Whanau wall comp - 1st Equal Place. Our NGH ambassadors have made an outstanding wall in the Ngahuru mainspace showcasing our school values and spirit dispositions.

Some epic mahi. Term 2 has started well.

Student comments Learner Perspective

Addi Baxter King - Year 9 Learner

What is ako? The Māori kupu/word, ako means to both teach and learn. Ako represents a reciprocal non-hierarchical relationship between the student and the teacher. Ako acknowledges knowledge and experiences of both kaiako/teacher and akona/learner in the shared learning experience and this has been very much my experience of AKO1 with Miss Strickett.

Ako at Rolleston College is a group of students in Year 9 - 11. It is an opportunity to get support and help whenever we need it. We have ako 4 times a week and during those lessons we learn about the world through quizzes and quests etc, we learn about the school, respect, being R2L and more. It is a place where we go if we need a little extra help on a work assignment or just a helping hand. It is so helpful and something I look forward to during the day/week.

I have thoroughly enjoyed ako not only because of the learning, support, and bit of fun but also the friendships. Ive been able to connect with other students I would never have had the chance to bond with. And they've taught me so much and been there with welcoming arms.

I’m loving being in Ngahuru whanau and look forward to the rest of the year. 

Jaya Hopkins - Year 11 and Whānau Ambassador

Ako is a fantastic class where we can develop close bonds with the teachers as well as the Year 9 and 10 students. In ako, we engage in a variety of activities that build closer bonds with our classmates, but we also complete assessments around our Hauora/wellbeing and tasks that give us a better understanding of the outside world. For instance, we are now learning how to create and structure CV's and cover letters. Through this activity, we can learn what we need in order to apply for employment as well as how to create effective cover letters that will impress potential employers. This assessment also teaches us a skill that we will apply numerous times throughout our lives, making it a very crucial skill to learn. We engage in Hauora assessments in ako, which is another important activity. These assessments help us comprehend how the four components of wellbeing—physical, spiritual, social, and mental/emotional—function. Currently, in class, we are looking at how change affects our wellbeing and how to adapt to or take advantage of that change for the better. Last term, our Hauora assessment focused on setting goals, making progress towards those goals, reflecting on the goal, and determining how the process of attempting to reach those targets impacted our Hauora. But Ako offers us many opportunities to come together as a whānau and engage in friendly competitions. For instance, we recently held a Whānau Wall Competition in which students collaborated to decorate a wall in our whānau area with artwork that reflects who we are as Ngahuru. We ultimately tied Raumati for first place, and I'm so proud of our team for that! These friendly competitions help boost our school spirit and develop wonderful relationships with both members of our whānau and those outside of it.