Term One 2021 was very atypical. We normally enrol about 40 new international students but this year new enrolments were down to nine.

Primary schools are still feeding through Year 8 graduates to us and there is the occasional new student coming to us from another New Zealand school. With the huge drop in numbers the feel is very different. 82 students returned to follow on from last year’s studies but these students have already worked out how things operate at Burnside High School so require a lot less monitoring.

We are fortunate to have a fantastic group of very proactive Year 13 International Student Leaders who are keen to keep our students stimulated and supported. They have already run a lunchtime shared lunch session and have plans to be actively involved in an up-and-coming Food Day.

This year we will continue to post material on a daily basis onto our various WeChat channels. The QR codes for these can be found below.

We are mindful that New Zealand’s border restrictions are preventing our International students from being reunited with family abroad. For some, they have not seen their parents for at least 15 months. This separation can add additional stress to the life of an International student so well-being is front of mind for the International Department.

One new service that we hope will support our students is that of BeKiwi. This is a New Zealand Tourism Board initiative. ChristchurchNZ and other regional groups have created an online platform where various providers can list educational activities. 

We can all appreciate that meaningful experiences like volunteering and learning future skills are more valuable than simply jumping on a tour bus and taking some pretty pictures. 

BeKiwi lists multiple activities which students may choose to take part in. We hope these activities enrich our students' lives and provide some stimulation.

With initiatives like BeKiwi and the involvement in co-curricular activities here at school (see Vincent Chen 13SRT above), we hope that our students can lead a well-balanced life during these incredibly trying times.   bekiwi.nz

A big thank you must also go out to our Homestay families that take care of our students.  We know that the current global situation is making everyday life harder for everyone.  We truly appreciate everything you do for our students.