Parents, caregivers, and whānau play an important role in young people’s education. John Hattie’s Visible Learning research found that “parents have major effects in terms of the encouragement and expectations that they transmit to their children.” 

Research indicates that children whose parents are actively involved in their education achieve better academically as well as in social and emotion development. 

You may find that your involvement with schooling changes when your young person moves from primary to secondary schooling.

Secondary schools are often much larger than primary and intermediate schools. At just over 1000 students, Riccarton High is considered to be a medium-sized secondary school for New Zealand, but many of our new students find it very large. 

At primary school your young person probably spent most of their week with one teacher. Our Year 9 students will see eight different subject teachers and their whānau teacher each week. 

Students have to adapt to moving classrooms up to six times a day and being prepared with everything they need for their learning. It is a big change and it is important to Riccarton High School to grow students’ responsibility for their actions, decisions, self management and character.

A frequent highlight of our end-of-year Leavers’ Assembly for our Year 13 students is the side-by-side comparison photographs of their Year 9 photo alongside their photograph in their final year of schooling. The growth and changes young people go through over these five years are significant. Teenagers experience surges in physical growth and in hormones. They undergo the most significant brain development since babyhood, Unfortunately, the rational part of the brain develops later than the emotional part. This can make navigating the teenage years a “challenge” for many households! 

As part of growing into adulthood, it is common for teenagers to begin to try and distance themselves from their parents. You might find it difficult to always get the right balance from being actively involved in all aspects of your young person’s learning and life to, gradually, supporting them to become more independent. 

Research and experience shows, however, that teenagers still crave the security of clear boundaries and expectations at home and at school – despite what they may say. The care and support from parents, caregivers, whānau and school are still very important to young people.

We hope that the tips, advice and information in this publication are helpful.