For the first time in four years we were able to host an exhibition of ākonga work last Thursday at our "Hooked on Learning Expo." Across the evening more than a hundred and fifty people visited the various classrooms to see some of the mahi of our current Year 11's and find out about the many courses on offer for 2025.

While I “project managed” the planning of the expo, working with the staff planning committee and the student planning committee, in the end, the event’s success sat firmly with the Year 11 ākonga who hosted it. As noted the next day by one of the kaiako:

Our year 11's were fantastic preparing and hosting last night. They showed a genuine interest in their curriculum areas, manaakitanga to our whānau and manuhiri, initiative to help with anything, and a sense of fun.

When we gathered in the Hall I was able to explain why we have chosen to offer a two-year to Level Two NCEA programme and four of our ākonga spoke, describing their experiences so far this year. Cheska Acuna and Millie McFadzien described preparing for the Literacy and Numeracy co-requisites while Andrei Morus and Eilish Green explained how and why they had found their learning to be valuable this year. Here’s what Eilish had to say:

Year 11 for me was a year of pushing myself out of my comfort zone. Whether that be pushing myself out of being in classes simply because my friends were, or trying a new subject that never occurred to me. Now here I am talking to all of you. If St Peter’s did Level One this year, I would never have had the opportunities I’m lucky to have today. Changing Year 11 has allowed me to evolve as a student, learner, and person.

This style of learning allowed me to put my mental health first and get the most out of school. For this year I chose ten subjects that interested me, instead of subjects I thought I had to do for credits or for the career path I wanted to take. All I can say now is my dream job is very different from what I envisioned myself doing at the beginning of the year. I’ve taken three English’s, three Sciences, both semesters of Math's, Commerce, and a Social Sciences class. I believe I have a broader knowledge base than what I ever could have dreamed of if I put myself into the box of Level One NCEA.

Despite taking a few classes in each subject, I am never bored or feel like school is on repeat. Every day is different, keeping me engaged, focused, and most importantly, curious. New things are added to my toolbox of knowledge, and I can recognize myself growing not only as a learner but into a person who can tackle life's challenges and strive for excellence in all areas.

Knowing myself, I would have burnt myself out in Level One, when it should have been just the first rung of the metaphorical ladder of my senior education. I believe I would not have been alone in feeling this way, and perhaps you can even see it in yourself looking back on your high school years. I would never reach my peak as I would have made learning a “have to” instead of a “get to”. I get to go to school, I get to learn every day, and I am blessed enough to have witnessed my peers and classmates mature into well-rounded young adults who have the knowledge and skills to change the world, all in their own unique ways.

For whānau I think it was important to hear that our ākonga will be assessed using the current Level two and three NCEA standards until 2028. Our "Hooked on Learning" programme at Year 11 prepares ākonga for this as it still includes rigorous and robust assessment at Level 6 of the New Zealand Curriculum, just without the unnecessary pressure of high stakes assessment. In fact, as I pointed out, in some cases, there are aspects of Level Two work incorporated into the Year 11 programmes already.

Next year’s Year 11 cohort will engage in "Hooked on Learning" because we have chosen to:

- Put well-being before everything else.

- Listen to what ākonga have said in 2024 about their courses

- Offer a two-year pathway to Level Two beginning with the CAA co-requisites in Reading, Writing and Numeracy in Year 11.

- Offer 36 courses across 9 Learning Areas over two semesters instead of 6 subjects all year.

- Increase learning time over assessment time.

- Keep ākonga engaged in learning until the end of November 2025.

- Teach and assess material that prepares ākonga for the current Level Two standards.

- Teach and assess in ways that allow ākonga to evidence their learning in a way that best suits them.

- Foster a love of learning – “hooked on learning”, life-long learners!

Ultimately, as a Roman Catholic School, here in Aotearoa New Zealand, at St Peter’s, Hāto Petera, we have chosen to develop a programme which is founded on each ākonga’s indelible human dignity, and endeavours to support their development and Hauora, wellbeing. We have done this because we know that we need to serve the ākonga entrusted to our care well, in order to help them thrive and not just survive. We have made this change because as it says on our website, “At St Peter's, we believe in educating the whole person…”.

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