OPINION
Alwyn Poole
Founded and was the head of Mt Hobson Middle School in Auckland for 18 years. MH Academy is now an in person private school for Year 11 – 13. There is now a nationwide online provision called Mt Hobson Academy Connected for Years 1 – 13.
The coalition agreement includes the return of the Partnership School model into the New Zealand education system.
As someone who helped establish two very successful Partnership Schools (when they were operating under that model), I feel I have some relevant comments to make.
For The Post, Gianina Schwanecke wrote a piece that was published last weekend. There was some good stuff but, of course, the die-hard wafflers who don’t actually give a rat’s backside about improving things for kids came to the table – i.e. Peter O’Connor (a bizarre “academic”), the PPTA and the NZEI. They spout motley talking points but have no backup. They are also completely tone-deaf to the current crisis in New Zealand education and are very keen to prevent any improvement that further exposes the state system. The recent PISA results hugely call into question teacher quality in New Zealand – which, of course, causes people like O’Connor and the talking heads of the unions to go Sergeant Shultz on any other options.
The point of any school is to improve the lives of those that attend. These points are pertinent.
”Oscar McKenzie-Linnell can’t imagine what his life would look like now had he not transferred from a public school to Vanguard Military School.
Now 21, McKenzie-Linnell describes the school as having been a “big turning point” in his life.”
“Melanie Taraare’s daughter, Jeanna, was a foundation student at SAMS having started when it opened nine years ago. Three of her five children attended the school.
When she first heard about the school she thought it was different and “seemed really innovative”.
With a roll of about 120, and classes with just 13 students, there was more “one on one” time for Jeanna who has dsylexia.
“It was ideal for her to come here because of the class sizes. And she thrived, she absolutely thrived.”
Her youngest son graduated from SAMS last year, and is now at Manurewa High School where he was “doing really well”, having been appointed to leadership roles and achieving academically.
She had worried about the transition to a school with more than 2000 students.
“He went into [SAMS] quite shy and not confident at all, but he came out the other side a leader.”
I could say so much about how poorly the Partnership schools were implemented and all of the hand-brakes but … the best way is to look ahead. The first key to the success of the next iteration of this model is to have all approval and monitoring 100% separate from the Ministry and its infamous “network”.
That is the first big challenge for David Seymour on this opportunity.
Alwyn Poole
Innovative Education Consultants
www.innovativeeducation.co.nz
www.alwynpoole.substack.com
www.linkedin.com/in/alwyn-poole-16b02151/