“That means I’m involved in various health promotion events throughout our community,” explains Macoyha. “I’ve created bonds with staff across Hauora Hokianga and have met so many interesting people on a more personal basis and have learned that we have a variety of cool staff.”
It’s evident that through Poutama o Hauora Hokianga, Hauora Hokianga is building a brighter future for both its participants and the Hokianga community.
Pathway to success: The ākonga heading to tertiary education with MATES by their side
For many Year 13 students, the transition from secondary school to tertiary education is a pivotal moment in their education journey. Providing critical support to help them make informed decisions, build confidence, and develop the skills they need to succeed, MATES Senior is a lifeline for many ākonga in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland. Auckland Girls’ Grammar School and Henderson High School share their experience of the programme.
MATES Senior provides students with academic and emotional support, enabling them to gain the confidence and skills necessary for success at university.
Preparing ākonga for tertiary study during high school can significantly impact the start of their tertiary journey.
Great Potentials Foundation offers the Mentoring and Tutoring Education Scheme (MATES) Senior programme to create a valuable support system for Year 13 students across Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland, helping them successfully navigate this significant phase of their lives.
For over 20 years, MATES Senior has provided students with academic and emotional support, enabling them to gain the confidence and skills necessary for success at university.
The programme matches each student with a mentor – typically a successful tertiary student who shares a similar academic interest. These mentors provide academic guidance, assist with university applications, and offer practical advice on how to thrive in a tertiary environment in after-school sessions run once a week.
During sessions, students can seek help with their schoolwork, prepare for university, and receive guidance on navigating the complexities of higher education.
Auckland Girls’ Grammar School has been part of MATES Senior for 20 years, while Henderson High School is in its inaugural year of the programme.
Education Gazette spoke to kaiako and ākonga at both schools to find out how it readies students for the transition from high school to university.
Impact at Auckland Girls’ Grammar School
“MATES provides 14 places for Year 13 students to attend a session each week, starting in early March and continuing until the first week of November,” explains Maggie Hames, student services director at Auckland Girls’ Grammar School (AGGS) and teacher in charge of MATES Senior.
Students identify a subject (or subjects) they need more help in to prepare for university, and are matched with a mentor based on these subjects.
“We have had MATES mentoring available for 20 years and have seen students go on to give back to New Zealand in a wide range of careers,” says Maggie.
“Past students have become doctors, engineers, lawyers, and one student return to Auckland Girls’ as a languages teacher.”
She says she’s observed positive changes from ākonga participating in MATES.
“Self-confidence is a major area of impact. It’s really obvious that students become more confident, particularly by the time they get to term 3 and are getting support for their university and scholarship applications.
“We also notice that MATES students do much better at Level 3 compared to their results from Level 2.”
AGGS students in the programme (“mentees”) say it helps them feel ready for life beyond high school.
“We are more prepared and equipped to navigate the transition, and can reach out to our mentors for support,” says mentee Blessing.
For many students, the mentorship goes beyond academic support. Their mentors become trusted allies, helping them make informed decisions about their future.
Marana and her mentor Evelyn, who supported Marana with biology and her university application to a health science programme.
Ngā kōrero a ngā tauira:
The best pieces of advice students received
“My mentor’s mantra is work hard to achieve your goals. This resonated with me, and to me means don’t be lazy and give 100 percent in everything.” Ashton, Henderson High School
“Manage your time. Previously I was mismanaging my time and was often completing assessments last minute. This meant my results were affected – I failed first attempts and often needed to resubmit. Even when passing, I barely achieved. Now my results are improving, and I feel less stressed about getting assessments in.” Tiger, Henderson High School
“The best piece of advice I received from my mentor was to never be afraid to ask questions. ‘No question is a stupid question’.” Marana, Henderson High School
“Believe in yourself and just go for it.” Rachel, Auckland Girls’ Grammar School
“Don’t be shy. Come into the session as who you are.” Sofiame, Auckland Girls’ Grammar School
“My mentor has helped me a lot,” shares one mentee. “They have gone out of their way to make me a google doc with useful information which they regularly update.
“They created a chart with dates to show me opportunities, deadlines, assessments due, practice exams and tests.
“We talk weekly about what is going on in and out of school. They have become a friend I can trust, and they have my back.
“Their wisdom and advice has helped me make better decisions.”
Henderson High School’s first year with MATES
This year Henderson High School embarked on its inaugural year with MATES.
Teacher in charge Aroha Moloney, along with deputy principal Cherith Telford, has been shaping what the programme looks like for ākonga.
School leadership identified 12 students and paired them with mentors from AUT and the University of Auckland, who assist with subject-specific learning and provide students with practical advice on university applications, StudyLink, and general student life.
Reflecting on a successful first year, Aroha says students are feeling supported, more positive about their futures, and more able to ask for help from various teachers when they require it.
“Students who commit to being present and engage in the sessions appear to have gained the most from the course,” she adds.
“This replicates what we see in the classroom – that attendance plays a large role in whether a student is able to easily engage with the content for their subjects. Overall, the students have matured in regards of how they approach their education.”
Aroha notes ākonga are also feeling better prepared for what’s ahead.
“Our students report that they are now comfortable and have applied for StudyLink and applied for majors in their courses of study.
“Their mentors supported them to apply to different universities, and they are now receiving some offers of courses for next year, which then helps spur their efforts in studying towards externals.”
Citing one student as an example, she says “due to recommendations by his mentor, he has now finalised his course of study. He feels settled and organised for next year”.
Valuable lessons
With a holistic approach designed to address both academic and personal needs, Henderson High School students Tiger, Ashton, and Marana describe how MATES has helped them.
“They’re helping us with university planning by explaining course outlines and what we need to achieve to get into what we want to study,” says Ashton.
For Marana, it’s a Bachelor of Health Sciences; for Ashton it’s a Bachelor of Commerce with Finance and Accounting; for Tiger, a Bachelor of Information and Communication Technologies. All three agree participating in MATES has been great value.
Mentor Leotisia with Auckland Girls’ Grammar School student Blessing.
“I’ve learned how to manage my time properly,” says Tiger. “This was something I struggled with earlier. It has allowed me to have a better completion rate, and it has allowed me to try new things, such as competing with our kapa haka group and still having time to relax and unwind.”
“I remember my mentors saying try to be prepared and try new things,” adds Ashton. “This is a good life lesson – it’s taught me to tackle problems head on and take on challenges such as interacting with different groups of people.”
“One of the most valuable things I’ve learned through the programme is being able to put myself out there and be vulnerable, to ask for help,” agrees Marana.
“Especially with me not knowing the different mentors, over time MATES helped me to become comfortable with asking for help. This will help me going into university life – it may help me ask other students in class for help.
“Not only this, but another valuable thing I have learned is managing my time around assessments, taking breaks, and studying for exams.
“I know it’s going to help me in the years to come.”
University for a day
“University For a Day helped me see what attending university would be like,” says Tiger, explaining that University For a Day is an annual event for MATES mentees.
“We sat in the lecture halls at Auckland University to receive information. I was surrounded by many people I didn’t know. They started with an icebreaker where we had to move to a new spot and sit next to someone we did not know from another school.
“This, along with all the information that I received during the programme, makes me feel better prepared for what life will be like once I leave high school and begin tertiary education.”
“University For a Day was very informative,” adds a mentee from AGGS. “The visit helped me narrow down my choices.”
Marana says the day opened up more options for her.
“University For a Day showed me different courses I hadn’t known about, including the different summer programmes that are available,” she explains, noting that it was also great to get support with the financial side of tertiary education.
“I was also able to get support with applying for student allowance and student loan on StudyLink.”
Measuring success
Although the programme is still in its early days at Henderson High School, the school has been able to measure success.
“All these students are very positive about their future,” says Cherith proudly. “One student will be the first of his family to go to university – he has worked through the StudyLink application, has a bank account, and IRD account now so he can move forward.
“He’s the eldest in his family and is setting an example for the others. His mum is extremely proud of him.
“He is now working through finding out more about his culture and whakapapa and this programme has helped him gain the self-esteem to find his own identity.”
Auckland Girls’ Grammar School notes similar success.
“The feedback from whānau is always positive and families are often very grateful for the increase in students’ NCEA results,” says Maggie. “Parents are thankful that their daughters were selected and given extra support on their journey to tertiary education.
“Students get very excited when they realise how much someone is willing to invest in them. They realise how much potential they have and that others can see this too.”
Mentees at both schools say they’ve learned a lot about themselves through MATES and note that it has supported them to develop stronger goals and impacted their achievement at school.
“It’s helped me to stop thinking I cannot be something I want. I thought I wasn’t good enough, but my mentor has taught me to back myself,” says one AGGS student.
“I want to make myself and my whānau proud and be the first in my family to go to university and gain a professional qualification,” says another.
“I feel that it’s had a big impact on me,” says Ashton. “And I think it will have an impact on others and their ability to succeed in Level 3.”
“I would highly recommend this programme as I think it is a great way to improve your internal and external results,” agrees Tiger.
“The time and advice we receive from mentors is invaluable and, overall, I believe this a great programme to be a part of because of the confidence it can build in your ability to succeed.”
“These students are feeling supported, more positive about their futures and more able to ask for help from various teachers when they require it.”
Aroha Moloney
How Lemonwood Grove School is embracing their diverse community
With almost half of its students speaking English as a second language, Lemonwood Grove School is on a journey to deepen connections with its increasingly diverse community. Principal Blair Dravitski shares how the school is fostering strong relationships with whānau and creating a supportive learning environment for all students.
Of the 1,000 students at Lemonwood Grove, almost half speak English as a second language.
Christchurch has experienced significant changes in the last decade. Following the earthquakes that displaced many residents from the city, many families have moved to the region’s rapidly growing satellite towns, such as Rolleston.
Lemonwood Grove School is one of Rolleston’s newest primary schools and has welcomed over 1,000 students, with more expected in 2025.
“Rolleston is a community that is growing quickly,” explains principal Blair Dravitski. “Before the 2011 earthquake, Rolleston had one school with about 200 students. Now there are six schools, including a high school, serving more than 5,000 students.”
The town is also becoming more diverse. Of the 1,000 students at Lemonwood Grove, almost half speak English as a second language, reflecting a growing trend in Christchurch where affordable housing and job opportunities are attracting families from across the motu and abroad.
Recognising the need to build meaningful relationships with these families, Blair sought to better support the school’s English for speakers of other languages (ESOL) students by working with Flourish, an education consultancy focused on supporting migrant and refugee whānau.
Planning for next year made easy
Understanding the education system in Aotearoa
“Our goal is to empower schools by helping them understand the needs of their diverse communities,” says Flourish’s managing director Waleed Wahsh, praising Lemonwood Grove’s commitment to these relationships.
“Lemonwood Grove is putting the work into fostering connections with their immigrant, migrant, and refugee families. They’re actively reaching out.”
Flourish’s work varies across schools, but at Lemonwood Grove, the focus is on whānau engagement.
“Many parents come from educational systems based on different values and measures of success, so navigating Aotearoa New Zealand’s approach can feel unfamiliar,” says Waleed.
For example, Waleed says he finds some migrant parents can view education as a race rather than a journey, which comes across in how they assess and ask about their child’s progress, and interact with teachers.
“We aim to clarify New Zealand’s education philosophy and what parents can do to get involved,” explains Waleed. “If we’re really successful, we can even help shift perspectives so that parents can see the value of a development-based model versus a strictly subject-based model.”
Opening up a dialogue
Lemonwood Grove has held a series of collaborative weekend workshops, hosted by Blair and brought about by Waleed.
“We introduce the education system, simplify it, explain it, and provide opportunities for families to ask questions and have concepts clarified,” explains Waleed.
“At the workshops, a lot of our migrant and immigrant parents are incredibly respectful of the team,” observes Blair. “But at the same time, they may feel hesitant to ask questions.”
This is where Waleed comes in, says Blair. “He breaks the ice by asking some of the questions himself, and before long the conversation opens up.”
Waleed highlights one example of the success of the workshops, sharing the story of a parent who wasn’t sure whether she could or even should contact her child’s teacher.
“The child was perfectly adamant that they didn’t want their mother to talk to the teacher,” he explains. “So, the parent attended the workshops, and we talked about how communication could happen, how they could actually ask questions, and how they should have a conversation with their child before they have to talk to the teacher, just to get them on board.”
With this kōrero in mind, the parent contacted her child’s teacher and began an email correspondence that all parties, including the student, found extremely beneficial.
These kinds of learnings form the backbone of Flourish and Lemonwood Grove’s collaboration. They also help migrant whānau feel connected not only to the school and staff, but also to wider ‘Kiwi’ culture.
A two-way exchange of ideas
One memorable workshop took families on a trip to Rehua Marae in Papanui. New Rolleston families were welcomed to the marae, shared kai, experienced a haka, and listened to a speech by mana whenua about the history of the marae and the principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi.
Blair says this exchange between the school, the marae, and migrant families, facilitated by Flourish, has energised the school community – and begun a two-way exchange of ideas.
“We’re open to being challenged on our teaching methods and what we’re delivering,” says Blair. “I think our ability to have these conversations has allowed us to explain what we do, and it’s definitely become a happier and healthier environment as a result.
“I had one parent come in and afterwards and say, ‘My girls come home, throw off their uniform, get a snack and then head out to play at the park. They’re turning into real Kiwi kids!’”
Blair laughs. He says the parent then told him they love being in their community, and that they appreciate how our curriculum encourages their children to play, socialise, and enjoy the outdoors.
“I think Flourish has helped us to educate some of our parents on how we deliver the curriculum, helping parents understand from a holistic and an academic approach,” he says.
While future collaboration between Lemonwood Grove and Flourish is uncertain due to funding constraints, Blair is hopeful that the partnership will continue.
“Communities need access to resources like Flourish. The biggest challenge is securing the funding to sustain this work.” Both are grateful to the Learning Communities Hub for the funding provided so far.
“We’d love to see others benefit from it like we have,” says Blair.
Above and below: A series of collaborative weekend workshops has been opening up communication between families and the school.
Flourish managing director Waleed Wahsh (left) and Lemonwood Grove School principal Blair Dravitski (right).
holistic and an academic approach.
“I think our ability to have these conversations has allowed us to explain what we do, and it’s definitely become a happier and healthier environment as a result.”
Blair Dravitski
Flourish has supported the school to help families understand curriculum delivery from a
EARLY LEARNING
Young Pacific learners shine with award-winning art
Invercargill’s Kew Pacific Island Early Learning Centre has made its mark, winning the prestigious Exhibition Award for Pacific Culture and Heritage at the Mīharo Murihiku art exhibition. The centre’s entry was selected from hundreds of submissions spanning early childhood education centres to young adults.
Murihiku Polyfest.
Apicture may be worth a thousand words, but an art piece can transcend generations.
The tamaiti (Samoan for children) at Kew Pacific Island Early Learning Centre (Kew) are proving just that, winning the prestigious Exhibition Award for Pacific Culture and Heritage at the annual Mīharo Murihiku art exhibition in Invercargill.
Kew’s piece, Sina ma le Tuna, is based on the traditional Samoan myth of Sina and the eel, a well-known tale that tells the story of a young girl, Sina, and her connection with an eel.
The myth unfolds into a love story with deep cultural significance in Samoan heritage, teaching valuable lessons about kindness, transformation, and the interconnection between nature and people.
It was introduced to the centre’s children during Vaiaso o le Gagana Samoa – Samoa Language Week earlier this year, providing them with a meaningful connection to their cultural roots and traditions.
Maele Seau, one of Kew’s teachers leading this year’s art piece submission, explains that introducing Pacific myths and legends during events like Pacific language weeks is vital for maintaining cultural practices and ensuring they are passed down to the next generation.
It’s a clear mission upheld by the Pacific Island Advisory Charitable Trust, who proudly own Kew.
More than a celebration
Mīharo Murihiku is a showcase of art from early childhood education, primary schools, secondary schools and 18 to 25-year-olds, and this year had the theme ‘Legends of our lands: Our people, our places, our stories’.
Kew’s piece not only resonated with the panel of judges but also highlighted the power of early childhood education in instilling a sense of identity and pride in one’s heritage from a young age.
“We’re giving our tamaiti a safe space to be themselves authentically and to celebrate that. They can be loud and proud about who they are and where they come from,” says centre manager Rebecca Fa’alologo-Robertson.
“This is also about educating others to appreciate diversity. It’s giving us a platform to share our knowledge with non-Pacific people as well.”
Under the guidance of faiaoga at Kew, the centre’s young learners used various materials and techniques to bring the story of Sina and the eel to life, demonstrating their understanding of the myth creatively.
Their involvement in producing the piece was crucial to its success. They learned the story in an engaging way, fostering an early appreciation for their cultural narratives.
Tamaiti would often reference the story even months later, Maele notes.
“This is why it’s so important to nurture the vā (relational space) with parents and families,” adds Rebecca. “To build a sense of belonging and authentic relationships so that they also view themselves as teachers and pass on their knowledge to future generations.”
“When our tamaiti were coming in and retelling the story in their own way, I couldn’t help but feel this was a teachable moment I would remember for the rest of my life.”
Rebecca Fa’alologo-Robertson
Maele Seau sharing the story of Sina and the eel with tamaiti.
Lasting connections
The success of Kew didn’t stop with the exhibition.
In keeping with their commitment to culturally rich education, the centre took their engagement with Sina and the eel a step further, also incorporating the myth into their performance at the 15th annual Mīharo Murihiku Polyfest in Invercargill.
The centre performed a skit retelling Sina and the eel, blending traditional storytelling with performance arts.
Reflecting on how passionate tamaiti were while preparing for this year’s performance, Rebecca says hearing them discuss the story during many different play and learning experiences was unforgettable.
“When our tamaiti were coming in and retelling the story in their own way, I couldn’t help but feel this was a teachable moment I would remember for the rest of my life,” she explains. “When we reflect on the learning outcomes, it’s clear that we have been successful in weaving all principles and strands of Te Whāriki into Sina ma le Tuna.”
Throughout the process, Maele was often guided by the Samoan saying, ‘a’oa’o le tama e tusa ma ona ala, a o’o ina matua e le toe te’a ese ai – train the child when they are young so that when they grow up, the skills you teach them stay with them.’
She hopes this is just the beginning of their journey in teaching culturally significant stories and enhancing the importance of storytelling.
Kaimani helps to create the popo (coconut) for the artwork.
Young learners such as Rosepreet helped make the artwork, using various materials and techniques to bring the story to life.
Kew’s Polyfest performance allowed them to take their engagement with Sina and the eel a step further.
The resources for younger students look at fairness as a concept, and then at human rights.
Rauemi | Resources
View the resources on the Ombudsman website.
The resources can also be accessed through Tāhūrangi:
Keeping Things Fair (English-medium).
CURRICULUM
Supporting civics education: The Ombudsman’s new resources for schools and kura
New Zealand’s Ombudsman has developed civics education resources for schools and kura to help ākonga understand important concepts around fairness and social justice, their rights, and the laws that protect them in a way that’s relevant and age-appropriate.
The Ombudsman is an Officer of Parliament, a role which plays an important constitutional role overseeing approximately 4,000 agencies in the public sector, including councils and school boards.
The general public can go to the Ombudsman if they are unhappy with any decision a government agency has made, and Chief Ombudsman Peter Boshier wants to help more New Zealanders to know their rights.
“I’ve seen in my work the broad lack of awareness issue for many people,” he says. “After noting civics international studies that revealed a wide disparity of understanding, I saw an opportunity to help close that knowledge gap among New Zealand ākonga by offering these learning resources.”
For English-medium schools, the resources align with the social sciences learning area in The New Zealand Curriculum for ākonga in Year 1–10, while for ākonga learning in and through te reo Māori, te reo Māori resources fit within Year 7–10 of ngā wahanga ako of Te Marautanga o Aotearoa.
The materials include slide decks, videos, case studies, and suggested activities as part of a comprehensive teaching resource.
The resources for younger students (Year 1–6) look at fairness as a concept, and then at human rights. Resources for Year 7–10 are guided through understanding school disciplinary processes, the right to a fair process, and the Official Information Act and whistle-blowing legislation.
Tuia Kia Ōrite (te reo Māori).
Feedback from teachers
Teachers who have trialled the resources have reported positive results.
Hagley College’s head of social sciences Nadene Brouwer tested the materials while working with Year 9 ākonga at Burnside High School.
“The kids found it really interesting. They were asking lots of questions and were genuinely curious,” says Nadene, noting how engaged ākonga were, despite many having English as a second language.
“They didn’t know such a thing as a whistleblower existed, and it sparked a discussion about its importance.”
They had been studying the Pike River disaster as a class and were able to relate it to the whistleblower section of the resources.
“We had just been learning about New Zealand disasters. In our class discussion we touched on what
would have happened if someone had been the whistleblower and said something – would this disaster still have happened?”
Nadene says the resources use relatable, real-world examples but are told by rangatahi in a light-hearted way. She highlights the case study ‘Junior’s story’ which retells the experience of a student being expelled from school.
“Ākonga loved the video because they all knew someone who had been suspended,” Nadene explains. “It was enlightening for them to see how the disciplinary process really works, including the role of parents in this situation.”
‘The resources provided by the Ombudsman are interactive and engaging,” adds Burnside High School head of social sciences Callum Green.
“The videos are not too heavy and the students enjoyed the touches of comedy. Thinking tasks and activities that require discussion and contemplation are throughout the resources.
The civics education resources help ākonga understand important concepts around fairness and social justice, their rights, and the laws that protect them in a way that’s relevant and age-appropriate.
“This resource makes students aware of how to access the Ombudsman and helps them navigate how the Ombudsman works and what its role in a functioning democracy is.”
How the resources fit with the curriculum
The resources have been designed so that kaiako don’t need any prior learning and can feel confident to approach this even if they are not familiar with the topics.
The Ombudsman worked in association with teachers, rangatahi, education and te reo Māori specialists and the Ministry of Education to develop the resources.
“It has broad crossover with government, Te Tiriti/The Treaty and human rights,” says Nadene, highlighting that there are lots of places that teachers can fit this learning in, “Also talking about how people have overcome obstacles, and face challenge and crisis.”
Callum adds that secondary school social studies programmes across Aotearoa have government, civics, citizenship and democracy units of work, so it fits in very well within existing calendars and schemes of work.
“I would encourage all those teaching the social science learning area to use the resources. There has never been a more important time for ākonga to know what their rights are.”
He explains that the connection to the Ombudsman is important.
“It is vital that students have the opportunity to know what their avenues of complaint are in New Zealand. In a world where fact and fiction is blurred too often, we need students to be aware that the Ombudsman can help them when they feel they have been treated unfairly.”
Chief Ombudsman Peter Boshier says the goal is for ākonga to become active and informed citizens. He also says the concept of fairness can be taught from Year 1.
“There is value for younger children to learn the foundations of fairness using real world activities and in combination with their learning in other core subjects.
“For instance, in Year 1–3 they will talk about fairness in the playground, and there is a recommendation to have someone from the school or wider community talk about fairness in their work, then ākonga chose their preferred communication method to reflect and engage.
“In Year 4–6 the examples draw on School Journal and Junior Journal texts as they consider the rights of children and the rights of disabled people.
“I encourage all schools and kura to consider making these resources part of their local curriculum in 2025 and beyond.”
Get
Empowering digital safety for students
Student safety extends beyond the physical environment of the school. With increasing reliance on digital technology for learning, schools need to consider how to help keep students safe online, too. Education Gazette looks at a range of safety tools and policies to support students and staff stay safe online, including cyber safety tools to improve cyber defence.
Online conduct
It’s important to set expectations with students around online behaviour and what they should do if they see or experience something inappropriate.
A key step is talking students about how to report issues, who to talk to, and encouraging them to seek help from trusted adults. Students should also be aware of the online support resources available through trusted advisors like Netsafe.
Schools should consider how they can:
» help students understand the options available to them if they experience online challenges
» help students understand the potential implications if they are involved with online bullying or online harassment of another person
» proactively plan to foster digital citizenship with students and whānau through the curriculum, wellbeing initiatives, professional learning and community engagement.
Netsafe encourages schools to tailor their processes to fit their specific needs, and to integrate these into existing complaint processes.
The Kete website is Netsafe’s resource hub for schools and kura. It is full of tools kaiako can use to support students as they navigate the online world. One of these tools is a user agreement template, which can be used to guide conversations with ākonga about what is expected and OK online. Visit Netsafe’s Kete resource hub.
Explore Hector’s World
Netsafe’s Hector’s World is a fun and entertaining series of online safety resources for primary school tamariki aged between five and 10 years old.
The series of seven animated videos (available in both English and te reo Māori) provides advice on online safety and dealing with the challenges of screen time and use. Explore Hector’s World.
Online
safety
incident reporting
Netsafe operates a seven-day-a-week confidential helpline service to support schools in online harm prevention and incident management, such as inappropriate content being accessed.
Last year they supported schools through 863 reported online harm incidents.
As well as helping to remove harmful content, Netsafe provides advice so schools can engage with the right people, communicate to families, and manage the complexity of any situation. They can also mediate between users and the content hosting platforms regarding content complaints.
Schools and kura can call the helpline on 0508 638 723. Harmful content can also be reported through the Netsafe website.
Guidance for responding to digital incidents
Netsafe provides guidance to address the behaviours behind incidents and advice on how to improve policies and processes to try to avoid future incidents. The quick reference guide on responding to digital incidents provides advice on how to document digital evidence if needed, as well as escalating reporting of illegal or objectionable content. See Netsafe’s guide to responding to digital incidents.
Filtering online content
Schools can ask N4L to block entire internet categories or specific websites within a category using the web filtering service provided by Network for Learning (N4L).
As a minimum, N4L recommends all schools adopt their ‘safe and secure internet’ recommended settings as a baseline level of protection, which includes blocking 17 categories including explicit violence, pornography, terrorism and drug abuse.
Schools can also build on these baseline settings and block or allow additional categories (for example, social networking) or specific websites (for example, YouTube or Roblox) as appropriate for your learners and community.
See Netsafe’s safety and security solutions.
Get specific about your needs
N4L will only block what schools have asked them to, so it’s up to school leaders to determine how restrictive they’d like N4L’s web filtering to be for their learning environment.
Web filtering cannot block specific content such as images, videos or sections within a website that your school has chosen to allow. This means that if your school allows access to YouTube, for example, inappropriate videos within YouTube won’t be blocked.
Schools can mitigate this with other technology, such as implementing the restricted mode in YouTube or changing school filtering settings in Google Workspace to restrict user access to video content. Download the web filtering guide.
“Student safety extends beyond the physical environment of the school. With increasing reliance on digital technology for learning, schools need to consider how to help keep students safe online, too.”
Cyber safety guidance
To assist schools and kura in this mission, N4L has created a cyber safety and web filtering guide that outlines various responsibilities related to online safety, including a practical checklist for reviewing web filtering at your school.
No filtering solution will be 100 percent effective in blocking inappropriate content. Web filtering works best when it’s supported by education and users doing the right thing.
Schools have a big part to play, teaching tamariki about digital citizenship and ensuring appropriate policies and user agreements are in place.
If you’d like to review your web filtering settings, contact N4L by phone 0800 LEARNING or by email support@n4l.co.nz.
Download the cyber safety and web filtering guide.
Additional information
Improving cyber security and data privacy in education is a critical priority for the Ministry of Education, particularly in the schooling sector.
Learn more about the Ministry’s cyber security and digital support for schools and kura programme.
Place an advertisement in the vacancies section and reach both the passive and active jobseekers by contacting Jill Parker: jill.parker@nzme.co.nz 027 212 9277
Headmaster/Principal
Waihi is an independent Anglican preparatory school for years four to eight, catering to day and boarding students in magnificent and established grounds in South Canterbury. Strong Christian-based values have shaped the school, along with the belief that every child is unique and should have access to an education that will nourish them.
Waihi punches above its weight academically, culturally and on the sports field, locally and nationally. The roll is 125, with 60 boarding students. With first class boarding facilities and expansive grounds, the teaching and learning spaces have recently been extended with new classroom facilities and campus development plans underway.
The Waihi School Trust Board is seeking a strategic, inspirational and experienced educational Head with a passion for independent education to lead Waihi to the next level. The role will preserve and enhance the traditions, values and uniqueness of the school whilst ensuring the ongoing delivery of quality, future-focused and inclusive learning and teaching.
Competitive remuneration plus accommodation is offered.
Candidates can view a candidate briefing document and apply online at www.sheffield.co.nz or email cvchc@sheffield.co.nz quoting 8877EG.
Closing Date: 27 November 2024.
For more information contact Andrea Bankier: 0274 478 102.
Principal Position
Clearview Primary School Rolleston, Canterbury
Clearview Primary School, a beacon of educational excellence, invites applications for the role of Principal. As a vibrant school of 850 students, we leverage the benefits of scale and diversity to create rich learning experiences for all
Our modern, collaborative spaces and strong leadership support structure promote a secure, progressive learning environment. With a track record of high student achievement and growth, Clearview is ready to build upon an already impressive foundation.
Our Board of Trustees is committed to resourcing every aspect of teaching and learning, and our engaged community actively supports our goals. Staff culture is positive and collaborative, reflecting our strong team spirit. State-of-the-art facilities, including an outdoor COLA and Wheels track, foster pride and belonging among students and staff alike.
If you are a forward-thinking educational leader ready to make a lasting impact, we’d love to hear from you!
Visit our website to learn more and apply - https://www.clearview.school.nz Applications close on 26th January 2025.
Primary and Intermediate schools can receive free Pause Breathe Smile training and unlimited access to resources to support teacher and tamariki wellbeing. Fully funded by Southern Cross, contact us at
