Kia ora e te whānau
Recently we have had our scheduled visit from ERO (Education Review Office) as every school does from time to time. The approach that ERO is taking to reviews has changed in the past twelve months, moving closer to the traditional review model. At the conclusion of the visit we were given verbal feedback based on ERO’s findings during their time. I am pleased to report that they could verify and did notice a significant shift in school culture and the overall atmosphere. The reviewers were positive about the changes that we have made and have planned for the future. Like all reviews, there are some areas to work on, and what was pleasing was that not one of these was a surprise, with planning already under way to address them. Once the report is finalised this will be published and shared with the community.
Thank you also to all those parents who came along to the whānau interviews on 21 May to discuss the progress your child is making. This opportunity to connect with parents is invaluable. I continue to be impressed by the students we have here. We are fortunate to be entrusted with the education of your young people.
The majority of our Year 11 students have been sitting the CAA Reading, Writing and Maths assessments this week. Based on the majority of student feedback, it seems that while these have been stress points for some students, they have coped well with the assessments and feel confident about the results. Students will have opportunities to sit these again later this year. The CAA assessments are a major change to the NCEA qualification framework and make gaining NCEA more challenging for some students. We will continue to work closely with these students to ensure that they experience success and have the support needed to get across the line.
Some parents will have received from the College a letter about their child's attendance. This is part of the shift to the Ministry of Education's new attendance guidelines that must be in place by 2026. We are taking a gradual approach to this, beginning with the termly attendance letters that give you a clear indication of how often your child has been present at school during the term. While we appreciate that for many of these students there are health and other challenges that may prohibit them from reaching 90% attendance, we are required to address this with parents. The attendance letters are an easy way to address this in an appropriate manner and ensure that parents are aware of their child’s level of attendance.
We warmly invite prospective families to attend our upcoming Open Night on Wednesday, 30th July, as we begin the enrolment process for 2026.
This is a valuable opportunity to explore our learning environment, meet our dedicated staff, and learn more about the academic and co-curricular opportunities we offer.
We look forward to welcoming you and sharing what makes our school a vibrant and supportive place for students to learn and grow.
Finally, I want to wish all those students involved in sports and cultural activities all the best with their games, practices and performances. Many of our students are involved in a wide range of activities, and maintaining their schoolwork as well as extracurricular commitments which at times includes part-time work, can be a real juggling act. They are to be commended for how they manage all these things while ensuring that academics and their future pathways are the main priority.
Charity fulfills the Law