Local schools are now bustling with students after the summer holidays - with increasing rolls and positive plans for the year ahead.

Mount Aspiring College started on Monday (February 1), and on Tuesday welcomed new principal Nicola Jacobsen with a pōwhiri. 

The school had another milestone to celebrate this week: It recorded significantly higher than average National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA) results for 2020, despite a disruptive year that included six weeks of Covid-19 lockdown.

Students have excelled across all three levels surpassing not only the national average pass rates, but scoring higher than the median pass rates for comparative decile 10 schools.

“Throughout a year of turbulence where learning was disrupted and so many opportunities were postponed or cancelled, both our students and staff have shown incredible resilience. So although these results are outstanding they are to some extent unsurprising,” MAC assistant principal and NZQA coordinator Vicki Ashton said.

Nicola said she believed the results are a benchmark for even higher achievement: “I am thrilled to see such strong academic results, and excited to start a new chapter with MAC. My vision is very much focused on student-centric learning and I look forward to working with the Mount Aspiring College community as we strive to positively develop and empower our young people.”

New MAC principal Nicola Jacobsen PHOTO: Andrew Miller

Nicola said the school roll is 1153 and will always fluctuate as the year progresses.  

“The new development has started with the hoarding going up around the school and preliminary constructions beginning in the next few weeks,” she said.

Nicola said in this early stage in her role at the college she is focused on the school’s strategic plan, from which will come innovations - which must be what is best for the students, and must be sustainable. 

“There will always be focus points for professional development and learning for staff in any school. Through appropriate processes, the areas for development are identified and addressed, always with a focus on outcomes for students and our strategic goals,” she said.

Wanaka Primary School (WPS) principal Wendy Bamford said when the school opened for students on Wednesday (February 3) the roll was 532, and she expects it to rise.

“We have 80 new enrolments over the year so we expect to finish the year with around 600,” she said.

The school is “ready to go for another busy and successful year at WPS”, Wendy said, with 24 classrooms in action, 40 staff and a number of relievers, and no staff shortages.

Property developments are on the cards for WPS in 2021: New heat pumps have been added during the holidays, and plans are underway for ‘maker space’ areas in each pod.

“We will finish our amazing pod eight hill development with the installation of reading huts, our giant chess and chequers boards, seating and sunshares in term one,” Wendy said.

This year Years 5 and 6 will have the opportunity to learn another language, after a trial of Mandarin with a group of 25 Year fives last year. Options are Mandarin, Spanish, German, French, Japanese, and Te Reo.

Te Kura O Take Kārara principal Jodie Howard said the school roll started with 155 students yesterday. 

“Our roll is increasing as expected and it is wonderful to see our school community expand and grow,” she said. 

“We are expecting further growth throughout this year and our current staffing and building spaces will allow for this. While we know our school roll is growing, one of our most important goals will be to retain the special culture and sense of connection we have developed and maintained since we opened at the beginning of last year.”

Jodie said the first day of term was a “wonderful start” to the year, with lots of happy faces.

And at Holy Family Catholic School principal Jo McKay said the school started this week at its maximum roll to date: 225 students.

There have been no changes with teachers this year, and Jo said the staff are “really excited about the year ahead and all we will achieve”.

Hāwea Flat School principal Tania Pringle was approached for comment.