As the academic year comes to an end, some of our international students are heading to their home countries, some are preparing for NCEA assessments, and some are 'summering over' in New Zealand.

With the conclusion of senior classes on November 11, our senior international students' year takes different pathways.

For those entered in NCEA, examination season starts and they are involved in external assessments. We wish these students well as they tackle their exams in English - a second or third language for all of them.

These young people along with our younger Year 10 students will then be spending the summer in New Zealand so they can continue their study here next year. Given the current border situation, if they were to return to their home countries, they would not be able to re-enter New Zealand in early 2021.

For those senior students who are not doing NCEA, the school year suddenly becomes full of activities outside the classroom. Topping off their year in New Zealand, they will be involved in our end-of-year-programme encompassing a number of new experiences including surfing, high ropes, kayaking on the Avon River and blokarting, along with exploring various aspects of Christchurch. They then head home to their families in mid to late November. We wish them well too, and thank them for being part of the Horomaka whānau in 2020.