Kia ora koutou. Talofa. Kia Orana. Malo e lelei. Bula. Fakaalofa atu. Namaste. Kumusta. Haere mai ki Te Kura Huruhuru Ao o Horomaka. Warm greetings to the Hornby High School community.

It’s that time of year when whānau are contemplating the best next steps for their tamariki, and which kura will best suit their children’s needs. I always say that this is very much a case of ‘horses for courses’, as the old saying goes. Not every school is best for every child. And the best way to get the ‘feel’ for any kura is to visit it when learning is taking place, when students are engaged in their learning.

If you were to visit Te Huruhuru Ao o Horomaka Hornby High School during the school day what do I think you would see? From my experience, you’ll see these things. Students actively engaged in their learning in calm, focussed, and purposeful, classrooms. Students engaging in a wide variety of activities, some requiring them to use their Chromebooks, and many not, using the right tool for the job. Students understanding what they are learning. Students accelerating their learning as they engage with our ‘Learn Create Share’ pedagogy. Students increasingly prepared to take risks with their learning, to put themselves out there and encourage public scrutiny, as we encourage them to keep their eyes on our vision to be a centre of creative excellence. Students actively looking to enhance their creativity regardless of the curriculum area in which they are engaged. Staff pushing the boundaries with new pedagogies that challenge students, and improve their learning, that is staff being creative in their work.

If you visit yourself, you will also appreciate the whānau feel of our kura. Indeed, one of the things that many present and former students comment on is the family feel of our kura. We look after each other.

Of course there are exceptions to these things. Our children are real, they are human, they make mistakes. And we support them when they do. As the saying goes: ‘To err is human, to forgive is divine’. You will see teachers who are as dedicated as any to supporting our children, to building and maintaining positive relationships for learning. You will also see students presented with a very wide range of opportunities that allow them to develop their own individualised pathways to their futures.

All of this is based on our strongly held values: Commitment, Achievement, Resilience, and Respect. Vital to our understanding of respect are the values of kaitiakitanga, manaakitanga, and whanaungatanga, and our constant messages of kindness.

And I’d like to remind everyone again that our kura has an enrolment scheme that came into place at the beginning of 2019. The Board of Trustees has decided to make 15 out of zone places available for 2020, all in Years 7 to 10. Last year we had quite a few whānau disappointed because they left application for enrolment too late. Application for out of zone enrolment closes on 26th July. It is easy to think that that is a long way away, but the time will rapidly pass. The agreed zoning rules are such that we cannot accept out of zone enrolments beyond that date. Details of our enrolment scheme are available on our website. Look under the ‘Enrolment’ tab for a zone map and specification.

Please make sure you follow us on Facebook for the latest and most up to date news https://www.facebook.com/hornbyhighschool/ , and on our website www.hornby.school.nz . You can also follow my thinking on education at Hornby High School, and more generally, on my blog at https://whakataukihewakaekenoa.blogspot.co.nz/

Nga mihi nui

Robin Sutton

Tumuaki