It has been a wonderfully busy end to the term after a myriad of cancellations and restrictions.

Dear alumni and friends of the school,

Despite Covid related challenges, Nayland College remains in good heart and our students continue to have a range of success in so many varied areas, many of which are outlined in this update.  We are also so proud of the achievements of our alumni, please do get in touch if you have a story you wish to share.

In the last week of term we congratulated many of the 220 students that gained endorsement in their 2021 NCEA qualifications. Although delayed and broken into smaller groups to meet Covid regulations, it was exciting to once again welcome parents into the hall. The previous weekend we also had the regional Shakespeare Festival in our Performing Arts Centre. We are very proud of all the performers who did exceptionally well, with a group of 10 students selected to now compete at the National Final in Wellington. You can read more about their successes here.

NCEA Results

Our results at all levels were outstanding in 2021. In fact, our Level 1 results were the best the school has ever achieved. Alongside ensuring that students with a UE pathway are well catered for, I am also proud that virtually no Year 13 students left without at least a Level 2 qualification. We are so proud of the academic performance of our students!

Construction

Nayland College is a rapidly growing organisation, with a total roll for 2022 of around 1500 students. The Ministry of Education has moved quickly to ensure we have additional classroom capacity, with 12 additional temporary classrooms added last year. This additional space has given us the opportunity to commence some significant infrastructure work around the school. Upgrades to Block 1 have just been completed and a $4.2m project to upgrade Block 3 is now underway. We have also completed a number of major roof and safety upgrades around the school. This work does not come without some inconvenience, with parts of both the library and staffroom now being used as temporary classrooms until construction is complete.

Matariki Celebration

As part of my role this year I have been leading the Stoke Tāhunanui Kāhui Ako (Community of Learning). As a collective we are planning a Matariki Celebration for Tuesday 28 June on the Nayland College site. This is coming together well and will be a fabulous occasion with stalls, food trucks, performances and art displays. If you would like to be involved in the planning and/or running of this event please contact me. 

We are looking forward to a few less restrictions and returning to school life that is a bit closer to normal from Term 2.  Thank you again to our amazing alumni community and friends of the school for all of your support of Nayland College.

Ngā mihi

Daniel Wilson
Principal