The first five charter schools

The Government has announced the first five charter (or partnership) schools. I hope they do well, in what really matters – lifting the educational achievement of students who choose to attend them.

The five schools are:

• Vanguard Military School sponsored by Advance Training Centres Limited.  It will be a co-educational senior secondary school for years 11-13, located in Albany Auckland.  The ethos and training methodology of the military will be used to achieve results that allow students to move into a broad range of further training or employment options.

• Te Kura Hourua o Whangarei Terenga Paraoa sponsored by He Puna Marama Charitable Trust.  It will be a co-educational secondary school for years 7-13 located in Whangarei.  The school intends to raise the achievement of Māori students by reconnecting them with an ethos of leadership and pride.

• Te Kura Hourua ki Whangaruru sponsored by Ngā Parirau Mātauranga Trust.  It will be a co-educational secondary school for years 9-13 located in Whangaruru, Northland. The bilingual school will target Māori students and offer additional learning opportunities including farming and outdoor education.

• The Rise UP Academy sponsored by Rise UP Trust.  Located in Mangere, South Auckland for years 1-6.  The Rise UP approach will include effective governance, excellent teachers of inquiry based learning and culturally responsive whānau engagement.

• South Auckland Middle School sponsored by Villa Education Trust.  It will be a middle school for years 7-10 located in South Auckland.  Project-based learning will be used for each student within a structured environment, based on Christian philosophy and values.

The five schools are mainly focused on Maori and Pasifika students who generally are falling behind in the current education system. Wouldn’t it be great if they lift achievement for those students.

The link above has a two page summary of each school. They are interesting to read, and one can only be supportive of their intentions and ambitions to make a difference.