St Paul’s has been announced as a finalist in the 2018 Prime Minister’s Education Excellence Awards.
Selected from 127 entries, St Paul’s is in the running for the ‘Excellence in Leading – Atakura Award’. This award celebrates leadership and influence that has strengthened professional capability and created a change in conditions, leading to improved and sustained outcomes for children and young people.
The nomination is in recognition of the school’s Agribusiness programme and its proven success in leading change within the agricultural sector.
“St Paul’s is committed to meeting primary industry needs by promoting and growing talent, skills, and abilities of students to better prepare them for careers in agribusiness,” says St Paul’s Deputy Headmaster and Director of the Agribusiness programme, Mr Peter Hampton.
In devising a programme that meets the needs of the primary sector, an Advisory Group was established to oversee the collaboration with a number of outside businesses.
These businesses have included DairyNZ, Beef + Lamb NZ, Gallagher, BNZ, Zoetis, NZ National Fieldays Society, AGMARDT, Greenlea, Waikato Milking Systems, AgrowQuip, Waitomo Petroleum, Campbell Tyson, Tetra Pak and Fairview Motors.
To ensure that the programme also met the needs of all secondary schools in New Zealand, the Advisory Group brought together a range of schools as the Agribusiness Community of Learning (ACOL).
“This leadership has enabled the building of strong relationships with other educational institutions, which has increased opportunities for student learning and student success,” says Mr Hampton.
Other finalists in the Excellence in Leading category include Glenavon School, Auckland, Kāiti School, Gisborne and Flaxmere College, Hastings.
Ministry of Education Deputy Secretary for Early Learning and Student Achievement Ellen MacGregor-Reid says the finalists demonstrated excellent teaching practices that help raised achievement for children, tamariki and young people.
A judging panel will visit the finalists during May and June and the winners will be announced at a ceremony on July 3.
For more information, visit the Prime Minister’s Education Excellence Awards website
