Earlier this term we really enjoyed interviewing some of our Year 9 students for the 2023 Junior College Lookbook. The Lookbook is for current Year 8 students and their parents/caregivers, who might be considering coming to Hagley for Year 9 in 2023.

Introducing Chelsea and Poppy! Two Year 9 students who chose Hagley, in part, for its flexibility.

Chelsea is a ballet dancer. She moved to Christchurch from Mosgiel on her own this year to take up a position as a pre-professional trainee at Canterbury Ballet. Chelsea boards with family friends and four days a week she finishes school around lunchtime so she can go to dance training. This means she must catch up on any work missed in classes during her time off and we are really impressed by Chelsea's commitment in being able to manage this at such a young age. Chelsea appreciates that her timetable at Hagley is able to fit around her dance. She likes that Hagley is inclusive and supportive, and that teachers can extend her learning and let her learn at her own pace. What a great attitude. We can't wait to see Chelsea's big break-out on the NZ dance scene!

Poppy is one of NZ's top surfers for her age group. She came first in the U14 Girls at National Champs in January and wants to surf professionally as a career. Hagley has allowed Poppy to take time off school when she needs to travel for surfing competitions. She has already been to Whangamata and Piha for events in Term 1, and has done very well. Poppy also hopes to utilise school time to extend herself in PE and learn more about what it takes to succeed in top level sport. Poppy loves being able to wear mufti at Hagley. She likes that she can call teachers by their first names and that everyone feels equal. She appreciates that Hagley is able to be supportive of her surfing ambitions. Poppy's next goal is to make the Canterbury Scholastics surf team and represent Hagley and Canterbury in the National Secondary School Comps held in October. We think she'll have the drive to succeed in whatever she sets her mind to!