Hon Hekia Parata
Minister of Education
Hon John Banks
Associate Minister of Education

17 September 2013 Media Statement

Ministers announce first Partnership Schools | Kura Hourua

Education Minister Hekia Parata and Associate Education Minister John Banks today announced the first Partnership Schools | Kura Hourua.

Minister Parata says Partnership Schools offer a new, innovative and dynamic approach to engaging students in education.

“They will help young Kiwis be the best they can be by helping raise aspirations and encouraging them to succeed,” she says.

“The school sponsors were all assessed against specific criteria including the strength of their educational offering, and their ability to improve the education results of children who are being left behind by our system.

Minister Banks says the schools offered a different approach to education and another option for parents.

“These schools all offer something different and we are confident they can start meeting the needs of students for whom the current system is not working,” he says.

“I am looking forward to these schools welcoming their students early next year in what will be an important new development for education in New Zealand.”

The five Partnership Schools | Kura Hourua 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.

ENDS

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