A week travelling
My third week took me from Rakiura/Stewart Island at the southernmost tip of Aotearoa/New Zealand to the vineyards of Central Hawkes Bay. Amidst wet weather, I had a warm welcome from Kath Johnson and the pupils of Halfmoon Bay school as well as from Jono and Ange at Jobs in Central Hawkes Bay — as well as conversations with Rachel Walley ePrincipal of the VLN Primary and Dorothy Burt, lead of the Manaiakalani programme.
Right off the tip of South Island lies Rakiura/Stewart Island. Almost the entire island is owned by the government and set aside as a national park covered in native trees. A large bird population thrives on the island, including flightless birds such as penguins, kiwis and saddlebacks, due to few introduced predators. Rakiura/Stewart Island is also home to around 400 people most of who live in the settlement of Oban and work in fishing and tourism. Half Moon Bay school and the principal Kath Johnson form an important part of the island community. Although there are few places as remote in the UK as Rakiura/Stewart Island, I was interested in what we can learn about innovation via remote education from Aotearea/New Zealand where distance/remote education makes up more of the education system.
The projects and programmes I visited often originated from conversations from principals and collaboration between schools. At Halfmoon Bay, students access specialist teaching across a wider curriculum via the Primary Virtual Learning Network as well as a community of island learners across Aotearoa New Zealand via the Rural and Remote Network. Although there are a number of things to take from the VLNs (which I’ll get into in my report), I was struck by the importance for policy makers in listening to the sector and getting out of the way of sector-led innovation.
My conversations also held a mirror up to show some of the strengths of our education system. Levels of attendance across Aotearoa/New Zealand schools are substantially below UK levels. I heard about exceptional work providing a broader curriculum that is responsive to current priorities (such as the teaching of Te Reo or the Māori language) as well providing devices and at home connectivity in deprived areas to help extend learning time — but translating these insights home must keep school attendance as the highest priority. You need to show up to learn.
Last week: Visit to Halfmoon Bay School. Meetings with Ministry of Education on technology in education and remote learning policy. Meetings with Dorothy Burt to hear about the Manaiakalani programme. Visit to Jobs in Central Hawkes Bay and discussion about community led work to help youth employment. Walks and dinner at Ortega in Wellington.
Next week: Visit to Minginui and Te Kura Toitū o Te Whaiti-nui-ā Toi with Te Aka Toitū Trust. Flight home via Melbourne and meeting with the Global Victoria to discuss education technology.
What I’m taking home with me: broadening access to specialist teaching at primary and learning how to be part of an online community. An affection for the South Sea Hotel in Oban and a number of sandfly bites on my ankles.
